You’ve probably read some of those incredibly boring about me pages.  You know the ones, they start off with something like, “Way back in the late 1900’s, Scott Sery got his start…” they proceed to give a timeline list of all the accomplishments, and wrap up with something like, “Scott loves to hunt, fish, and otherwise enjoy the outdoors that Montana has to offer.  Back home with his wife and child, they have a garden…”  Blah, blah, blah, it’s a snooze fest.

Yes, the About Me page should include information that’s all about you and what you do.  However, the key to a really good about me page isn’t spouting off interesting facts.  It’s actually all about writing a page that the reader resonates with and by the time they’re done reading, they really want to do business with you.

Here’s how to get that done.

Write from the Reader’s Point of View

I’m not talking about writing in the third person, but rather from what information they really want to know.  Think about when you go to an “About” section of any website.  Which information are you trying to learn?  It’s probably not what the founder’s hobbies are, and very little about when they got their start.  Instead, think along these lines.

• Who are the employees or leadership? Is there a clear picture of them, their title, and what they do in the company?
• Where are they located? Are they local, or able to work with anyone around the country?
• What do they actually do? What problems do they solve through their services?
• How long have they been around, what are their successes?

Who Are You Dealing With?

One of the biggest things I’m looking for on the about me page, is who I would be dealing with.  Is this a solo-preneur, a small business, or something larger?  If I’m trying to sell to this business, will I have to go through multiple layers to find the decision maker?  Coming from the customer point of view, will I get great service, or am I dealing with someone that largely stays hidden and behind the scenes?

I get that you have to minimize spam and cold callers by not putting contact information on the website.  But as a potential customer, I want to know how I can quickly get in touch (and “contact us” boxes are rarely the way to go).

Make it really easy for visitors to see who exactly you are – a professional headshot and clear concise wording is essential here.

Touch on the Pain Points of your Ideal Clients

As you do this, you should be weaving your success stories into the page so they read very seamlessly.  A little known fact is that your about page is really just a sales page that’s disguised as something else.

To ensure that you’re selling without sounding salesy, you have to create a story that ensures people are nodding along and thinking how amazing their life would be as your client.  You can do this by incorporating “aha” moments into your timeline.

For example, as I was learning how to be a writer, I learned all about copywriting.  I had pretty well nailed the blogging, magazine articles, and other forms, but copywriting was what really drives the business.  In 2015, I learned that businesses need Home, About, and Services pages for their websites, and this became a service that I could offer.  Teaming up with local web design companies, we would create the full package.  One stop and they could get the technical and design details done through those who loved working on those aspects, and I’d work with the client to create some badass copy.  Now, the business got their website done faster, the wording was just right, and they didn’t have to struggle to do it all on their own.

It’s a story on what you could have, but woven into the about me as though it’s a story of something I have accomplished.

Minimize Your Timeline and Fun Facts

Most people don’t really care about your business timeline.  They might be interested in when you got your start, to ensure you’re experienced.  They’re not terribly worried about every major accomplishment over the years (this does change a little for huge companies.  For instance, Coca-Cola has been around a million years, and it’s interesting to know when they got their start, how they changed, when they branched out, and more.  If you have a unique history, consider a “history” page instead of stuffing it all onto the About Me page).

Using the example above, you can easily weave your timeline into your about page that’s actually telling success stories and acting as a sales page.  You get the key points in there, but along the way you describe the different pains customers were having, and how you solved them through the services you offer.

Now you’re thinking, “But Scott!  I want to tell everyone about my golf handicap, and my rock climbing abilities, and the fact that in 7^th grade I won the spelling bee!”  All good things, however, you can create this without straight up listing facts and activities.  The story can be told so that along the way people know what you’re all about.  Pictures can be included that show off your spelling prowess or your amazing swing.  And if all else fails, a simple two or three sentence paragraph at the very end that gives all those details so people can gloss over them when they really don’t care.

Wrap it Up with a Call to Action

Before you get to that last paragraph (which can be a footer on that page), you want to tell people what they should be doing.  People need a CTA, even if they don’t think they need a CTA.

Something similar to, “Scott finds immense joy when learning about other people’s stories.  He dives in gathering the knowledge, learning about the industry, and seeing how your unique perspective has shaped you into the expert you are.  Are you ready to have your book written?  Book some time for a free discovery call to learn how being a published author sets you above the competition.”

Without the call to action, you can end up losing the reader as they click away and look for the next shiny thing.

AI Will Struggle with This; You Need a Writer

Over the last couple of years AI, especially the large language models, has people convinced that they don’t need a writer to do all of this for them.  But there are three reasons why you still want a human to get this right.

1. AI can’t figure out your story, or weave the client’s success stories into the writing. It’s getting better, but it’s still really wrong most of the time.
2. Most of the time the AI won’t fully understand that this is really a sales page. It will swing wildly from facts and timelines, to straight up sales, without subtly weaving the two together.
3. Robots can only barely fake emotion. There’s always something that’s just sort of missing.  Sometimes you can’t pinpoint it, but you can feel that it’s not there.

It’s tempting to go with the mediocre, but free.  However, AI is a resource and not a replacement.  It can help you get started and offer some ideas, but ultimately a writer should be doing the heavy lifting on the About Me page.

And I’ll take that burden off your plate.  Schedule a free 30-minute discovery call, and let’s see how your about page can turn into the ultimate sales page.