About Us

The number 1 element that sways buying decisions is consumer confidence, and it is nigh impossible to create consumer confidence when a consumer can’t see you and learn about you. They need to first decide if they can TRUST you before they buy from you. A good about page will help.

Make it Personal.

Is your business only you or you and your partner? Or do you have a small or complete staff?

Whatever the size of your small business, your website should introduce all of you (ordinarily) in the first person.

The first business websites, created to be like an “Online Brochure” were typically created by an HTML programmer in the early days. This programmer or someone else interviewed the business owner(s) and then wrote a report, much like a newspaper columnist would write a feature story or an editorial. Thus. Third person. But that was then.

If your website has third person copy on it, get it changed as fast as you can. Why? Just let me reason with you a while.

Third person articles are distant. Do you want to distance yourself from your clients through your website or do you want to bring them closer to you?

Your Website is a Virtual Office for Your Business.

We'll use Best Way Websites as an example for you. Think about it. If someone were to walk into our office and speak to our staff, and ask this question: “Tell me about your company”, do we really want the staff to say something like this:

“They provide products and services for small business owners. They have been in business since 1999. They are experts at helping small business owners effectively market their businesses and have developed some great software that enables small business owners to edit their own website. They have also created a search engine optimization program that is achieving outstanding results for its subscribers.”

NO!

We want our staff to say something like this: “Hi, welcome to Best Way Websites.  My name is _______, how may I help you today?

“We make it easy for small business owners to grow and manage their businesses by creating, marketing and maintaining effective, attractive and affordable websites for them.  We give them as much help as they want and need so they can focus upon their businesses and making more money.”

Your website has not been written by an electronic newspaper reporter, has it? No? Then don’t make it sound that way. Websites can do many wonderful things for us, but by their intrinsic makeup they are NOT personal. They are cold. Warm them up and warm up your clients and prospective clients by warming up and personalizing your website!

Consider showing you or your staff on the about page -and maybe in the header of your site (that shows on all pages). It does not need to be prominent, but it should be present.

If you operate your business from any type of brick and mortar facility, be sure and get a photo of it online as well. If you operate from a home office, then let them see you in your home office setting.

This is most important when you are hoping to secure business outside of your own city.

People need to see that there are real people associated with your business, because there are more scam sites out there than there are real ones, I would say maybe even ten to one.

Your personal face should be a smiling face! Smiling faces sell. Just pick up any mainstream magazine and browse through it and you will see lots of positive, smiling faces. Smiling faces add a warm personality to an otherwise cold website.

Make it human.

Your "about" page should be about you as a person, not just as a business owner. The more you share about you, your family & friends and hobbies and such, the more REAL your site becomes. Share as much as you are comfortable with.

When people visit your website, they need to learn about you.  If people have difficultly discovering who you are, they will usually click away.

List your affiliations.

Are you a member of your local chamber of commerce or other business groups? List them. Are you a member of other service clubs or not for profit organizations? List them.

List your credentials and certifications.

Even though this is precisely the OPPOSITE place to start when first introducing yourself to a new prospective client, they need to get there eventually.

With your marketing message, you grab their attention telling them how you can solve their problems, but then have to convince them that you can. Your credentials and certifications help to validate that you are an expert in your vocation.

List Your accolades and awards.

When you post your accolades and awards, you are publishing what someone else has said, which makes it carry more weight than if you were to say it yourself.

Don't be squeamish about touting your skills. Be honest, work hard and tell the truth about yourself, even when it is good!