“Don’t be a show-off. Who even cares about your office culture? I want to talk about me. What about my needs?”

So, that’s the sound of a customer dying from boredom all over your company history. Not cool “About Us”, not cool.

It’s important to have this page because it’s the biography for your business. Customers are looking for the story beyond the homepage and a reason to hire you. Unfortunately, they’re notoriously difficult to write because “About Us” isn’t really about you. It’s about them.

How do you focus the story of your business on someone else, your customer?

I find it’s helpful to break down the challenge into 4 parts: show the benefit, show proof, share your values, share an invitation.

Show the Benefit

What do you need customers to know about your business? It’s what you do and why they should work with you. That’s the key to keeping this page customer-focused. Frame the introduction to your company in benefits to the customer. These benefits come directly from your unique value proposition, the whatever-it-is that makes you different.

Check out these fictional examples of different About page introductory paragraphs.

A local café and bakery

We’re a little shop of goodness, fully stocked with your new favorite tea and coffee as well as sweet treats, all baked in the shop. You’ll be delighted by classic confections and inventive sweets not found anywhere else. Spend a minute and pick up orders to go, or stay a little while longer to enjoy our quirky (but comfy!) chairs.

• Notice these benefits: guaranteed fresh baked goods, unique dessert selection, good local coffee on the go and a fun place to meet friends

Plumbing service provider

Life with a family gets busy, we get that. You don’t have time to handle a busted pipe and your beautiful, wonderful child’s already-late science project and your normal (crazy) day. We can’t help with the science project, but our quick response time and skilled technicians are here for every plumbing problem, fixed on your schedule.

• Notice these benefits: friendly, family-oriented approach, easy scheduling, quick response time

Marketing consultant

What’s marketing done for you lately? We’re here to help you see where you’re at, find where you’re going and take steps with you moving toward meeting your business goals. Get connected with the best designers, writers and programmers and get marketing done.

• Notice these benefits: glad to help beginners, business goal focused, on-ramp to the local world of designers

Prove You’re Worth It

Once you’ve made the introduction and shared the benefits of working with you, show customers they can trust you’ll live up to this promise. Here’s where your story comes in. What allows you to convey those benefits? A diverse, yet deep, range of experience? Specialized training or equipment? Unique personal experience? Take a little time to share how your story adds up to happy and satisfied customers.

See how these examples expand on the introduction to include important proofs.

A local café and bakery

When you drop by our shop, you’ll meet our smiling staff. More importantly, you’ll be greeted by our enormous case of treats. Each one is carefully crafted in our custom kitchen by chef Stephanie, creations inspired by her growing up in Montreal and taste tested by her husband Jack and their friends here in Indy.

• Notice these proofs: enormous case with big selection, custom baking kitchen, owner-chef named, inspired by unique family recipes from abroad, recipes tested locally

Plumbing service provider

We’re proud to call Indy home since 1972, when Todd and Rick began the business. Together, our certified plumbers bring over 100 years of experience to protecting your investment and keeping your home running smoothly. Schedule online, or call our 24/7 service line any time to speak with an on-call plumber.

• Notice these proofs: business started by partners, long business history, online scheduling, service hotline

Marketing consultant

Jill’s a graduate of IU and a veteran of the local marketing community. She’s a frequent speaker at local events in the tech community and sought after for events nationwide. Clients include Community Super Plus Credit Union, Stephanie’s Literally Awesome Bakery and ToddRick Plumbing Associates.

• Notice these proofs: good education, history working in local businesses, frequent public speaker, prominent local clients.

What’s next? It’s time to spill the deepest, darkest company secrets.

Share Your Values

Your customers aren’t you. If they were you, then you wouldn’t need your services! They can’t know your struggle, all those late nights, those road trips or that month you ate only apples.

But chances are good you have shared values. Show you care about hospitality, creativity, hard work, family and other junk. These are actually related to sharing your story. We spend time and resources on what we value. What do you spend time on? When customers see you’re a real person, or a team of real people, they’ll get comfortable reaching out.

In our examples, you can see the values of the company come through every part. What you value is part of what’s unique about you and that will come through in the unique benefits you provide customers. Read the benefit and proof paragraphs again, see how each is connected. Then identify the company values expressed.

A local café and bakery

We’re a little shop of goodness, fully stocked with your new favorite tea and coffee as well as sweet treats, all baked in the shop. You’ll be delighted by classic confections and inventive sweets not found anywhere else. Spend a minute and pick up orders to go, or stay a little while longer to enjoy our quirky (but comfy!) chairs.

When you drop by our shop, you’ll meet our smiling staff. More importantly, you’ll be greeted by our enormous case of treats. Each one is carefully crafted in our custom kitchen by chef Stephanie, creations inspired by her growing up in Montreal and taste tested by her husband Jack and their friends here in Indy.

• Notice these benefits: guaranteed fresh baked goods, unique dessert selection, good local coffee on the go and a fun place to meet friends
• Notice these proofs: enormous case with big selection, custom baking kitchen, owner-chef named, inspired by unique family recipes from abroad, recipes tested locally
• Notice these values: freshness, hospitality, variety, personality
  

Plumbing service provider

Life with a family gets busy, we get that. You don’t have time to handle a busted pipe and your beautiful, wonderful child’s already-late science project and your normal (crazy) day. We can’t help with the science project, but our quick response time and skilled technicians are here for every plumbing problem, fixed on your schedule.

We’re proud to call Indy home since 1972, when Todd and Rick began the business. Together, our certified plumbers bring over 100 years of experience to protecting your investment and keeping your home running smoothly. Schedule online, or call our 24/7 service line any time to speak with an on-call plumber.

• Notice these benefits: friendly, family-oriented approach, easy scheduling, quick response time
• Notice these proofs: business started by partners, long business history, online scheduling, service hotline
• Notice these values: family, efficiency and effectiveness
  

Marketing consultant

What’s marketing done for you lately? We’re here to help you see where you’re at, find where you’re going and take steps with you moving toward meeting your business goals. Get connected with the best designers, writers and programmers and get marketing done.

Jill’s a graduate of IU and a veteran of the local marketing community. She’s a frequent speaker at local events in the tech community and sought after for events nationwide. Clients include Community Super Plus Credit Union, Stephanie’s Literally Awesome Bakery and ToddRick Plumbing Associates.

• Notice these benefits: glad to help beginners, business goal focused, on-ramp to the local world of designers
• Notice these proofs: good education, history working in local businesses, frequent public speaker, prominent local clients.
• Notice these values: local business development, teaching and mentorship, networking
  

Make the Invitation

Finish the page by asking customers in. Show them how easy it is to get started working with you and walk them up the front path and point out the open door. Make it obvious how to contact you. Display all of your basic contact info and make your preferred method the most prominent.

Once you’ve communicated your benefits, proven you’re worth it and shared the values that inform what you do, this invitation tells customers exactly what to do next. No question. All that’s left is to take the call.

More on Web Design

• Brochure Copy Isn’t Meant for Web
• Design Ideas for a Home-Grown Website that’s Still Kinda Elegant Looking
• About You: Talking About a Home Services Business