Day two the about me page is the start of where you present yourself personally as you. It is your personal footprint.So far so good – your mind is simmering about how you want others to see you online. You may even see places you need to cut or expand in your business.

Later we’ll be going into ways you can SHOW and prove your message, rather than by just stating it, but for now, we have to have it in writing.

Why Is an About Page an Important Part of Branding?

Recently, several people emailed me mentioning how they went to someone’s site I had recommended, but there was no information about who they were, so they either didn’t buy at all or didn’t sign up on their list.

I never knew OTHER people looked for that information. I thought “About” pages were not real. I know personally I DO look at these pages before I do anything else on a person’s website. Just thought I was the odd one. That’s because most of the about me pages are written as if the person they are describing is not real.

An About page is the one page when someone lands on your site where they expect to see what YOU are all about (or your company’s mission). They know it’s not a sales spot – they want realism. They don’t want to see a cold dry impersonal page written in the third person.

You need to own your about page.

So today, you’re going to take your promise and your words that best reflect you, and you’re going to create an About page for yourself. It can be on your domain or a free blog platform but get one out there.

My First Attempt at an About Page

If About pages are so important to me as someone considering listening to others, then why does mine look like this:

Catherine Ford lived in Andalucia, on the South coast of Spain with her husband and dogs. She began writing when her parents had dementia.

How horrifying!

I know WHY I did it that way – I was embarrassed and didn’t know what to write. i didn’t think that page mattered. And why am I writing in 3rd person?

Now I see this as creepy.

So I’m about to redo my About page. So are you. The reason we’re doing this is because it’s one of the most building blocks of a blog – one we think people ignore, but they really don’t.

An Example of a Good About Page Story

It’s a great about me page because it evokes an emotion in diabetics. I was trying to build trust:

1. By using a picture. not just any picture, but the picture of a couple.

2. I am telling a very personal story.

3. I am trying to empathize with the feelings her audience have as a diabetic.

5. I invite others to join me in the journey.

I am speaking from the heart – as you will be doing, too. I am not selling to anyone. I wasn’t making things seem too good to be true.

Elements of Your New About Page

I want this to be your style – not mine. But there are some guidelines I can give you on what I think would make a good About page if I was visiting one and looking for information about whether or not I liked first impressions of this person and felt like investigating them further.

Your promise statement should be somewhere prominent on this page. It’s not “all about them” as some people say – and it’s really not “all about you,” either.

If you think about it, what they want to know is: will you be good for them?

Will you be fair, honest, and worth their time?

Leave out the Selling

The LAST thing I want you to do with this branding is to write some sterile Unique Selling Proposition. Or follow this shallow advice I saw online – look what their advice on an About page is:

· your experience
· links to your other websites or blogs
· your contact information

NO!

All impersonal and not what your visitor is after. There are contact form plugins for contact information. There are sidebars and other places to include links. The only thing worthy of that list is your experience – but not in a cold way.

Weave a Story

People related to stories. So tell yours on this About page.

Start with a picture. Yep – time to get out the old JPG!

Breathe…you can do it!

It can be a thumbnail. It can be anything, but it needs to be you.

I put my real picture on there. It’s different from the one I used to use. The one now on my About page is me on any given day – hair straight no make up.

After the picture, give a quick snapshot of who you are. For me, I tell my age (it matters in some niches and with my niche, people always tend to tell me their age). I also explain I’m married.

Where Did You Come From

Give your backstory then – what led you to be where you are now?

Give information about how your path has altered over time. leo started on four metformin, the highest available dose. Explain the transition – he controlled his diet. Talk about what you did and didn’t like. I discuss how being fit became important to Leo.

Talk about what you think makes you different than your competitors. What will they gain from you that they can’t have with anyone else? (Or at least not many others).In that case, I mention he is one of the twenty-eight people who had cured their diabetes at the time.

Work your promise statement in there and expand on it.

Ditch Those Who Aren’t Interested

Weed out your NON audience. I talk about being blunt. So I hope those who need coddling won’t follow me.if they need help to

Invite people to connect to you. And by that, I don’t mean saying, “Please feel free to contact me.” Be a little more personable. Set their mind at ease about reaching out to you – so many people feel like it’s an inconvenience.

And I didn’t go through a list of accomplishments. I feel that’s more resume-ish than connecting with someone. I wouldn’t meet someone in a dinner party and start saying, “I’m the proud author of a diabetic ebook and have had X number of sales.”

Keep it Real

No – I’d say, “I started researching about how to reverse diabetes when my husband was about to have to take insulin injections” and take it from there. Be PERSONABLE. This is not a job interview.

When you’re finished with YOUR About page, how about you share it with me? Or on me blog in the comments section so others can support you with feedback?

What Not to Include on Your About Page

Don’t sell on your About page.

Don’t stick a bunch of hyperlinks to all your sites there. (Or to others).

Don’t ask people to opt in – unless it’s at the BOTTOM of your About page – they’re just now showing an interest in getting to know you, so tell your story first and then later invite them.

Don’t be nervous, either. Your About page is fully editable at any time. The key now is to attract people to your intentions and your abilities. You have that in you – just tap into it!