How to Write Your About Section to Get an Emotional Buy-In
24th Mar 22
For many business owners, how to write your About section is an afterthought.
As a professional copywriter I love drafting About pages for my clients – but along the way, I’ve seen some shocking ones.
I guess that’s a little unfair of me really. You don’t know what you don’t know, do you…
So, how should an About section be structured?
Well, before we talk about structure, I’d like to mention the benefits of having well-crafted copy in this section.
Many people put lots of time and effort into their listings, quite rightly so. And if the person reading has already decided it’s the product or service for them, this may well be enough to entice them to hit the ‘buy now’ button.
However…
For many people, who they are buying from is equally important, if not more important than the product or service. Particularly in the wellbeing sector.
The About section is your opportunity to make a connection with the reader.
They can get a real feel for who you are and why you do what you do.
You’re no longer a faceless listing, you’re a person with a story they can relate to.
If you allow your customers to feel like they know you, even a little, you’re head and shoulders above others selling online.
How to write your About section – What to consider
What concerns and/or objections are your prospective customers likely to have about buying from you? Its not the product or service you’re thinking about here – it’s you personally or your company. Maybe there are none, maybe there are a number… it will all depend on what you are selling.
What’s your story behind the business? What led you to do what you do? Why did you want to go into business?
What are the main questions your customers ask before buying?
If you are providing an in-person service, what geographical area do you cover or are based in?
And, do you need to provide any, what I call, boring stuff such as guarantees, qualifications, insurances, warranties? (Please remember people rarely actually ask to see any of these things, but you may have worked hard for them and be proud of them, so they are definitely worth mentioning – just not making a huge deal out of.)
How to structure your About Section
Start with your story. Why you do what you do? What you love about it? Talk about who you help and how. Always use photos to show you with your story – if people can see you as they learn about you, they will feel connected and as though they know you a little.
I don’t know if it will be helpful, but here’s my story in brief.
In 2017 I had a life changing accident – I fell off a ladder and shattered my leg. I had to sell my then business. After 18 months of not being able to walk I was told I could begin to be mobile again, but there was no way of knowing how mobile I would become, or how quickly.
I knew I needed a business I could work from behind a laptop, whilst in bed if necessary! I looked back through my career and tried to identify one element in every job that I loved doing. That turned out to be writing copy.
I contacted a number of business owners in my old network and asked if they felt there would be a demand – I got three pieces of work from that one message!
The company name was a whole lot more challenging. I came up with Communicate Copywriting (it said what I did on the tin!) But it made my soul sink. It felt boring and corporate.
A friend said I needed the word ‘raspberry’ in the name as everyone says I’m not pink or purple, I’m somewhere in the middle – raspberry! (It’s the hair colour.) So, that night, just before I fell asleep, I said in my head “will someone please tell me what to call this company”. (Can you tell I was frustraited by this point!)
As I opened my eyes the next morning, it was as though someone spoke to me internally. ‘Raspberry Flamingo’ popped into my head so clearly it stopped me in my tracks.
Now I have a lifelong friend who built a national company and is very corporate. So, I text her “Is Raspberry Flamingo the most stupid name you’ve ever heard for my new business?”
I didn’t expect a fast response, but it came almost immediately “At this moment I am drinking raspberry tea out of the flamingo mug you bought me.” That was that. I lost my friend in 2020 and so the name is more precious to me now than ever.
If you story doesn’t address the concerns and/or objections and any questions that your prospective customer may have, then an ideal way to deal with this is to provide social proof in the form of a case study with testimonials.
Here’s an example not related to wellbeing but one I hope will demonstrate the point. If you wanted an extension building to you home, you may be worried about the dirt and mess caused by the builders. A testimonial from a client who says that the building company you are considering cleaned up thoroughly each day and even offered to have neighbours drives and windows cleaned because of dust, would allay those concerns for you.
Never be afraid of using social proof. Well over 80% of people now look for it and long gone are the days people thought it was all made up.
How to write your About section – Summary
When writing your About section an ideal structure would be
- Your Story
- Address any concerns or objections a customer may have (if not addressed in your story)
- Social Proof
- Frequently Asked Questions (if not already dealt with in the sections above)
- Geographical area of operation (if appropriate)
- The Boring Stuff
- How they contact you should they need further information
I really hope all that has helped you feel you now know How to write your About section. If you would like to discuss it further, please just get in touch with me directly (email is usually best – claire@raspberryflamingo.com).
