I spend a lot of time on the internet, researching articles, checking out partner pages, buying cat-themed apparel online…. And no matter how many times it happens, I’ll never cease to be surprised when I stumble across a website with no “About Us” page. Much to my displeasure and dismay, I come across websites like this almost daily. So if you’re one of these culprits, I suggest you get started here.
How an About Page Helps You Get More Sales
It Overcomes Buyers' Doubts. If you read this title and immediately started sweating bullets, “Wait. I don’t even have an “About Us” page!”. You’re obviously not the only
one. While I may take this page a little more seriously than others, I believe it’s a totally underrated tool and should never be taken too lightly. It shows brand trust, identity, and longevity, which can elimiate risk and objections in the minds' of your customers, thus helping you to get more sales.
It Helps You Stand Out Against the Competition. Personally, I’ve made some pretty big decisions based on the quality (or absence) of an "About Us" section on more than one occasion. If confronted with the same product for the same price on two different websites, I’m going to purchase based on which company I trust more. How do I decide this? I check out who they are-- on their "About Us" page.
So, why take the chance by not having one, or having one that isn’t optimized for grabbing customers attention and business? Let’s take a look at a few simple things you can do to do just that.
Make it Personal
Use this section of your website to brag a little- people expect it and are even looking for it. This is where you can tout your accomplishments, years in business, and applicable awards so that customers know you mean business. Customers want to be told a story, as told by Devin Wenig at this year's eBay Open Conference.
Make the about us section as personal as you’re willing to make it, but keep your branding in mind. Your message on your "About" page should reflect the overall goals of your brand and not conflict with it. If your branding is geared more towards businesslike acumen, then keep a similar tone here.
Consider including not just your photo and bio, but one for everyone in the company. This is your chance to connect with customers on a personal level and show them you’re relatable and likable. Showing off your employees shows your customers you take the time to recognize each and every one of them. Subsequently, customers will assume if you care about your employees, that you’ll also extend that level of care to shoppers.
Build Some Trust
After you’re done convincing your customers of how great you are, don’t forget other little details. If you’ve been around for a while, including the year your were established inspires trust and portrays longevity. Include business details like where the company was founded, and ways to get in contact with you. This is a great opportunity to talk about your growth, or brag about publications you’ve appeared in or awards you’ve won. Recognition means you’re doing something right, and customers will internalize that. It would also be great to link to your social media accounts here, particularly if you use them to showcase your products being used.
If your company has them (and it should), this would be a good place to include your core values and mission statement. These tools serve not only to empower and inspire your employees, but instil loyalty and brand trust in consumers to help you get more sales now and in the future.
Include a Call-to-Action
Finally, the most important part of converting customers on your "About" page. After enticing them with a unique and compelling story about you and your company, you need to do something with their attention now that you have it.
A call-to-action, or CTA, is an instruction to your customers to incite an action. You’ve seen them before-- it’s those buttons on web pages that say, “Call Now” or “Sign Up Today”. It might seem like a hard selling tactic, but in all honesty, if you can provide a convincing story about what you do and why you do it, it’s likely people are going to be driven to at least take a look at your products. Consider including a CTA like “Learn More” that links to your flagship product listing, or capture their email with “Join Our Newsletter” and get more sales by contacting them later.
Conclusion
Woo your customers and stand out from the competition with an "About" page that people can’t help but love. Once you have their trust, do something with it. Use call-to-actions to turn their interest in you into sales. Perhaps one of the easiest and most overlooked way of standing out from the competition is actually showing your customers what makes you different. The good news is, this section of your website is the perfect platform to do it on. Don’t leave sales on the table, show us what you’re about!