Simon Sinek’s Ted Talk on how great leaders inspire action carries one important message; start with Why. In most instances, we look to start our sales pitches, propositions, and introductions with who we are. Sinek proposes that start with Why, rather than Who, What, or How, allows you to define purpose while elevating yourself amongst competitors. In this post, we’ll explore how to find your Why and how you can use this message to construct effective About Us pages that will have customers ready to make a purchase.
Defining Purpose
What is your company’s purpose for being? Defining your purpose is the first step to communicating who you are as a business in a meaningful way. Baldoni Consulting offers three questions every business should ask themselves to determine their purpose.
- What is our vision, i.e., what do we want to become?
- What is our mission, i.e., what do we do now?
- What are our values, i.e., what are the behaviors we expect of ourselves?
Finding the answer to these questions is not a five minute process. It will require thinking and discussion amongst your team. Use this exercise in leadership to define the purpose of your business.
State Your Why
Once you have defined your purpose, it’s time to use that purpose to write out your Why. This is the first thing a potential customer should see on your About Us page. Sinek provides a great example of Why in his Ted Talk.
Here’s how Apple actually communicates. “Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. We just happen to make great computers. Want to buy one?”
The example above is a statement of purpose that let’s consumers know why Apple exists. It’s powerful and provokes emotions that make you want to own an Apple product. You can write a similar statement for your own business. Use your answers to the three questions mentioned earlier to craft your Why.
Introduce the Issue
Now that you’ve stated your Why, you can introduce the problem or issue that your target audience is facing. What is the issue that called you and your business to action? For example, if you noticed that women interested in fashion apparel had trouble finding quality products that are trendy and fashionable, you may have decided to provide them with quality apparel that follows the latest trends.
Solve the Problem
How did you decide to solve the issue? What inspired you to start your business or company? Share the early beginnings and any struggles or setbacks you faced, along with the tale of you overcoming them.
Share Your Future
Let customers know where you see yourself and your business in the near future. What are your goals? How are your customers included in those goals? Feel free to restate your mission and vision to remind customers of the role you hope to play in your industry.
About Us Page Template
[COMPANY] exists to [STATE YOUR WHY].
[EXPLAIN PROBLEM IN YOUR INDUSTRY] led [FOUNDERS] to start [COMPANY].
That’s when we decided to [DESCRIBE JOURNEY TO SOLUTION].
This is where we are today, but our hope for the future is to [STATE YOUR MISSION GOING FORWARD].
Writing your copy in the first person (e.g. I, We) builds a more personal connection with your audience.