The Market Your Message Show
The Market Your Message Show
Ch. 16: Why Most About Me Pages Fail
Chapter 16. Create Your About Me Page
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In this episode of the Market Your Message show, Jonathan Milligan guides listeners through creating an effective 'About Me' page. Inspired by Benjamin Franklin's engaging autobiography, the episode stresses the importance of connecting with visitors rather than just listing achievements. Key steps include drawing readers in with a compelling introduction, empathizing with their struggles, showcasing ways to help them, establishing credibility, and ending with a clear call to action. An exercise is provided to help apply these insights.
00:00 Introduction
00:44 Chapter 16. Day 16. Create your About Me page
03:20 Step 1. Craft an introduction that draws readers in
04:38 Step 2. Identify and empathize with visitors' struggles
05:55 Step 3. Guide visitors to solve struggles
07:18 Step 4. Establish credibility
08:40 Step 5. End with a clear call to action
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Hello and welcome to the Market Your Message show. I'm your host, Jonathan Milligan, an author of the Your Message Matters book series. We are currently going through book number two in the series called Launch Your Platform, a 21 day launch plan to build your personal brand and share your story online as a writer, coach or speaker. And as a special thanks to you, my podcast listeners, I'm releasing the audio book. One chapter at a time. If you'd like to grab any of the books in the series, just go to platformgrowthbooks. com. Okay. Let's jump in to today's reading.
Chapter 16. Day 16. Create your About Me page. Benjamin Franklin's autobiography is considered one of the most influential works in early American literature. The book was published in 1791, when Franklin was 84 years old. It chronicles his life from humble beginnings as the son of a candle maker. It follows his rise as a successful printer, inventor, founding father, and diplomat. What made Franklin's autobiography so memorable was the was his engaging, conversational style. He wrote it not merely to catalog his achievements, but to connect with readers by sharing the story of his life. Franklin took them along on the journey from poverty to prosperity, discussing his mistakes and lessons learned along the way. The autobiography inspired many future American writers. It provided an early model for using narrative to share one's experience. In that same engaging spirit, this chapter will explore how to craft an About Me page. It won't just list credentials, rather it will draw readers in by introducing yourself through a compelling life story. The goal is not to brag, but to connect. Much like Benjamin Franklin's famous work, opening up makes the About Me page more inviting. Day 16, create your about me page. When creating an about me page, it's tempting just to list your achievements and credentials. However, this formal achievement focused approach often fails to connect with visitors. Many people mistakenly believe the page is all about them. Visitors care less about your accomplishments and more about what you can do for them. They want to know if you understand their struggles and can provide solutions. An about me page that is overly focused on achievements and credentials is self centered. It should be visitor centered. Some common pitfalls include making it too much of an academic biography. Others are using stiff, formal language or being boring by rattling off credentials. This fails to engage readers. They want a glimpse into the real human behind the website, not just a laundry list of degrees and job titles. The most effective approach is keeping the focus on visitors needs instead of yourself. Introduce who you are briefly, but mainly explain how you can connect with and assist readers. Share your guiding principles and what drives you to help others overcome challenges. Use your story to forge a bond, not just spotlight yourself. The About Me page shouldn't be about you at all. It should be about them. Step 1. Craft an introduction that draws readers in. Your about me page introduction is a lot like a first date. You want to make a great first impression. This means not dominating the conversation by bragging about yourself, but keeping the focus on getting to know the other person. A good analogy is to approach your introduction like you would a first date. Don't just list your job titles or rattle off achievements. Reveal your personality. Share your passions, quirks, and beliefs. Tell a story from your past that shaped you. Help visitors get to know the real human behind the website right away. Introduce yourself briefly to establish credibility. For example, mention your role as an author, blogger, coach, or expert in your field. But don't dwell on accomplishments. Quickly pivot to show you understand visitors needs, worries, and desires. Reflecting their own thoughts back at readers establishes rapport quickly. Craft your opening to hint at the journey ahead if visitors stay on your site. You're offering to be their guide, but they need to know you can truly empathize with their problems first. Remember, first impressions matter. Use your introduction to connect with visitors, not just sell yourself immediately. Step 2. Identify and empathize with visitors struggles. Once you've introduced yourself, the next step is crucial. It involves identifying and empathizing with your visitors struggles. In Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe masterfully portrayed slaves pain and desperation. She did this through vivid portraits. Her novel deeply resonated by illuminating an experience unfamiliar to many readers at the time. She connected by conveying how much the slaves were suffering. On your About Me page, strive to tap into your audience's mindset by articulating familiar pains, doubts, and concerns. List out quotes and phrases your readers may think or say. I'm full of ideas, but can't seem to start. I'm tired of staying stuck in this dead end job. What if I'm not good enough? By giving voice to these inner worries and fears, you show visitors that you deeply understand where they are coming from. You can then position yourself as the guide who relates to their distress and wants to help them overcome it. But first, show you truly get what they're going through. When readers see their own thoughts mirrored back, it powerfully communicates that you grasp their situation. Step three, guide visitors to solve struggles. Once you've established empathy with your reader's pain points, the next step is explaining how you can guide them to solve those struggles. According to a study, including testimonials on a website, increase the likelihood of purchases by 34%. This is because it builds visitor trust by providing social proof that you deliver results. On your About Me page, highlight specific ways you've helped people overcome the same challenges plaguing your readers. For example, I helped Julie finally quit her unfulfilling office job and open her own bakery. I worked with Mark to create a focused writing routine so he could finish his novel. My coaching enabled Sandra to find the courage to speak up in meetings and be heard. Back up your expertise with evidence, share case studies, client reviews, testimonials, or examples of your work in action. Prove that you've assisted others on the same journey your visitors want to undertake. Remember, your goal is to guide, so provide a roadmap for how you can help readers make progress. Outline your method, framework, or system. Explain your distinct approach to serving clients. Clarify what makes you uniquely qualified to assist visitors in conquering their difficulties. Convince readers you offer a clear path forward. Step four, establish credibility. Once you've explained how you can help visitors overcome struggles, the next step is establishing your credibility. As Mark Twain stated, the man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read. Credentials matter when it comes to consulting someone for help. Briefly highlight your background. Explain your relevant experience that makes you qualified to serve readers. For example, Mention if you have an advanced degree in your field, completed specialized training or certifications, authored books or courses on this topic, have been featured as an expert on major media platforms, have accrued years of successfully coaching clients like The Reader, displaying logos of publications, podcasts, or websites where you've been featured or quoted is also powerful social proof. Visitors want reassurance you have the expertise to guide them. While credentials are crucial, resist solely resorting to listing qualifications. Sprinkle in just enough biographical details to substantiate your authority. The focus is on quickly convincing readers you are qualified to help them, not an in depth overview of your career progression. A few key credentials strategically placed establish credibility so readers see you as an expert they can trust. Step 5. End with a clear call to action. After establishing your expertise, conclude your About Me page by directing visitors to take the next step. Legend tells of sirens luring sailors to shipwrecks through irresistible songs. Their melodies compelled men to action. End your page in a similar way. Urge readers to take clear action. This could mean signing up for a newsletter. Scheduling a consultation or downloading a resource Close by motivating visitors to convert from browsing to buying into your guidance. for example, ready to stop wasting time and start accomplishing your goals. Click here to download my free guide on building an effective morning routine, or want me to personally help clarify your business mission schedule, a one on one coaching session now. Direct readers to take a concrete next action. You want your message to be so compelling that visitors feel urged to click. An explicit call to conversion completes the journey you've outlined. Start your about me page with a strong opening. Follow this with an empathetic middle, social proof, and established credentials. Finally, end by giving readers a clear avenue to get started on achieving their aspirations. Send visitors off with a siren song they just can't resist. Day 16, Exercise. Write a draft of your About Me page. To start applying these lessons on an About Me page that truly connects, set aside 10 minutes to complete this quick exercise. 1. Write down the core struggles your readers face. What pains and frustrations keep them up at night? Really get inside their heads. Two, next explain how you can help guide them past those struggles. What solutions, insights, or tools can you provide to help overcome their challenges? Three, craft an introduction that draws readers in. Begin by briefly introducing yourself. Then, shift focus to empathizing with their situation. End with an irresistible call to action for signing up for more of your guidance. Make it so compelling that visitors cannot say no. Invest just 10 minutes in practicing connecting with your audience's needs. Write down their struggles, the value you offer, and a strong opening and closing. This will give you greater clarity before sitting down to write your full About Me page. Ensuring you are truly visitor focused instead of self focused is the key takeaway. Completing this quick exercise will help you master the strategies shared in this chapter for an About Me page that truly resonates. The goal is not to boast about yourself, but to forge a bond with readers. So set your timer for 10 minutes and start connecting your story to the people you want to help. Day 16, Key Takeaways. Focus on connecting with and helping readers, not yourself. Draw readers in, address their concerns and share solutions. Establish expertise, but don't overdo credentials. End with a clear call to action. Craft engaging opening and closing to compel readers.