How to Write an About That Positions You As an Authority
“I am the Lizard King! I can do anything!”
If Jim Morrison had a site with an About page today, maybe that would be his first line.
And I’d beg him to choose otherwise.
(Sidenote: Morrison’s quote was a satirical view on how others treated him, not his own view of himself. But for the sake of making a point, let’s pretend that he really thought of himself this way LOL)
But, seriously, that’s the way so many About pages start, they start with the “I...I...I” statements that have nothing to do with the reader.
And that’s why most people turn away from them.
When the reader turns away from your About or your bio, you’ve very likely lost them as a possible sale of services or your book.
Because the About page is the page on your site (the hub of your entire presence on the web) where connections are formed, trust is fostered, and you are able to position yourself as not just an expert, but an authority, which translates into sales.
Consider this: Your Home page is your front door. The reader has landed on your doorstep and has rung the doorbell.
Peeking inside, they give the Home page a once over and feel, “hm, this looks like it might be something I need...But let me dig deeper to make sure.”
And off to the About Page they go…
Searching…
For themselves…
For you…
For a glimmer of hope that you are the one that can help them…or that your words are words they can trust...
For connection...to you…
And if Jim Morrison were to begin his About Page with “I am the Lizard King! I can do anything!” in front of a cold audience who hadn’t already fallen under the spell of his Dionysis-like drunken madness, writhing forth and yon as the epitome of ecstasy that he was, they might actually find him arrogant and not at all someone they could or would want to connect with.
Because connection is born in reflection.
And there is none in that opening statement. So, were I to craft his copy, I’d begin with something that was as deeply resonant as he was when he was live and wired on stage.
“...Is everybody in? The ceremony is about to begin.”
Perhaps a call to join him, as he beget in “An American Prayer”, the reader’s next thought is, “Ceremony?? What ceremony?” And then their mind goes searching for the answers, thanks to instinctive elaboration, pulling them further into the page.
But one lesson that Morrison offers up is that loud can be magnetic. It can be charismatic. Exactly what you want your About page to be so that reader comes in and gets lost in your magnificence.
And when you learn to THINK LOUD (as attendees of the Rockstars Bios™ workshop will soon find out), you will be seen and heard without fear, regret, doubt or...arrogance...priming a craving in your reader to know more, read more, and fall more deeply in love with your work before even opening the cover of your book or working with you.
How You Can Foster Connection with a Magnetic Bio or About Page that is Crafted for Results
Start with a line that is tied into your message on your Home Page
It can feed directly from your closing on your Home or it can tie into the headline because if your Home page is crafted well, then it already reflects either the dreams or fears of your reader.
If not, however, take some time to do that, first.
Start with a story that ties into both your backstory and your reader’s dreams or fears
As you saw with my take on Morrison’s quote from An American Prayer, story is a great way to pull people in. Just make sure that whatever your first line is, that the second supports and goes deeper. Your copy will evolve very quickly into the opportunity to showcase your credentials and statistics.
Simply take a moment or two to elaborate or go deeper into what the reader dreams about or fears and then flow into your why, told in a narrative form, not “I did X. I did Y. And I did Z.” That’s considered “telling” and is light years from magnetic.
Speak in active words
Verbs are great ways to start your sentences. Not only do they make the reader imagine the action, but they also ensure that you engage them from the beginning.
Now, when verbs can’t be used, I challenge you to start with adjectives and other words that allow the reader to be drawn in, rather than falling prey to the temptation to “tell”.
Flow On Into Your “I did this!” Story
Once you’ve established a connection with the reader that was based on your expression of how deeply you identify with their struggle/dreams, you can get to the accomplishments, results, and other information that supports your reasoning why they should work with you or trust the words you say in your book.
But...when you write all of this?
You won’t be done.
You’ll need to read. Reread. And read once more to figure out how you can introduce more of your “You-ness” into your words. Because it’s the unapologetic expression of that you-ness that will help them latch on to what you write...that makes you charismatic.
Learning to “THINK LOUD”
THINKING LOUD comes from a sense of freedom. Of conviction. Of intimate self-trust that you are more than what you believe yourself to be and are able to illustrate that. And get them the results they want.
If you can put yourself in that mind before you edit your About or your Rockstar Bio™, you’ll find that little charmer inside of you coming dancing out into the spotlight of your reader’s heart.
Your Assignment
Now, to get yourself into that space, please go and read your About and ask yourself:
Is it magnetic?
Does it draw the reader in so she can see all of the Me-ness I can bring to her life?
Have I used engaging narrative and action words to keep the reader’s heart imaging all the emotions and images that I’m trying to create in her?
Have I listed all of the things I’ve done that illustrate just how deep my expertise runs?
Have I listed various results that I’ve managed to help others achieve to further deepen the trust I’m trying to build?
If you don’t know the answer to these questions, holla. It’s possible that your About Page or your Bio isn’t as effective as it could be at fostering trust and boosting sales. So carve out some time to recraft yours.
Or grab your seat to the Rockstar Bios™ Workshop and write it with me beside you, giving you a tool you’ll be able to use again and again every single time a media outlet, podcast, or book publisher asks you for a bio, knowing that you are finally positioned like a ROCKSTAR.