Telling your story on your website
37signals has another great post on writing for your website. They do a great comparison between Samsonite’s About page which contains phrases like:
By identifying trends and interpreting travelers’ needs, Samsonite continues to infuse innovation and new ideas into travel, re-igniting the sophistication and experience of the past.
And Saddleback Leather’s The Saddleback Story which tells a personal story about their goods:
It all began when I had my first bag made while living in Southern Mexico as a volunteer English teacher to kids who needed a little help. I had looked everywhere for just the right bag, but with no luck…
In my search, I walked into a little leather shop and met the fellow working leather in the back. I asked him if he could make me a bag if I were to draw it out. I told him that I wanted this bag to be made so well that my grandkids would be fighting over it while I was still warm in the grave. He said “Si” and I said “Bueno” and that’s how it all started.
37signals gets it right:
A personal story like that is something a little guy can deliver that a big corp can’t. A tiny company can bring people inside the fold this way and turn a perceived weakness (small size) into a strength.
Too often I see small companies trying to sound corporate on their websites. They use corporate-speak that is worse than being impersonal; it’s just invisible. I, and probably most web users, don’t even read About pages when they talk in buzzwords and industry terms. But give me an interesting story and I’ll stick around. You’ll probably find your users will too.
If you want a little more on the subject, read 37signals’ entire post.
