In pitches, we often share an anecdote about consulting for an agency in the medical services sector. We walked into a second meeting with a rather frank critique of their “About Us” page (which they had specifically asked for, by the way – we weren’t being critical just for the sake of it).
The challenge was, they had spent two days "perfecting" this page, carefully crafting every line to highlight their backgrounds, experience, ethos, and even their trademarked processes (and believe me, it went on for quite a while). But here’s the issue – no one hires you because of that information. Sure, it’s nice to reassure potential clients, but in a world full of dynamic, fresh agencies winning work with little more than creativity and youthful energy, how compelling is it to say, "We have 225 years of combined experience"?
Instead, we suggested then (and we still believe now): Why not let your success and results speak for you? Rather than saying, “We were founded in 2012, and Dave used to work for a big agency,” why not lead with, “We’re the team behind the 75% increase in Visa’s sales last year”?
Such a statement is hard to dispute. If I tell you, “We’re the smartest agency in London,” you can challenge that. But if I say, “We’re the agency that created the campaign that got Young’s into Waitrose,” unless I’m lying, it’s a claim I can prove.
An “About Us” page built around this idea does several important things: it allows you to name-drop well-known clients (boosting your credibility), it shows the tangible results your work delivers (making potential clients imagine their own success), and it demonstrates that you’re savvy enough to know that squeezing a case study into your “About Us” page is far more powerful than talking about how you’re “always on time and on budget.”
It might seem like a small detail, but when it comes to cold-channel new business, every second on a call and every inch of content on your website counts.
So, don’t waste time discussing office dogs or quirky habits when you could be showcasing your brilliance to a potential client. Focus on what really matters: your track record and the results you can deliver.