How to describe your business in one simple sentence

Whenever I’m working with website copywriting clients, one of the first things I do is help them figure out what their one-liner will be for their business. Writing a single sentence that will describe your business for your home page is so important! It clarifies who you are and who you serve so there is no confusion when someone initially visits your site.

Create a good first impression

Imagine you’re meeting someone at a networking event for the first time. They shake your hand, and before they even tell you their name and why they’re at the event, they tell you where they’re from, the date they were born, and their core values.

Then imagine you meet another person at the same event who shakes your hand and immediately asks you what you do. This person then asks how they might be able to support you through connections or referrals.

Who are you going to follow up with after the event?

The second person (I hope)!

But the problem is: most businesses introduce themselves on their website like the first person. And it’s costing them money.

‍

One-liner example

When I work with copy clients, normally the first thing I read on their website sounds something like this:

“We’ve worked with more than 300 clients since 1984 to provide exceptional money management services.”

That’s OK, right? It’s not bad, it makes sense, and it tells me about their business.

But it’s self-centered.

It’s like the person who introduces themselves at a networking event and tells you their birthday before asking you any questions.

Here’s a better alternative to that one-liner:

“Managing your money can feel overwhelming and intimidating. We make it simple, so you can spend your money with freedom instead of guilt.”

See the nuance there? The first statement is centered around the company: the date it was founded, the number of clients, and what they do.

The second statement is centered around the site visitor: how they’re feeling and the problem they’re experiencing, and how the business can help them solve that problem.

‍

What is a one-liner?

A one-liner is one of the first steps to implementing storytelling into your marketing. You only have a few seconds to capture the visitor’s attention, which is why you must call out the site visitor’s problem, and position your business as a service that can help solve it.

When you create an effective one-liner, you leave them with an answer to the most important question: “Why is my connection to this business important?”

‍

How to write a one-liner

I ask all of my clients this question when I’m working on their website copy: how would they describe their business to an eight-year old?

The purpose behind this question is to realize: not everyone understands why the services offered by your business are important — or really, what your business even is! When we make it simple, there is less room for confusion.

We want to keep things simple because we live in an easily-distracted world. So your homepage is not the place for you to make a joke, a pun, or write something that sounds poetic. Focus on what you do and who you help, and that’s all.

When you are creating a sentence or two that describes your business for website visitors, you are also creating a 10-second blurb that can be spoken out loud in a conversation or introduction. Think about whether your one-liner feels natural when speaking it out loud to someone at a networking event or in line at Starbucks!

‍

Credit to Storybrand

Does any of this sound familiar? If you’ve heard of StoryBrand, much of the information from this blog flowed from this framework.

When we answer these three questions in one sentence, our clients and visitors never have to go searching for answers through our website, and you’ll win more business.