Pixelrage.net

Sole proprietors – have you been guilty of using the word “we” and “our” on your small business site, even though you’re an army of one? “We provide top-notch service…” “…our staff includes highly-experienced…” The question here is “looking professional” vs. “being capable of handing a workload intended for many.”

The argument for “we”

If you’re going the we/our route, there’s no doubt that you’ll accomplish two things: you’ll mask the world from knowing that you’re a company of one, for starters. When capturing a potential client’s attention, what do you think would stand out more – a team that would work on their project, or some guy working out of his studio apartment at 11:00 PM? Here, it’s all about credibility.

For instance, if a web developer has a site for their services and they’re using the word “we,” it lets me know that my job will be handled by one of a few people who work together, meaning that it will get done in a reasonable amount of time. Also, the small business was established enough to the point where it has grown. Obviously, they’ve gone places.

The argument for “I”

Borrowing from that last point, it all comes down to one thing: there IS no team. It’s just you. Hopefully, you can handle the workload from a customer public that’s assuming you have several people in your organization. Otherwise, you’ll have a lot of explaining to do when they ask for turnaround time.

The good part about referring to yourself on your small business site is the personal touch that your customers will get. Perhaps you’ve got a style that people will be interested in. Or, you’ve branded yourself and have an online presence, and your audience would know that you’re BS’ing them if you referred to yourself as a “we.”

When you refer to yourself as “I,” you’re getting all of the credit: whether it be good or bad. Some might argue, “well, I’m the business owner – I should get the credit anyway.” Perhaps. But, when you’re single-handedly doing all of the work, it makes a bigger impression in terms of your capabilities in doing the work and serving the customer at the same time. For certain freelancers, especially graphic designers, it’s a must to prove yourself in this way.

I rarely ever see anyone fill their body copy with “I.” The only time I ever do is on web developer or designer sites who have created their own unique plug-in, design template or script. These sites also typically have a blog on them, justifying the need to be honest and tell the public, “I own this project and nobody else helps me.” Note that these people have more pressure on them, as they are directly ridiculed when patches or updates are far and between, and the public sees the project as stale or dying.

To conclude the “I” vs. “we” argument, what you use is entirely up to you and it depends on what you’re doing. If your line of business needs the credibility of a “team,” or if you’ll rarely ever have to provide customer service or have a blaring online presence, refer yourself as “we.” If you’re branding yourself as an individual, trying to prove your own skills, or want to give a personal touch – use “I.”

Regardless if you have a false online sense of multiple personality disorder, it always comes down to the end result you provide for your customers, and how you look after the job is done.