• include your name
• include a photo
• include your contact info or at least a link so that people can contact you
• if you have a press page, link to it
• if you offer a press kit (aka. media kit) link to it
• share the story of how you started your business
• tell how long you've been in business
• share any relevant background, either job history, educational acheivements, or on-hand experience
• if you offer a service, especially, say why you're different from your competitors

What to Avoid

A.  Try to avoid saying "us" instead of "me" if you're the only one running the show.  You may think that people will be more impressed by "us", but they will see through this if you're always the one answering all the emails and phone calls and you're a wahm.  They might think that you're trying to boost your image and you'll lose some credibility and trust. Besides, people like to feel like they're dealing with a person, not a company.

B.  (This is my biggest pet peeve.)  If you are in a competitive market (i.e. handbags, slings, blankets, nursing necklaces, baby bibs, etc.)  DO NOT write,

"I couldn't find what I was looking for, so I decided to make my own!"

unless your product is TRULY innovative. 

I see this every week, when the product is nearly exactly the same as the product of at least 3 other companies.  Writing this-- even if it's completely true and you really were unaware of your competitors-- makes you look like a liar who can't bring herself to say, "I saw a product and I copied it", or like someone who doesn't have very good internet search skills, since the rest of us are able to find your competitor's products without any trouble.  In short, you either look dumb or dishonest.  And repetitive, since this is what is written on sooo many about me pages.  I'm sorry to sound harsh but I don't know any other way to say it. (I've done my share of dumb things, and a large share it is, as do we all, so don't fret if your about me page falls into this category.  It's fixable.)

There's nothing immoral about copying another product and starting your own business!  It happens all the time.  If this is what you've done, you have options:

1. Avoid your creation story altogether.  Just describe your business, your general location and your motivation.  Keep it chipper and say, "We hope you love what we have to offer!"  You get the idea.
2. Be confident enough to be upfront.  You can say,
   
   "After looking at similar products, I realized how much I'd love to offer something similar in my area.  This had to include an online store."  The point here is to say that you know your competitors beat you to the punch but you're only trying to focus on your area.  If you get online sales, that's great too.  There's room for identical products in every state, province or country because businesses buying wholesale like to buy local.  It gives them another selling point.
   
   OR
   
   "After discovering a similar [product], it occurred to me that I'd really enjoy operating their business.  But they weren't selling, so I started my own!  The benefits of buying from me are as follows: 1) Fabulous customer service;  2) Making me rich.  I have children to feed, after all; 3)  Free kudos for making such a great choice."  The point here is to exude confidence, a complete lack of shame, and humor to win over your potential customers.
   
   OR
   
   "After finding a similar [product] elsewhere, I realized how much I'd love to produce the same product but challenge myself by marketing to a whole new target market.  I also knew I could improve upon the other designs currently available.  Keep your eye out for our upcoming innovations!"  The point here is to say that while you started your business from someone else's idea, you felt that the idea was too good to not be introduced to a larger audience and to be improved upon in a way that could only be accomplished by you!

If you've copied someone else's idea, be sure to innovate wherever possible.  It goes without saying that you shouldn't copy the website design, sales copy or business name.  Set yourself apart in any way you can!  If one business is called Sally's Blankets, don't call yourself Debbie's Blankets! 

(I have a lot of experience with being copied in business.  I've had my entire sales copy copied and pasted onto other people's websites, my guarantee word-for-word copied, my designs and my materials.  It was more than annoying to me because someone visiting my site and my competitor's wouldn't know who was the original.  So, if you're going to use someone's initial idea, don't copy everything else!  It's lame!)

If you need help either with innovating your product or marketing, I am absolutely the gal to help.  I'm the Idea Maven!  I have yet to find a product I couldn't improve upon or at least improve upon marketing. (i.e. The Dripstik.  Can't improve the product-- it's perfect as is, and made of solid plastic.  Was able to offer some marketing suggestions, however.)  My friends are often getting phone calls from me saying, "I just thought of something you can do!"  A brainstorming session runs between $40-60. Contact me if you require my brain.

If you need help with your about me page, I can take care of that too.  I can do serious or fun, it's up to you.  Check out what I wrote for HipMelon's About Me page.  An about me page copy is a flat rate of $40 with one revision built-in.  Contact me if you need a better about me page.