Hi everyone! I think I may have read this somewhere on here, but I can't find it for some reason. My question...if you work alone in your business, do you have a problem saying we and our on your website? I occasionally have some help from my son (great transcriptionist!) and my husband--although they aren't really part of the business--so, I didn't feel so bad about saying "we." (You can only use the name of your business in place of "I/me" so many times before it starts to sound funny.) On the other hand, a prospective client who contacts you through your website may wonder about it after they find out I'm the only one in the business. Does it give the wrong impression or does it not really matter?

What do you think?

Thanks!

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Pam Deyerle - Transcriptionist in the Richmond, Virginia area
The Perfect Word Transcription Services

Hi Pam. Personally I use I in my website, since it is just me I feel silly using we. I also think it uncomfortable reading to go to a website and see a solopreneur using the word we. In addition, I believe I read somewhere that etiquette requires you to use I for a single person and we for multiple people, although I couldn't possibly remember where.
I hope I have helped you in your "I" and "we" dilemma.

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Serita Diana, the List 2 Close Assistant
REVA Academy

Thank you, Serita. I had started feeling odd about having the "we/our" when, even though I occasionally have help from my 21-year-old son or sub out part of a project (both with client approval), the business is me.

As an aside, I clicked on the link under your name to see your site, and it came back as "page not found."

Thanks again for your thoughts and help.

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Pam Deyerle - Transcriptionist in the Richmond, Virginia area
The Perfect Word Transcription Services

Pam,

Quote:

As an aside, I clicked on the link under your name to see your site, and it came back as "page not found."

Thanks so much for letting me know Pam! I'm not sure what happened, but the hyperlink is now fixed. Feel free to visit! I'm still working on some things with my site. Every time I think it's done, I decide it's still not! I'm currently working on a video and a landing page.

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Serita Diana, the List 2 Close Assistant
REVA Academy

Hi Pam - This question comes up now and then, and believe me, it's 50/50 every time. I'm a staunch supporter of writing in the first person if you're a sole proprietor with no employees. But many disagree. It's somewhat a matter of personal taste; and also it relates to whether or not you envision your business as an entity that can operate without you, or will it always depend on your expertise, and not live longer than you do. Know what I mean? Because if your biz depends on you, it seems right to emphasize you. But if you want it to be able to operate without you, then speaking in the third person is more appropriate. Does that make sense?

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Mary H. Ruth/Virtual Writing & Communications
http://www.writingVA.com

Hey Pam,

I was actually just reading a book called Instant Appeal by Vicki Kunkel and she talked about research that has been done on this very topic. She mentioned that many small business owners use "we" on their websites to try and make their business seem like it's bigger (and therefore more credible, I suppose) than it is (a mistake I've made...and that I think I still need to fix on my own site! ), but she said that readers actually prefer to see "I" statements. The reasoning she gave is that when you speak of yourself as "I" and "me," you're actually presenting more authority because you're making all the decisions...clients won't have to jump through hoops to get their questions answered or resolve problems...you're their ultimate problem-solver. I'm in the process of updating my site and will be changing it from "we" to "me." Just my two cents...hope that helps!

Mary, it makes perfect sense. The Perfect Word is me and always has been, I've had no plans in my 14 years in business to have employees, and when I decide to retire from this (LOL--what's "retire"?), the business will not exist. So, it is me.

Write Associate, that is my thinking exactly, a small business trying to look bigger and therefore more credible and stable. That is so interesting about people preferring "I" and I'm glad to know that.

I have gone back over my website and changed the third person to either the company name or I/me. The only place left is the links on the landing page, as those are in a graphic map image thing which I have to figure out. My son created it and he's at college right now! (I do have the program and image, etc., just have to figure it out at some point.)

Thank you all for your thoughts and insight...VERY helpful, as always!

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Pam Deyerle - Transcriptionist in the Richmond, Virginia area
The Perfect Word Transcription Services

As I just posted in another thread, "What's wrong with the royal 'we' anyway? I refer to my company as 'Goddess' in conversations and treat it as a living entity. So, nope, no mouse in my pocket, but a 'Goddess' working along side of me. "

I also get some assistance from my husband so technically, it IS 'we' at Goddess. Hmmm... Maybe I should add his bio on my website...

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Lily Chambers, The Virtual Office Goddess, LLC
Author "How to Do Your Own Small Business Bookkeeping"