"We" or "I" when promoting one-person business?

BittenByTheBug

Hi there,

Starting a freelance outsourcing service, to see how it goes. It's a one-person operation with a non-personal business name. Just wondering: on my website/publicity material, should I refer to "our" services/contact "us"/"we" provide, etc., or emphasise I'm operating on an individual basis (i.e. what "I" do)? Basically, do people respond better to the personal approach, or do they have more confidence in what's perceived to be a multi-staff operation?

Any advice appreciated! Thanks.

Peterdalkey

As you are using a corporate trading style, non-personal name, I would suggest it is more the norm to use the we/us.

Cheers

Peter

ontour2

It depends on whether you are providing a more generic outsourcing service that you plan to grow by employing more people or whether it is very specialized service that trades on your reputation or subject matter expertise.

If I want to find someone to advise me on selling medical products in rural China, then it is probably the expertise of the individual I care about. If I am looking to outsource my payroll processing, it is the capability of the company that is more important.

Gloomtastic!

Peterdalkey wrote: »

As you are using a corporate trading style, non-personal name, I would suggest it is more the norm to use the we/us.

Cheers

Peter

+1

Trojan

I'm the primary in my consultancy which has 1 full-time person. I am quite happy to own the fact that it's primarily a 1-person business and like to use "I" to describe it. I am no longer a fan of inflating perceptions with "we" and "us" although I did do it in the first year of trading when I was less confident about my business.

That said, I frequently collaborate with other consultants and have a number of colleagues I've worked with since 2007 on a part-time basis. I work with at least one other person on around 70% of projects these days, so to use "we" is more correct in many cases. I use them interchangeably now, particularly on my blog

I think that being honest with your customers is the best approach, and good customers will appreciate your candidness.

mneylon

Does it matter to the consumer of the service if it's being supplied by one person or a company (ie. more than one person)?

In some cases, as others already outlined, it could make a difference.

In others, it probably doesn't.