I’m just writing up a website for my one man band company to be (hopefully) started in the new year.

I feel like a bit of a pretentious knob writing “we offer xyz..” when really its “I offer xyz…”.

Its a software / engineering consultancy so obviously one man band ish but I’ll also be looking to take on slightly bigger jobs as I have contacts that I would farm out other specialised areas as you would and manage the project.

Over thinking it I expect.

We!
Even if it’s just you and the cat.

We.

Just use the passive and keep I/We out of iit.

These products are offered…

I, its more focused and personal

We, pretend it’s for someone else if you need to.

“I” may help you fall foul of IR35.

I’d use the company name or we. “One Man Band Consultancy offer a wide range of…”

Can always use the company name…

E.g. “brickworks consulting” offer xyz

+1 for we.

It’s something I’ve noticed with many sole traders. Not one myself but I guess it’s something to do with making oneself seem less like 1 man offering services, and more like you have a team supporting you.

bensales – Member
“I” may help you fall foul of IR35.

The new guidance is much more straight forward – take the test on the web page

I struggle with the same.

If you’re contracting and trying to stay outside of IR35, people will say “we” as you need to look like a business, but I don’t think they hold much value in it. I feel conflicted as I want to promote myself as a freelance business. Unfortunately we don’t have a Freelance Company concept in the UK, only Ltd Company or Sole Trader, and the latter doesn’t afford protection between client and freelancer, but the former wasn’t designed for a one man band.

I definitely don’t like “we” as it’s a bit impersonal and confuses potential clients.

Trendy thing in software is to make it blog like and big up your portfolio, online professional presence (github etc). Bit like a freelance photographer would do.

I like the passive idea of using the company name. Thanks. Although I am now tempted put the cat on the staff, a cat would work in HR, the cat would b e a HR manager defiantly!

Trendy thing in software is to make it blog like and big up your portfolio, online professional presence (github etc).

I know. Look at my ARM start up code that was taken from some other website / magazine article. ARM start up code and alter a bit… Download it from my Git hub…bla bla bla.

We – if you subcontract then they are effectively your employees.

One.

If you’re thinking of farming out, then we. The only reason to use I is if you want to trade off the personal, one-man-and-I’m-really-good approach but that’s probably not often the best choice

We, especially if you are likely to expand in the future and get someone in to help now and then?

I started off using we, (and it was true for a bit) now use I as it’s more personal. But bikes are differnt to consultancy, I’d probably stick with we.

I started using ‘we’ and trying to make myself sound like a proper company. I got a range of enquiries and soon realised that the jobs I could do and the jobs I wanted to do are ones where the personal touch is important. The clients looking for a big company weren’t asking for the services I could privide and often weren’t the people I wanted to be working for even if I could land the job. My site is now a bit more friendly and personal to hopefully attract friendly and personal clients.

TheBrick – Member
I know. Look at my ARM start up code that was taken from some other website / magazine article. ARM start up code and alter a bit… Download it from my Git hub…bla bla bla.

I’m seeing a fair number of job ads now that ask for evidence of github projects and open source involvement. Even seen a few spout “rockstar developer” wanted 🙄

If people who go to the site know it’s your personal site and you’re a one man band then you’ll come across very badly. Either pretentious, desperate or dishonest. You may also have to explain to a prospective client that the “we” is just you, and you used “we” to make yourself sound more impressive. That can be embarrassing.

Using the company name is a good middle ground. I sometimes use “we”, but only for stuff where I take on other freelancers in order to scale a bit.

A friend in IT went full-on “we” and got a VAT number even when his turnover was way below the threshold, because both helped him to get bigger clients. I’ve found universities and corporations don’t seem to care much about I/we, but “I” always feels a bit dirty and like it’s letting them look behind the curtain. Ltd. company status makes loads of stuff/admin with them much easier though, and by itself kind of implies “we” under most circumstances.

NEVER use the passive – terrible idea ! It makes the copy wordy and indirect.

“We” is better, as is direct and clear writing. Think about your audience and use appropriate language.

(happy to proofread if you like)

I and I…?

Unless your business is “gardening”, I and I is unlikely to help you secure work.

Depends what you do.

If you are an artist, I would refer to yourself, if you are an IT company I would refer to the company name or ‘we’.

+1 Depends what you do. Very probably ‘we’ since you’ve said you might start project managing jobs involving others. I’m a one-man band, but ‘I’ suits my line of business better (creative industries, including branding and writing websites).

One.

Still a little over familiar. I recommend full third person references: “She has long been known as a rockstar developer in seven languages and a dozen countries.”