We’ve come to the final part & page of this series—the money-making page! Well, sort of. Obviously everything we’ve been covering throughout the Website Copy Made Easy series has been leading up to this point.
Which means, it’s all working in tandem to help you earn sales or bookings.
New to the series? Catch up here:
Part 1 – 5 Site Building Best Practices
Part 2 – Establishing Your Foundation
Part 3 – Writing Your Home Page Copy
Part 4 – Writing Your About Page Copy
The Services page can, however, be an underrrated “room” of your site. It’s either treated like a utility room with a short list of bullet points pertaining to your packages and not much else, or it’s disorganized like a chaotic pantry with too many options and the good snacks hiding in the way back.
So today my goal is to help you discover how to position and present your services to your clients in a way that helps them to understand what you have to offer—quickly and effortlessly.
Because it’s your job to make it easy to work with you. (Did you catch that?)
I mean, have you ever walked into a store, not been greeted, struggled your way around, eventually found what you came for, then stood at the checkout counter for minutes on end with no one in sight? Nothing makes you want to give up and walk out faster.
The same happens on your website – if you confuse people, throw too much or too little at them, or make it hard to navigate, you’re likely to lose out on the conversion. (As Donald Miller says more concisely, “If you confuse, you lose.”)
I think we’re on the same wavelength at this point, so let’s break it down, yeah?
Remember in Part 2 we talked about how you can title each page whatever you want to call it—Services, Offerings, Work With Us, What We Do, Packages, Experience, Details, etc. – so long as it’s clear and obvious what it’s about.
That being said, when you land on the actual page, I’ll again encourage you to get a little more creative than just saying “Our Services” or “Services Page” (yawwwwn) as the headline.
Put that as your eyebrow or subheader if you like, but the goal is to come up with a powerful statement that keeps their attention and speaks to their core desire. The other option is to explicitly state what your services are (i.e. Luxury Wedding & Brand Photography).
Putting a little extra effort into your opening headine will help to support the primary value proposition on your home page and further the brand story.
Much like the home page, you can also include a brief paragraph description to elaborate on your headline either above or just below the fold.
Example, you ask?
On our CU Services page, the primary headline says “One-on-One Conversion Copywriting Services”, and then the supporting statement below it reads:
“Applying industry research, voice-of-customer data, and proven persuasion techniques—but not at the expense of genuine empathy & humanity.”
I wrote it this way for a few reasons:
- I wanted to be clear they were one-on-one services (rather than programs or courses, since we also offer those)
- I wanted to use the keyword/descriptor “conversion copywriting”
- I wanted to further explain what that entails and express our mixed approach of strategic & humanistic (which is something our clients really value)
Now pause to ask yourself:
- What are the most important or stand-out aspects of your services that need to be communicated right away?
- Said another way, what words or adjectives would you use to better describe them? (i.e. full-service, luxury, turn-key, done-for-you, artistic, etc.)
- What’s most important to your ideal client when hiring a service-provider – and how can you speak to that from the get-go? (i.e. professional, detail-oriented, strategic, results-driven)
Here are a few other examples from CU clients and the TONIC Showcase:
01 – From KONRADSONHOMES.COM
“HOME BUYING
Helping You Find the Place Where You and Your Family Can Grow & Thrive
The home buying journey can be personal and emotional. Ultimately, we’re here to guide you as you find the one that will bring you joy and contentment for years to come. You can count on us to tirelessly search for the property that’s right for your needs, while avoiding surprises and minimizing costs through smart negotiations.”
Now, if I was searching for a a real estate agent to help me buy a home and I read that, I’d be like, Great! That’s exactly what I want. And therefore, be inclined to keep reading and want to learn more. Because I felt seen.
When we just say “Services” – sure, that tells people what they’re looking at, but it doesn’t affirm what they’re in search of.
02 – From SHANNANSCOTT.COM
“THE SERVICES
Aligning Your Marketing With Your Mission
I partner with conscious brands to develop integrated and experiential marketing strategies that help you find your edge.”
In this example you can see that eyebrow header providing directional info (i.e. reminding you of which page you’re on) but the headline subtly speaks to Shannan’s key approach as a marketing strategist. The subline beneath is a restated version of her Home page statement to identify the reader and provide the assurance that they’re in the right place.
Okay, let’s move on!
Depending on how much you said above the fold, you might want to add some additional paragraph copy just below the fold that speaks to their current situation, predicament, problem, or ideal outcome a bit further.
Going back to the CU Services page as an example…
After our opening headline statements, we then elaborate on the current situation our potential clients may find themselves in by expressing empathy, a little humor, and authority by saying:
“We know that copywriting can be this confusing, perplexing, and polarizing thing that can have you grabbing glass #2, and slowly tugging at your hair as you tap on the keyboard…and then tap backspace even faster. You saunter away wondering, “Can’t my products & services just sell themselves?” Unfortunately, no. Not without words…”
The “Can’t my products & services just sell themselves?” part was actually pulled from voice-of-customer research I conducted (as talked about in Part 1) before I even went full-time with this business!
We tend to overthink and overcomplicate copywriting – but when you put yourself in the mind of your reader above all, what needs to be said starts to become very clear.
Another example?
On DANIELLE REAL PHOTOGRAHY’S gorgeous Lita Grey website, the top of her Services page reads:
“On the day you’ve been planning for months, no aspect or family photo combo should be missed. From the time you choose me as your photographer, I’m part of your team, working to make your day everything you envision it to be. From well thought-out timelines, to learning the names of your family and bridal party, to reminding your bridesmaids to remove their hair ties, I’m as adamant about the details as you are.
Dress fluffing. Sweat blotting.
Hair pinning. Light shining.
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THE SHOT AND SHOW YOU AT YOUR BEST.”
See how that speaks to a bride’s current situation and calms their concerns?
Once all your opening copy is addressed, it’s time to actually list out those services.
How you lay them out is up to you and plays a bit more into the design of the page. Thankfully, TONIC has already given you a great template to work with – which also enables you to visualize how to describe and format it all.
I will say, we’re big fans of having one main services page—even if you still plan to separate them out into individual sales/services pages. (Which, yep, a lot of TONIC templates include those, too.)
Part of the reason is because of the impact of comparison on conversion. I detail what I mean by that in this Instagram post.
The TL;DR version: Seeing options (more or less) side-by-side helps us to process information, navigate efficiently, and make a decision.
So—you may only need 1 main services page that includes a brief description of each offer or package. Especially if they’re pretty much related or tiers of a similar thing.
On the other hand, linking out to individual service pages is a solid strategy for SEO purposes, when you have a more robust offer (like describing a 1-day intensive), or when you want the conversion to happen right there on the page.
(Note: Within this blog post, I’m solely focusing on the ‘main’ Services page.)
When listing out your Services we recommend including:
- A name of the service/package/offering
- A brief description of a) what it is b) who it’s best for and c) the end result
- (Optional) A few bullet points detailing the included deliverables and any other specifics (timeframe, cost, etc.)
- A CTA button where they can either a) learn more b) inquire or c) book/buy
- Bonus points: An image that provides context to the service/product itself
Remember, the idea is to provide just enough information to encourage them to take the next desired action.
Once you’ve listed out your services, it’s time to describe how it all goes down (aka your process).
As I always tell our 1:1 clients, this isn’t your back-end client experience and every step you take within your CRM, or every little thing that happens along the way. This is just the key milestones, demonstrating how you take clients/customers from point A to point B easily and efficiently.
See how TONIC nails it here:
They could’ve made it 10 steps and way more complicated, but that’s not motivating. This simple 3-step process is.
So just think: What would TONIC do? (WWTD) Jk, but seriously…
Next, your Services page should include some stellar social proof showing that it’s not only you who thinks what you do is aca-awesome. (Sorry, couldn’t resist a Pitch Perfect reference.)
Social proof can come in many different forms:
- Written testimonials (watch this ancient IG video from when I wore pearl headbands and overused filters to describe how to use them throughout your site)
- Featured Logos
- Video testimonials
- Examples of your product/service in action
This social proof should echo the narratives you considered in the first part of this post. If one of your benefits is that you’re extremely efficient and your communication is A+, pick a review that says “Rachel was so communicative and made great use of our time!” If a benefit is that you have an uncanny ability to understand what someone’s brand should be, pick a review that says, “Lauren has a gift — she dove deep into my brand and connected what seemed like random dots in the most beautiful way!””
The most effective review simply reinforces your brand narrative in their words.
You can also include optional content like a Portfolio section or a lead generator to give even more of a taste of what you bring to the table.
The last piece of must-include content on your Services page is a…(any guesses!?)
A closing call-to-action canvas! Ding, ding, ding!
Pretty much every TONIC template has a gorgeous one ready and waiting for you at the end of the page, so all you have to do is replace the placeholder text with your own.
At this point on the page and within your site flow, I’d speak to:
- The dreamy end result written as a headline (i.e. Get a brand that loves you back, Obsess over your own photos)
- A couple lines about what happens from here/once they inquire
- A clear CTA to inquire/book/ buy
And that’s that, friends—Website Copy Made Easy (well, easier)!
If you took a ‘read-first-write-later’ approach to this series, lucky for you, it’s sticking around on the TONIC blog so you can refer back to it as much as you need. Take action, chip away at it—or go all in to get the words for your website done & dusted.
It’s been an honor & a joy to share this all with you. Anddd, you better believe TONIC and I will be the groupies at the front of the stage cheering you on as you officially take your TONIC site live.
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While in-depth, this series has been a taste of what we provide through CU Edu—our collection of DIY and done-with-you resources such The Tasting Room, Vine to Voice, and The Copy House. Further, if you want copywriting completely taken off your plate, get in touch to learn more about our 1:1 done-for-you services. We get it—and we’ve got you!
Cheers!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kaitlyn Parker is the founder, lead copywriter, and wine enthusiast behind Copy Uncorked – a copywriting and brand strategy studio pouring up compelling words to help brands grow. Based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Kaitlyn holds a Master’s in Strategic Communications and has worked with hundreds of clients worldwide in her 7+ years of industry experience. She’s also developed Copy Uncorked’s suite of signature courses—collectively known as CU Edu. Each program is designed to help newer creative entrepreneurs develop their brand messaging, write their own website copy, and more. When she’s not typing away behind a screen, she enjoys quality time with family & friends, where there’s usually a body of water, great food, and a glass of Cab involved. Connect with Kaitlyn on Instagram @copyuncorked or visit copyuncorked.com.
