Welcome to the fourth and final installment of my Website Essentials series! So far, we’ve talked about the first two must-have website pages you need to build a profitable business website—the Home page and About page.
And in this final installment, I’m tackling the money-making pages you’ve all been waiting for—the Products and Services pages.
First things first: if you’re a business owner with a website, then you probably created that website because you have something you want people to buy, whether it’s a product or service. And that includes booking you for speaking engagements if you’re a public speaker or minister.
So that means your website needs to promote what you’re offering. Seems obvious, I know, but I see a lot of business owners who have websites that do not plainly show what they’re selling.
That’s confusing to people because the reason they came to your website in the first place is that they’re interested in what you have to offer. Landing on your website and seeing no offers—or no clear path to purchase what your offer—doesn’t make sense to them.
I find in the Christian community, in particular, that business owners and ministry leaders are afraid to showcase their products and services on their websites because they think there’s something immodest or ungodly about it.
Let me help you with this: you started your business or ministry because you identified a need or desire that people have, and you decided that you were the right person to serve that need or satisfy that desire.
Yes, you may offer lots of free content to serve your audience, and that’s a great way to give people something of value and build a relationship.
But at some point, if your business doesn’t sell anything (and turn a profit), then you don’t have a business at all. And that might be okay if you want to be a charitable organization. But if you are a business for real, then you’ve gotta sell stuff. Don’t be scared or ashamed.
You can sell without being sleazy. Really—you can. Just be yourself and sincerely tell people how you can help them or how your products and services can make their lives better. That’s what people want, and that’s why they’re on your website, so give the people what they want, okay?
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…let’s talk about what you need on your products and services pages so you can serve the people who need you.
The key thing to keep in mind is that your descriptions—whether they’re for physical products, in-person services or online services—should paint a picture of the result your customers can expect. As you write, be sure to describe to your customers how your offer will benefit them.
Service Descriptions
If you offer in-person or online services, then you need at least one page on your website that describes what you offer, who it’s perfect for, why people should buy it, and how they will benefit from the service. Your description should get people excited about working with you, so be sure to use words that will energize and inspire people to take action.
Now, this is the critical part: your services page should indicate how people can take the next step to engage you for your services. There’s no point in telling people all about what you offer without telling them how to connect with you to book your services.
Remember the calls to action we discussed last week? Well, this is another page where you need them.
For example, you can include a “book a consultation” button if that’s what you’re offering, or if you sell a productized service, your call-to-action could be a button that says “purchase your business audit now.”
If you’re a speaker, your services page can describe the topics you speak on and the types of engagements or venues of interest. Don’t be afraid to be direct. If you’re vague about where you’d like to speak and what you’d like to speak about, people won’t know if you’re right for their event.
To save yourself time and frustration, make a clear statement about your zone of genius so you can attract the perfect engagements that will empower you to serve your audience with excellence.
Product Descriptions
If you sell physical or digital products, your descriptions should provide detailed information on exactly what’s included and what customers can expect to gain from buying it. Some businesses make the mistake of thinking customers will call or send an email if they have a question about a product, and some might, but most people are so busy that they won’t take time for that.
If your product description is vague or uninspiring, people probably won’t feel motivated to buy. So try this: put yourself in your ideal customer’s shoes. If you were shopping for the product you sell, what questions would you have? What would you need to know to give you the confidence to buy? Be sure to answer those questions in your description.
If your product has variations, like size, color, flavor, etc., be sure to list that information. Also, include great photos that showcase your product and all of the variations.
If you sell a digital product, in addition to telling people what the item includes, also tell them what those features translate to in terms of benefits.
For inspiration, study the product descriptions of your favorite online retailers and think about how they make you feel confident purchasing from them. Then write your product descriptions in a way that evokes that same feeling of confidence.
Wanna see some examples of productized service descriptions? Check out my online shop.
Don’t Forget the Terms
Whether you’re selling products or services, you need to make customers aware of your policies and terms. Clearly stating this information not only gives customers more buying confidence but also protects you if something goes wrong and you need to enforce your policies.
Again, think about questions your customers would ask, then include all of that information in your product and service descriptions. What’s your cancellation policy? Do you offer refunds? What about returns? If you accept returns, what are the conditions? What are your shipping options and policies?
Conclusion
Writing detailed, engaging product and service descriptions will help keep visitors on your site and encourage them to buy. So take advantage of this opportunity to build the website pages that will generate the sales you need to sustain your business.
If tackling your products and services pages is a bit overwhelming for you, I’d love to help. I offer website audits and website copywriting for your products or services page. If you’re ready to get my help refreshing your website, click here to work with me.
by Jennifer Westbrook | JenWestWriting
