Part 2 of a 4 part series….

When I work with clients I start out with a fact sheet that they fill in or I walk them through it and fill it out myself. I find that simply asking what would you like on your website is overwhelming and it can create a writer's block paralysis staring at a blank sheet. By the same token if you have an existing website the thought of revamping the site can be extremely daunting, so let's break it down into sections because those are manageable chunks. Remember you don't necessarily have to revamp your site with a big bang, you can make incremental changes and they all add up.

I covered 'About Us' last week and will be covering "FAQ" and "Contact Us" in the following weeks as I break the website sections into manageable chunks.

This week my little mini-series is focusing on the “Services” section, and the first question to be answered is what do you call this section? There are two easy terms that come to mind, ‘Services’ if your business is a service provider, perhaps you are a Landscaper so your services are likely things like lawn mowing, shrub trimming, de-thatching etc. Another easy term is ‘Products’, maybe you own an electrical supply store, your products would be numerous but for this example I would say they would be outlets, lighting fixtures, and dimmer switches. That seems easy enough but is that all you do? Quite possibly you could have the combination Services/Products (or vice versa) because as a landscaper you also sell products like mulch and paving stones and for the electrical supply store perhaps you have a service where you have an in house electrician that can install those new outlets and fixtures.

There are other heading you can use that still identify what the section is about but move away from the terms ‘Service’ and ‘Product’ and they are nice options to have as well, some examples are:

• What we offer
• Solutions
• Options
• Packages and Pricing
• What We Do
• Naming your Products/Services

I think I can say that now that you have determined what to call this section the easy part is done it is time to write some content. As I was researching what I could do to improve my service section I found something that is written in a casual tone that really reflected my thoughts.

"We can all agree that there are few things harder than writing about yourself, right? Whether it’s your About Page, your Services Page, or anything else where you have to articulate your value, things get really hard, really fast. Right?

The problem is that our deepest insecurities crawl out from every corner of our minds to challenge every single statement we’re ready to publish"

So to start off the section you should include a quick look at what you do and why your business stands out. Nikki Sneed from Vieo Design says:

"...give them a top-level view of what you do and the unique value you offer (a.k.a. your elevator pitch). This opens the door for further conversation and establishes the context through which they’ll interpret the rest of the information they read.

Finally, focus on the overall benefits of doing business with you rather than the benefits of individual services. Aim for about 100-150 words, and keep the needs and pain points of your ideal customer in mind. Finish it out with 1-2 sentences demonstrating what qualifies you to provide these services"

There was a common thread throughout the various articles when it came to this ‘Service’ section, and that was to keep it brief. The idea presented at Thrive Hive is to focus on the benefits of your services, unique and distinguishing characteristics, and don’t use fancy words and jargon.

I would suggest that if you are an authorized dealer for a specific product/manufacturer, or only use a specific company for parts you do include that information not only in the ‘Service’ section but other places in your site because that can be part of your unique selling point. For example, if Jack and Sally just purchased a new house and they see that it has a generator in the event of power failure but they have no idea what they need to do to maintain it and the former home owners didn’t leave them anything about what to do with it. Either Jack or Sally is likely to put the name of that generator in a search engine and look for a business that sells and maintains that brand, that should not be considered jargon.

And to finish out the page you can offer testimonials from your previous customers and a call to action. The idea you want to capture and express as it reflects you and your business is:

"We’ve done this for folks just like you. Are you ready to have us help you?"

Have your contact information easy to access from this section, even though you likely have a ‘Contact’ page with all your information and it is probably in the footer of every page. Humans we are lazy and the idea is to make it as easy as possible for customers to reach you.

Now it is time for you to take the plunge and make some updates to your content. Blue Shutters Web Design is here to create as well as update your web presence while your business continues to grow. We offer affordable packages with a free quote on what your individual needs are as a business.

And if you would like to skip the back and forth to find a convenient time for a meeting, check out my schedule on Calendly! Schedule Now

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NOTE: I am not being paid for my mentions of people, articles, products, or books I used above nor do I receive referral compensation. The links I provide are for your convenience only.

Unless otherwise indicated I sourced the links provided while researching a post. Links that I provide at the request of another person/business will be noted, and if I am paid to provide a link I will disclose that information on the post in which it is applicable. All opinions are mine, regardless of whether or not I am compensated, and are not in any way influenced by the requesting party.

DISCLAIMER: This advice is general in nature and not to be taken as personal professional advice. This blog does not provide legal advice if you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.