Are you looking at your website and wondering what’s the difference between a sales page and a services page? You know you need one, but which would work best for your business? Do you need both?! I get it! It’s confusing to know whether writing sales page copy or services page copy is right for selling offers in your business.
This blog post will go over what’s included on a sales page, what’s included on a services page, and the differences between them. By the time you finish reading, you’ll be an expert and know whether a sales or services page is right for your business.
What is a sales page?
A sales page has one purpose: to sell! Your sales page should work to persuade website visitors to purchase something from your business like a specific product, offer, or service.
Your main goal with your sales page is to convert website visitors into paying customers. Usually, a sales page is just one page on your website with all the specific information about a single, product, offer, or service.
Want to see some examples? I currently have two sales pages featuring my most popular services.
The Signature Sales Toolkit and Convert Through Copy Bootcamp both exist on my website with the sole purpose to sell those offers to website visitors. What makes these sales pages? Well, the fact that they are each a standalone web page for one particular offer indicates they are a sales page vs. a services page.
Another characteristic of sales pages is that they typically have a lot of strong copy…like, a LOT. Sales pages have so much copy because they are essentially a conversation between the seller and the buyer. When writing sales page copy, you want to make sure you are doing the following:
- Appealing to your ideal client or audience
- Addressing their pain points
- Utilizing testimonials from previous customers or clients
- Addressing the objections of potential customers or clients
I know, that’s a lot to cram onto one web page, but sales pages are usually pretty long. By the time you get to the bottom of one, you should feel like all your questions about the presented offer have been answered.
If you visit my sales pages linked above you will see that they both contain a great deal of information!
One thing a sales page isn’t?? A giant block of text! Yikes! Nothing turns me off from a website more than seeing gigantic sections of text! A good sales page has lots of variation between text, graphics, photos, bullet points, and colors. Sales page design helps present all the necessary information without feeling boring or tedious. Again, if you look at my Signature Sales Toolkit or Convert Through Copy Bootcamp sales pages, you will see that, even though there is a lot going on, neither of them feels overwhelming to scroll through.
Now that you’ve got a good handle on sales pages let’s focus on services pages!
What is a services page?
A services page has a broader scope than a sales page. A services page informs visitors about the services offered by a business. It also persuades them to contact the business for more information or to schedule a service.
First and foremost, your services page should contain detailed descriptions of each service you offer. It should also cover the benefits of your services, any exciting freebies or bonuses that are included with your services, and, most importantly, information about pricing for working with you! (Biggest pet peeve – seeing services listed out on a website with NO pricing information!)
Struggling to write a services page for your business? Check out my blog post How to Write a Services Page That Converts: Tips and Techniques where I go into detail about everything you need for your services page!
What’s the difference between a sales page and a services page?
I know, I know, you may be thinking, what’s the difference between a sales page and a services page? And I get it! They do seem pretty similar!
But, there are a few key differences that set them apart.
A sales page focuses on selling a specific product or service, while a services page focuses on detailing the services offered by a business. For example, my sales page Convert Through Copy Bootcamp only sells one offer. It is a standalone page that details my Bootcamp, with the main purpose of converting website visitors into applicants for that specific offer. If I had a services page in addition to my Convert Through Copy Bootcamp sales page, it would contain information about ALL of my offers.
Another big difference between a sales page vs. a services page is that a sales page typically includes a purchase form or application button, while a services page typically includes a contact form or button to learn more. When you scroll through a sales page, there should be many places where you can click a link to a checkout cart, or fill out an application. A services page would have links to contact you for more information or to set up a discovery call.
A services page may work best for someone who needs to meet with potential customers before booking or who only works via custom packages or offers. It wouldn’t make sense for those offers to have checkout links because they will all likely be different based on the customer or client.
Want to see an example of a services page? Check out this services page example from my previous client Ami!
Which type of landing page works best for my online business?
Now that you know the difference between a sales page and a services page, it’s time to decide which one is right for you and your small business.
When you are trying to choose between a sales page vs. a services page, think about the following three things:
- What type of product are you selling?
- If you sell one specific offer, you should have a sales page.
- If you describe more than one or a custom offer, you should have a services page.
- Who is your target audience?
- If your target audience is likely to purchase your product without speaking to you first, a sales page could work really well for you!
- If you know that your target audience wants to have a conversation before booking you or wants to work with you on a custom order, a services page is best for your small business.
- What is the main goal of your page?
- Remember, a sales page’s goal is to SELL a product or offer (think: digital course, membership, or product).
- A services page aims to inform website visitors about all your offers and services.
Once you have answered those questions for your online business, you should know whether you should create a sales page vs. a services page for your landing page. Remember, the type of landing page you choose should align with your goals and target audience!
What do sales pages and services pages have in common?
I’ve been focusing a lot on the differences between sales and services pages, but they actually have a lot in common!
Here are three things a sales page and services page BOTH need to be effective:
- They should be focused on converting visitors into customers.
- This means your copywriting needs to be persuasive! Keeping your sales page or services page purely informational isn’t going to get your website visitors to click the “purchase” button! Persuasively appeal to them and use testimonials and customer examples to show them why your product or offer is right for them.
- They should have a clear call to action.
- It is essential that your sales page or services page has a strong call to action! Think about incorporating your call to action into the text you put on your linked buttons – instead of just having each button say “Purchase” or “Buy Now” you could have them say things like “I’m ready to change my life” or “Yes! Sign me up!” Your call to action should be persuasive, just like the rest of your copy.
- They should be well-designed and easy to navigate.
- Remember, most people look at websites on their mobile devices now. Is your landing page set up to work on both a laptop and a mobile device? Sixty percent of website traffic comes from mobile devices, which means people are likely viewing your sales pages from their phones. You don’t want to lose a sale because your page wasn’t functioning properly! Pay attention to the design of your page – keep it branded, clean, and interesting for your potential customers.
Should I write a sales page for my signature offer?
If you have a signature offer and think it could benefit from having its own sales page, go for it!
Before you do though, ask yourself these questions:
- Is your offer for one specific product? If it isn’t, use a services page instead.
- Is your offer a “one-size-fits-all” type of offer or product? If it is, a sales page will work for you! You should use a services page if you offer different packages or require a conversation with potential customers before making a sale.
- Is your goal to inform or persuade? Remember, a sales page’s goal is to persuade, while a services page’s goal is to inform.
You should consider writing a sales page for your signature offer if you want to sell a specific product.
If your goal is to inform potential customers about your services, a services page may be more appropriate for your signature offer.
Sales Page Vs. Services Page: Which is better for your business?
Only you know whether you should use a sales page vs. a services page, but I hope this blog clarifies the choice!
Now that you know the differences between a sales page and a services page, you will be able to determine which one will help you convert more website visitors into paying customers.
If you know that you need a sales page, but are intimidated by all the copywriting that goes into creating one, check out my sales page for The Signature Sales Toolkit and see if that offer is the right fit for you. I’d love to help you get your sales page off the ground so you can start selling!
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