How to sell your services online
Selling your services online is much different than selling products online. Products present a concrete, tangible product for online visitors. Selling services is different because you are really selling yourself through your brand. Once you understand this, you can begin developing an effective service-based website that will help you succeed.
Presentation
First impressions are so important. Your online presence needs to reflect your brand and present your services in a clear, succinct way. Your website needs to persuade visitors to do business with you and to prefer your services over those of your competitors. Your website will be the first place people go to learn about your business. You should provide various ways for visitors to stay engaged.
Tip:
Use a clean design with easy navigation and clear calls-to-action on every page. Build a comprehensive brand image and present a strong case for visitors to do business with you.
Establish Trust and Credibility
Reputation is everything in the service industry. Similar to product sales, establishing trust and credibility is very important for services. The difference is how this is done.
Tips:
- Become a Thought Leader. Publish a blog regularly to become recognized for your industry expertise. Use your posts to separate yourself from your competitors and make your business stand out. Show your visitors why you can provide the best solution to their problem.
- Tips and Trends. Provide target market insights through tips and helpful information that will keep your name at the top of your visitors’ mind. Use your blog and email newsletters to deliver tips on a regular basis to drive traffic to your site.
- Professional Associations. Display the logos of honorable affiliations or awards on your website to increase business through fellowship. For example: accreditations, awards, associations, membership organizations, local chambers of commerce, etc.
- Community Involvement. Demonstrate your company values through actions, not words. Association with non-profit organizations demonstrates what you value for your audience. Find ways to engage with the community in a meaningful way.
- Testimonials. Share client testimonials on your website, on LinkedIn Recommendations, as well as on Google and Yelp Reviews in order to build credibility and trust.
Target Local Markets
Google and Bing have business directories that are used for local searches. By registering your business with these services and selecting the best keywords and phrases, you can create business profiles that target your local market through online search.
Tip:
Register your business with Google Places and Bing Business Directory.
Share your Client’s Pain
Once you have created some curiosity about your services through thought leadership and consistently providing valuable information, you can fine tune your image by demonstrating that your empathy with your clients; you know what they are going through, what problems they face, and you are uniquely qualified to help them.
Tip:
Provide an FAQ page that addresses the most common issues shared by your clients. Make sure that you clearly state how your offerings will benefit your clients.
Engage Visitors from Every Angle
Throughout the marketing cycle, you have opportunities to engage with your target market. Once you understand how your clients find you and what questions they ponder before making a decision, you can craft specific solutions to their problems. Then, communicate your understanding of their problems and offer a means of resolution through downloadable tips, whitepapers, or subscription to e-mail newsletters, etc. Spell out what steps come next for your visitors, clearly and with enthusiasm.
Tip:
Provide multiple downloadable tools for your visitors such as email newsletters, blog posts, social media postings, tips, and guides.
Call Now!
Do not make your visitor search for a way to get in touch with you. Online visitors expect to your location, hours, phone number, and address, and they expect to find it easily.
Tip:
Make sure your contact information stands out. Contact forms are convenient and easy to use. If your website is a companion to your brick-and-mortar location, make sure your hours of operation are included on your website with other important information.