The Anatomy of an Effective Sales Page (And Why Your Business Needs One)

An effective website typically has four core pages, along with a few flex pages, depending on your business’s needs.

The core four pages include “Home,” “About,” “Services,” and “Contact,” while the flex pages typically include things like your “Portfolio” or “Resources.” 

Since every business is different, every website will be different, but these are generally the pages that you’ll be working with, especially when you’re first starting out. 

But as your business grows and you begin to add more products and services, you may find that the needs of your website will also evolve. 

When this starts to happen, most business owners find that they want dedicated pages to sell specific products and services in addition to their general “Services” page. 

If you find yourself in this boat, it’s a good sign that you’re in need of a SALES page on your website!

And yes… there is a big difference between a sales page and a “Services” page. 

Many times, a sales page is something that will come after your initial website launch and is typically introduced when you’re either launching a new product or service, or you’re specializing and becoming “known for” that service and are increasing your prices accordingly.

In this blog post, you’ll learn the key differences along with the anatomy of an effective sales page that I like to teach and utilize with my clients to achieve ultimate success! 

The Difference Between a Sales Page and a “Services” Page

As a former teacher, I’m a big fan of taking some time to define what certain terms actually mean.

Because after all, if you’re in the online business world in any capacity, you know it has a whole jargon of its own and sometimes all of these terms can be hard to understand.

And how much more difficult is it to implement something in your business if you don’t fully understand what it is, right?!

So, let’s dig into my unofficial dictionary and define the two. ⬇️

The easiest way to think about each of these pages is by envisioning a restaurant menu.

A “Services” page is similar to reviewing the ENTIRE restaurant menu, complete with brief descriptions of each dish and pricing.

(Side Note: in today’s marketing world, most service providers share at least a starting price on their website, and this is what I advise for my clients as well!)

By viewing a service provider’s “Services” page, you’re getting the full gamut of what they do and aim to provide, as well as a tiny glimpse at how they do it (i.e. not served with a side of french fries, but perhaps with a two-week turnaround).

A sales page, on the other hand, takes one service offering (or product) and expands on it in detail.

Using our menu example, it expands the description of the dish to include more information about the cooking process and the experience of eating the meal and also adds on a bit of the restaurant’s history or story or the chef’s training and education, as well as the dish’s unique flavors.

A sales page also gives the restaurant menu an opportunity to come alive, just like what happens when a server shares the specials or the dessert menu with you, by offering you multiple opportunities, each phrased in different ways and shared at distinct times, to take action and order that dish.

Can you see why it would be beneficial to have BOTH in your business?

A “Services” page gives your audience a general overview of what you have to offer, but a sales page for each individual product or service helps further qualify them and provide all of the nitty gritty details they need before making a decision.

So, how do you make sure that your sales page is written and designed effectively? Well, just like there are specific necessities for each page on your website, your sales page is no different.

The Anatomy of an Effective Sales Page

1) Title and Subtitle

Just like any page on your website, your sales page first and foremost needs to have an attention grabbing title and subtitle that entices your audience to keep reading AND tell them, “Hey! You’re in the right place.”

Your title will typically speak to the desire that they really want, while your subtitle will specifically call out the person that the product or service is for. 

2) Agitator

Here’s another word that might need some defining…

In the copy world, an agitator is another device to confirm for readers that they need whatever you’re selling, whether it’s a coaching program, a course or other product, or a service offering.

This can come in the form of another short sentence that should be placed below the title and subtitle, typically in italics and/or a smaller font size.

Here’s an example from my sales page, so you can see what I mean: “If ‘Write Your Website Copy’ is still sitting unchecked on your to-do list, this course is for you.”

3) Mindset Motivators

Similar to an Agitator, Mindset Motivators on your sales page will continue to confirm who your product or service is meant for, while also digging more into the emotion of your audience.

These are typically statements that are a bit more convicting and personalized to your ideal client, so that they begin to think, “Wow! This person knows exactly how I feel.”

Your Mindset Motivators are the thing that will show your audience that you see them and hear them, which builds trust and keeps them intrigued.

It’s at this point that your sales page copy really begins!

4) Good News + CTA

At this point, you’ve dug into the pain points that your ideal client is experiencing and they know that you understand how they feel.

Through your copy, you’ve described their problem better than they can, so now they’re wondering, “what’s the solution?!”

And that’s where your good news comes in. 🎉

This is where you get to be seen as the hero in the eyes of your audience and tell them, “It doesn’t have to be this way!”

This powerful statement is the key to demonstrating to your ideal client how a transformation can take place AND how your product or service is key to helping them make it happen.

Following the “good news,” you’ll want to include your first call-to-action button so you can grab those ideal clients that were sold from the beginning!

5) What’s Inside

Once you’ve revealed your solution, it’s time to build the VALUE for whatever you’re selling, simply by sharing the sheer volume of “stuff” you’ve packed into this offer.

This works especially well if you’re offering a coaching program, a course, or a done-for-you service that is spread out over time.

6) The Experience or The Process + CTA

After you’ve told your readers about everything that’s included with your offer, you want to get into the important details of HOW exactly they can apply, enroll, or join your offer. 

COPY PRO TIP: don’t make this part confusing or difficult!

People want quick and easy and if there’s any place to make that happen, it needs to be here, otherwise they can get frustrated and not buy at all. 

The name of the game here is avoiding ANY slight hesitation to purchase on the part of your ideal client, so make sure you spell it out for them!

For example, if they need to submit an application, TELL THEM THAT by saying, “Click here to submit your application by [INSERT DATE.]”

And then, tell them what happens after they submit their application.

Be as clear and as detailed as possible so that your audience knows exactly what to expect every step of the way.

7) Self-Selectors + CTA

A majority of your audience won’t make it to the very bottom of your sales page, but those who do are typically considered slower buyers who need more information. 

And self-selectors are a great way to give them the information they need to feel confident enough to buy!

Self-selectors are a simple copy tactic that answers the question, “Who is this for?”

While you as a business owner of course know very well who your ideal client is, it’s important for readers to recognize that sense of a “good fit” within themselves. This section helps to accomplish that!

This is another key spot to include a call-to-action so that when your audience confirms that your offer is for them, they can easily make their move! 

8) Social Proof or Testimonials

You wouldn’t buy something on Amazon without checking the reviews first, right?! Well, the same is true for your product or service. 

People want to know that what you’re selling has helped others too and that’s where your social proof and testimonials come in!

These can come in many different forms, but the ultimate goal is that you showcase your past client successes to give potential buyers an extra boost of confidence before they click “purchase!”

9) The Investment + CTA

Wanna know one of THE most annoying things ever in online business?! When you’re interested in buying something, but the price is nowhere to be found. 

In the online business world, it’s common for service providers to feel hesitant to put their pricing out there publicly, but the truth is that your audience appreciates you SO much more for it!

For a sales page specifically, you NEED to list the price point of your offer, as well as your payment plan options (if applicable), so that you can remove any potential questions or barriers to entry for your interested customers.

And after you give those pricing details, make sure you include another call-to-action button!

10) FAQs + CTA

As much as you might like to think that you’re a mind-reader and can anticipate every single question a potential client might have about our offer, what’s more likely is that simple questions WILL come up. The key? A frequently asked questions (FAQs) section on your sales page.

This is one of the most common mistakes I see service providers making on their website in general, but this isn’t something to skip on your sales page specifically.

The answers to simple questions in an FAQ list can eliminate a potential buyer from having to email or DM you and can instead speed up the buying process!

11) Mini ‘About Me’

Though not *technically* required, this section can be a game-changer on your sales page because it gives your audience a closer look into who you are, who you serve, and what you do!

While your website has a dedicated About page, a sales page doesn’t, so this section gives you the chance to formally introduce yourself a bit further, so they feel a sense of developed trust before they buy from you (in case they didn’t know you beforehand).

A Mini “About Me” can help to build credibility for you as a business owner and for your particular offer, so it’s wise to emphasize whatever aspects of your experience, training, or mission that you think will help your visitor to click that call-to-action button!

How To Write Your Sales Page Copy With Ease

Now that you know WHAT an effective sales page includes, now it’s time to implement!

And guess what? Since I’m not a big fan of making people piece things together on their own, I’ve made it super simple for you to do just that BEFORE the new year even gets here.

Could you take everything I just told you above and make it happen? Absolutely!

But if you want a little more hands-on help (I’m talking copy and paste / plug and play), I’ve got just the thing for you. 👀

Words That Click – a website copy course for photographers ready to stand out through their words 📸📝

In Words That Click, you’ll receive:

• 8 modules of page-by-page website copy lessons (so that you know exactly what copy to include on each page)
• Swipe files and lesson resources (so you have everything you need to write your copy with ease – even when the words aren’t flowing)
• Copy placement how-to videos (so you can confidently move your copy from Google Doc to website page without playing the guessing game)

PLUS:

• BONUS training from Sabrina Gebhardt on mindset and confidence
• BONUS training from Brittnie Renee on blogging for photographers
• BONUS Monthly 1:1 Voxer Access to me 

AND lifetime access to the course!

Psst: The course includes a Sales Page Swipe File full of examples and formulas that you can literally SWIPE (aka take the template – including the words – and fill in the blanks with your own good stuff) to write your sales page with ease!

ALL of that for only $397. 🤯

If you’re ready to check “write website copy” off your list and launch your site with ease and confidence, THIS is for you.

CLICK HERE to learn more and enroll!