Skift Take
If you’re a freelance event planner, or are considering launching your own event planning business, there are many things you will need in order to be successful. However, all the software, inventory, and brand collateral in the world won’t help you as much as a website with a fully fleshed out “Services” page. This post is going to tell you exactly what to include in what is arguably, the most important page on your business website.
When I first started planning events, I got most of my clients by word of mouth. Whereas in late 2009, that was perfectly fine for the local, one woman show I was running, if I were trying to launch my own event planning business today, a website with a “Services” page would be an absolute must.
A “Services” or “Work With Me” page is like an online brochure that details what services you provide and at what rates. Potential clients will use this page (even more often than your “About Page”) to decide if you’re the right planner for them to work with. This is the page on your website that most efficiently communicates your niche, target audience, and specialties. But what should you put on your “Services” page in order to attract and convert potential clients into paying clients?
Value Proposition
Your value proposition is the introduction statement on your “Services” page, and is usually one of the first bits of copy your audience will see. It quickly and succinctly outlines what kind of events you plan (trade shows, conferences, weddings, hybrid events, etc.) and why the reader should be interested in your services (this is the value part). A successful value proposition is between 1 and 3 sentences long, and also alludes to the target audience. For example, a freelance wedding planner might have a value proposition that reads “XYZ Weddings provides timeless catering, decor, and photography for first generation brides.”
Features And Benefits
This doesn’t have to be it’s own section, but your entire services page should communicate what potential clients have to gain from working with you over the competition. Be sure to include the features that come along with your services somewhere on your “Work With Me” page. Do you have an in house photographer? Do you offer innovative tech solutions? Provide free registration software? These features will help to differentiate you from everyone else on the market. Then, take it a step further by discussing the benefits of working with you. Benefits are different from features in that they explain how the features you offer are helpful to your clients.
Service Packages
The majority of your “Services” page will contain detailed descriptions of the services you offer and at what price, with calls to action to find out more, or buy directly. Remember to keep your ideal client in mind when compiling your service packages. Make the information easy to digest, but be complete and try to preemptively answer any questions your readers might have, right there on the page.
Process
Give potential clients a general overview what it looks like to work with you. Try to describe the steps a client should take from landing on your website, up to the time that their business relationship with you is done. This section helps to give potential clients clarity, and to assuage their fears about working with an event planner. However, don’t type out every single detail of your methodology. Oversaturating potential clients with too much information won’t make them buy. Tell them how to contact you, at which point contracts and deposits will be due, and give an overall timeline (if possible) of how long it takes you to produce an event. Explain what pieces of collateral (like moodboards, venue selections, and finalized menus, for example) you will provide and at what points in the process. Try to condense your process into between 6 and 8 “stages”, to remain concise.
Social Proof
This includes items like testimonials from past clients who endorse your skills and services, or a list of people and organizations that you have worked with in the past. Social proof can also come in the form of pictures and videos of your past events. As with all things online, be sure to attribute quotes and photos to the right people/companies. The goal with social proof is to prove your credibility to potential clients, and to make them feel as though you are someone they can trust to work with.
Fees And Terms
This doesn’t have to necessarily be a separate section. In fact, your fees and terms are usually dispersed naturally within your product packages and process sections. However, it’s important that somewhere on your “Services” page, you describe the cost of each service, how you are paid (per hour, per project, etc.) and the methods of payment you accept. If you make any guarantees, you can include this information also. If you feel as though your “Services” page is getting too long and verbose, consider linking to a downloadable PDF that lists out all of this information, as well as any A La Carte services your business provides.
The Next Step
If your services page has done it’s job, you’ve got potential clients lined up who are interested in taking the next step in working with you. Have a clear call to action with what they should do next. Do you want them to send you an email? Fill out a project survey? Give clear instructions, include a bright call to action button, and make sure that everything the client needs to take the next step is only a click away!
In Conclusion
If you want to be competitive as a freelance event planner, a “Services” or “Work With Me” page on your business website is an easy way to start generating leads. Be sure that you keep the page clear, concise and actionable. Include branded imagery, multiple calls to action, and be sure to communicate your value to your potential clients. Your “Services” page is one of the most important tools in your arsenal as a freelance event planner.
