Improving Your Contact Page for More Client Inquiries
Sure, if someone is heavily impressed by you, they'll find a way to contact you. But what if they're still on the fence? Or have multiple tabs open and are comparing you to your competitors?
Then a contact form that's difficult to spot and/or use can cost you a valuable inquiry.
A large number of businesses slap a contact form on the Contact page of their website and call it a day. Even if they list their email address and phone number, it still doesn't make it any better.
If you want more people to contact you, you need to do better than a generic form. Here's how to make your contact forms visible and accessible for your prospective clients.
Make your form look like a form
- Placeholder text should look different from the body text (for example, grey italic).
- Input fields should look like input fields - white boxes with a thin border.
- The "Submit" button should be visually prominent and look like a button.
Ask only for absolutely necessary data
If your form has multiple fields, visitors perceive the task of filling it out as complicated and time-consuming. Plus, users often wonder why they should provide private information such as date of birth, address, or phone number. So keep your form as short as possible and only ask for necessary information.
Use different contact forms for different purposes
Contact pages can serve various purposes: appointment requests, support, feedback, requests for quotations, or bookings. Make sure that you don't use the same contact form to fulfil multiple purposes. For example, the same contact page for booking a hotel room should not have to be used for inquiries.
Include relevant information and elements, in addition to your contact
Contact forms are not merely instruments to acquire information. You can also use them to provide information. Make it more personable by clarifying when the customer can expect an answer or whether they should you on phone in urgent cases.
Mention the physical address of your business on the "Contact Us" page and mark it on Google maps. You can also create Google My Business page for more details.
Besides, adding your photo or of someone from your customer services makes your prospect feel like they are reaching out to a human, rather than a bot.
This is what Basecamp's contact page looks like:
Use your contact page for multiple processes
- Ask for particular information in advance
- Track submissions
- Include a human-check to reduce the number of spam emails
- Add a "thank you" page
Provide easy access to your contact page
The link to the contact page should be easy to find and not hide in a submenu or only be accessible by long scrolling to the bottom of the page. If the user has problems finding the contact page, they might get annoyed and doubt whether their request is important or whether they should consider an alternative. To provide easy access to your contact page, link it to the main navigation, individual service pages, and footer.
Integrate colour scheme and design
Try to integrate the font and colour of the contact page into the design of the website as much as possible. Colours can give brands a high recognition value. The call-to-action button should stand out from the rest of the page as clearly as possible.
Guide your visitors through underlying text
If the input fields are not too obvious, add a line explaining why you need that particular information. The additional text not only guides your visitors but also answers why you need that information and how it would help them. It makes your visitors more likely to fill the form as they think that the information they provide would ultimately benefit them.
Notice how Basecamp beautifully uses the additional text below each question.
Add a strong CTA
The call-to-action (CTA) is the tipping point for conversion or bounce, so it is important to create a compelling CTA.
- Keep some space around the form to draw attention to you.
- Put an anti-spam statement just below the button. Ex., "We respect your privacy".
- Use supporting text below the CTA button for better understanding.
Use live chat or chatbots if needed
Depending on the volume of inquiries you receive, the number of customer care professionals in your company, and the nature of inquiries, live chat or chatbots can be effective. Live chat considerably reduce the friction for your prospects to reach out to you. Instead of filling up a form and waiting for your response, they can start talking to your representative almost instantaneously.
Chatbots come in several types and forms - from a simple Facebook Messenger integration to complex, custom-designed AI-powered systems.
Romulus Dynamics is a Human-Centered Web Design Agency
We not only create elegant, responsive and mobile-friendly websites but websites that drive conversions and growth. Our design focuses on the end-user which bridges the gap between you and your visitors.
If you need help with a website or your digital strategy, go ahead and reach out to Romulus Dynamics today!
