Yesterday I showed you how to avoid getting your new domain name snatched by evil web registrars, and today I’ll show you how to grab qualified leads using only your website and a simple contact form.
One reason you need a contact form is because it can’t be spammed like an email address pasted all over your website.
Contact forms also discourage casual comments or requests for information. In other words, contact forms require people to make a decision about investing their time. Even something as simple as entering a name and email address takes a split second — an important and substantial amount of time that will help you hone in on your target audience.
Balance is key. It’s true that you want to gain relevant leads that are likely to convert into a sale or a subscriber, but don’t get greedy right out of the gate. If you overload your contact form with lots of required fields then you will severely limit the number of people who opt-in to be contacted.
When I set up a contact form I keep it simple.
Ask only the questions that are completely necessary and cut out all fields that don’t help convert visitors into subscribers. A good rule of thumb is to use an elevator pitch or ‘hook’ above the contact form to get people interested. If you can do this successfully then the only fields you need in the form are name and email address. Should you consider adding a third field, it’s best to make it an open-ended question with a large text area for people to write a description about their issues and problems (which you want to address as a solutions provider).
Finally, make sure to place the form in a high-traffic area, such as the sidebar of your website that is viewed across all (or many) pages. Encourage people to sign up by letting them know there’s something free in it for them — a newsletter, a consultation or even a simple industry report (keep in mind the more specific your product and contact form, the deeper it should be placed on the site).
There are numerous services you can use to install forms on your site, and every respectable service will capture the contact info and place it in a simple excel sheet. I use Aweber, but if you’re just getting started and don’t want to spend the money, check out MailChimp. Google Forms is another free alternative, but you should be aware the forms will carry the Google logo and offer limited design options.
Speaking of design, simpler is better. The more boring my form design, the higher the number of leads I gain from my contact forms — crazy, right? So that’s all there is to it, troops! Start using a contact form on your blog or website today.
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Hi, honestly, I’ve never given much attention on using contact form until I got the tweet about your post. Food for thought.
Thanks for the comment, Robin.
Contact forms a great way of growing your potential list of leads if you use them correctly. I hope you give it a shot — check out http://www.MailChimp.com for a free solution.