We talk a lot about the importance of a website and how it is one of the most valuable tools you have at your disposal, but have we discussed the contact form? But what is a contact form, exactly? Isn’t it just a formality that allows people to inquire if they are interested? Well, not exactly.
Contact form plugins are way more than a formality when used correctly. Sadly, very few business owners understand that it can be useful for security, marketing, convenience, and quantifying and qualifying your website visitors. Ultimately, if you maximize all your contact form can do, you’ll be amazed at its power!
10 Gifts Stemming From a Properly Created Contact Form Design
A user-friendly contact form is a gateway to seamless communication, empowering you to effortlessly connect with your audience, answer inquiries, and explore endless possibilities. Continue below to discover exactly why a contact form is a game-changer for any company.
Defining Your Audience
You can choose what fields you want to collect when creating your contact form. Companies that use more fields to get information learn more about their potential audience. For instance, just a simple “message” field box will allow people to share their thoughts, preferences, experiences, and other opinions that can help you shape your business practices and target your audience more proficiently.
Security
Having a contact form will help to weed out spam messages and scams. Why? You don’t have your physical email address published on a contact form for the world to see. The consumer sees a button that says “submit,” and it goes directly to your email address. Hiding your email using a contact form will reduce the risk of spam and scams!
Email Gathering
Contact forms are an excellent way to gather data and information for marketing tactics. Simply compiling emails will give you a database that you can use for marketing, advertising, and promotions. The more emails you gather, the bigger your audience becomes. Being successful is all about having multiple pathways to reach potential consumers on as many platforms as possible.
Convenience
No one wants to pick up a phone to contact a business anymore. Many people will bounce to another site or competitor if they have to do more than click a button. For convenience’s sake, a contact form spells it out for an audience with a decreasing attention span. Users don’t want to search your site to find out how to reach you and probably won’t take the additional step of calling you. Patience is a hard commodity to find, so don’t test your potential clients’ patience…it won’t get you very far!
Maintains a High Degree of Communication
Not only do you make it easier for potential clients to reach out to you, but you also have one place to receive and organize emails and data, which will help keep you on track. In an age where we constantly shift gears, having everything you need in one place is a godsend.
Cut to the Chase
The fewer steps that it takes for a consumer to get what they need, the more likely they are to follow through. The problem with most contact forms is that they are open-ended, meaning that if all you collect is someone’s name and email, it doesn’t provide the information you need to really “help” probable consumers.
If you add more depth to your contact form and weed through commonly asked questions and standard things you need to know, you cut back on the steps to hooking them. Using categories to sort and define is a great way to cut to the chase and reduce the risk you will lose them from visitor to consumer.
Personal Data Isn’t Required
Putting your name, phone number, or email online can be a recipe for spam and scam disaster. By using a contact form, you control how people get to contact you and the information they have. When used properly, a contact form gives you all the information you need about your consumer while keeping most of yours under wraps.
It Makes Responding Easier
When you lay out your contact form correctly, it makes EVERYTHING easier! Nothing is a bigger time-waster than going from one thing to the next or continually searching for pieces of information that you need. By designing your contact form and collecting all that you need in one place, all you have to do is click to respond, and it’s done. In today’s busy world, we all know if we don’t do it NOW, it usually won’t get done – so make it as easy for yourself as possible!
Professionalism is Everything!
A contact form tells potential consumers you are “official and interested.” What do we mean by that? Not using a contact form is like showing up to class without a pen and paper. It may send an impression to your consumer that you aren’t that “into” them. No one wants to chase a business down, so don’t make them. When you have a contact form front and center, it is like standing at the front door – all ready and waiting!
Collect Feedback
Nothing helps a business keep up with the demands and preferences of their customer more than feedback. Feedback is a helpful tool to enhance your service or product. If you ask for people’s feedback, they are usually more than happy to provide it. But…you do have to ask!
What Makes a Basic Contact Form Effective?
A good contact form can be a game-changer for your website or business. It’s the gateway through which potential customers, clients, or partners can reach you quickly and efficiently. Here are some key elements that make a contact form stand out:
- User-Friendly Design: A well-designed contact form should be intuitive and easy to navigate. Keep it simple, with clear labels and minimal fields, to avoid overwhelming visitors.
- Mobile Responsiveness: In today’s mobile-centric world, ensuring your contact form looks and functions well on mobile devices is essential. A responsive design allows users to contact you from any device without hassle.
- Relevant Fields: Include only the essential fields that you genuinely need. Too many unnecessary fields can discourage users from completing the form. A simple form builder can be instrumental in ensuring you receive the most basic, effective contact page for your company.
- Clear Call-to-Action: Use a compelling call-to-action to encourage visitors to complete the form. Expressions like “Get in touch,” “Contact us,” or “Start your journey” can make a difference.
- Error Handling: Implement clear error messages to guide users if they miss any required fields or make mistakes. Friendly error messages help users correct their input quickly.
- Security Measures: Assure your audience that user-submitted content is safe by incorporating security measures like SSL encryption. This builds trust and confidence in your brand.
- Confirmation Message: After contact form submission, display a simple, positive confirmation message to let users know their message was successfully sent. It creates a positive user experience.
- Visible on Every Page: Place the contact form in a prominent position, like the footer or header, so that users can find it easily from any page on your website.
- Spam Protection: Implement CAPTCHA or other spam protection mechanisms to filter out unwanted messages and maintain the form’s integrity.
- Quick Load Time: Ensure that the contact form loads quickly, as slow-loading form submissions may deter users from completing the process.
Remember, a good contact form template serves as a means of communication, reflecting your brand’s professionalism and dedication to providing a positive user experience. So, prioritize a simple contact form design rich in functionality and user-friendliness to make the most of this crucial tool for your business. Again, an online form builder can be an excellent tool for your website’s contact form.
Make Fu Dog Media your partner in unlocking hidden potentials and paving the way for sustainable business growth and prosperity.
We talk about the importance of a website, but it isn’t an entity; it is a series of tools that all need to be maximized for their full potential. Thinking, “It’s just a contact form,” is like saying the Titanic just hit a little block of ice! If you ask, you shall receive, and if you approach your contact form with that in mind, you can keep your mind in the game, increase your lead generation and bottom line, and increase your favorability with existing and potential consumers.
Fu Dog Media is committed to providing you with all the tools, hacks, skills, knowledge, and savvy you need to dominate the web. We have so many ways to take your business to the next level we don’t even know where to start. Oh wait…we do: at the beginning! Contact us today, and let us help you use every bit of your website resources. Together, we can do some amazing things!