You’ve put a lot of effort into getting your prospect to your contact us page. Don’t blow it now.
Ask for just enough information to get the ball rolling
It’s easy to build contact forms that ask for lots of details. But I’d ask for enough information to get the conversation started, and no more.
You can get all the information you need later. Right now you want to get the ball rolling. To do that you need the minimum amount of information. Then you can talk with them and discover if they are a genuine qualified prospect or not. So make sure they understand what you do and who you help, then ask them to get in touch.
In some situations, it does make sense to ask a for a lot of information up front. But the shorter your contact form is the more people will complete it. The judgment call is yours. Do what makes sense in your situation.
Cookie-cutter or bespoke solution
If you provide cookie-cutter solutions where everybody gets more or less the same service, it might make sense to ask for all the information up front.
If you provide a bespoke service tailored to each individual client, you’ll need to talk over the phone or to meet in person. In that case, you can use a shorter contact form. You want them to get the ball rolling first then you can ask questions later.
Offer phone and email options too
Some people don’t like filling in forms. So give them the option to email you or phone you instead of filling in your form. The more options you give your prospect, the more chance they’ll take the plunge and get in touch.
What information should you ask for in your contact form?
If I was asking for the minimum amount of information my form fields would be…
- Your name
- Your business
- Your website (so I can find out more about your business)
- Your contact details
- Your message (they type their message in this box)
- How did you find us (Google, networking, referred by a friend etc.)
Other stuff to put on your contact us page
Other than your contact form, email address, and phone number, what should you put on your contact us page?
If your clients visit your premises, you’ll need to display your street address and a Google map.
Your photo
Displaying your photo, or a photo of your team can make your business look more approachable. Look straight at the camera. Or if you have a headline at the side of the photo, you could point your eyes towards the headline. You don’t have to include your photo, but it definitely can help.
Your message, what should you say?
How should you word your message, what should you say on your contact us page?
First, consider how big an investment your prospect is making by working with you. If your service is expensive, the prospect is taking a big risk. So they’ll need a lot of reassurance before they contact you. You might need a longer contact us page.
If your service is more affordable, the risk is less and they’re more likely to jump straight in. Your contact us page could be short.
What happens after I fill in this form?
Give them an idea of what’s going to happen after they’ve completed and sent the contact us form.
You could word it like this, for instance…
What will happen after you fill in this form?
Monday to Friday, I’ll get back to you within 24 hours. If you contact me on a weekend I’ll get back to you by Tuesday at the latest.
We’ll arrange a time to talk, by phone or in person, so you can explain your situation and tell me what you want to achieve. I’ll look at your current situation and tell you if I can help you achieve your desired results. Neither you nor I are under any obligation unless we decide to move forward and sign a contract.
How and when will you be charged? My initial consultation is free. I don’t start charging until we’ve signed a contract. At that point, I’ll make it clear what the charges are, what the milestones and deliverables are and when I expect payment.
Other useful tips for contact us pages
It’s taken you a serious amount of effort to convince your prospect to contact you. You don’t want to lose them now.
So make sure you come across as…
- Competent
- Professional
- Likable
- Good to work with
- Willing, able and available to do the work
Write in the same way you’d talk if you were telling a friend what to do. You want to position yourself as a trusted adviser.
Don’t use jargon, and don’t sound self-important, opinionated or holier-than-thou. No one wants to buy from someone who is looking down their nose at them.
Tell them…
I understand your problem. It’s not your fault, a lot of people have this problem. I’ve seen it before and I’ve fixed it before. I can help you fix this problem too. Get in touch and we can get to work.