Power up your Contact Page for better Web Site Results
| Category: Website Design and Development | Date: 2003-10-05 |
There seems to be two ways a web site can be designed. First, some sites are designed in order for customers and clients to be able to interact with your business without calling, writing, or stopping by physically. Sites like Amazon.com or eBay.com are examples of these types. Visitors to those site rarely, if ever, need to call the company behind the site.
Similarly, companies like Hewlett Packard, Federal Express, or Microsoft have huge web sites that are not particularly designed to get the visitor to pick up the phone and call. Frequently, in my experience, this is very frustrating from a customer service point of view. There are times that I WANT to call someone and get some direction. When the contact method is not clear, I often find myself less than pleased by the companys concern for my needs.
On the other hand, many web sites are designed with the INTENTION of triggering visitors to call, write, or come by. Such sites frequently include specialty products and services.
As a web site owner, you must decide if your site is supposed to make the phone ring or to keep it silent so that it does not interfere with your other work. Regardless of your answer, your contact page is a vital tool to reach your goal.
It is arguable that, aside from your main web page, the way you provide contact information to your visitors may be the most important page on the site. After all, it is the page that triggers some action, be it requests for more information or having the customer pick up the phone to arrange some service.
If your site includes a "shopping cart" then this tool is very important also, but, for the customer who has a question unanswered by your site, his or her use of the shopping cart may depend on how you provide access through your contact page.
Whether or not you want your phone to ring is your choice. How you trigger the desired response is achieved through your contact page (even if it is simply a link to another page within the site).
-- What Makes a Contact Page?
What is the minimal information that should be on a contact page? That depends on the action you want your visitors to take. If you want them to pick up the phone and call you to place orders, you will want your phone number to be obvious and prominent. (If you are VERY SERIOUS about taking calls -- perhaps providing ordering by telephone -- consider obtaining and using a toll free number.) On the other hand, if you do not want to be constantly answering the phone, then tucking your phone number away (or leaving it off) is the way you want to go.
However, consider this: What happens to those visitors who have questions not answered by your web site? Will they be patient enough to wait for an e-mail correspondence or take their business elsewhere? Your willingness to risk loosing customers must be balanced with your willingness to endure a constantly ringing phone!
Beyond the question of a phone number is the way you provide e-mail access. Since many visitors will expect to interact via the internet, providing an e-mail address is nearly a must.
If you simply list your e-mail like this:
walker@web-net-solutions.com
your visitors will have to cut and paste (or type) your address into their mail window. If you intend to use e-mail, go ahead and make it a "clickable" link.
The syntax for a clickable e-mail link is:
Contact" Target="_BLANK">href="mailto:walker@web-net-solutions.com">Contact Me by E-mail
This line of HTML will place the words "Contact Me by E-mail" on the page and link them to the default e-mail application, opening a pre-addressed New Mail window.
(if you want your e-mail to be clickable in e-mail messages, type it this way:
walker@web-net-solutions.com
and, frequently, it will act as a link in the body of an e-mail message.)
Using an e-mail link allows your visitors to freely correspond with you. By clicking on the link, they can access their mail program and write anything they desire, and send it to you. Such a feature, in my opinion, is a necessary part of a contact page.
You may also want to list the e-mail address as well. Someone may be viewing your site from a computer other than their own and decide to write down your e-mail address.
One more element to consider on your contact page: Your mailing address. Whether you list your address or not is up to you. If your business runs from your home, you may want to leave your address off for privacy reasons. (Or you could get a post office box or use the services of a mailbox provider such as Mailboxes Etc.) If there is no reason to leave it off, you should include your address so visitors -- some visitors will see the address and immediately assume your business to be more credible. If you want your site to stimulate visitors to ACTUALLY VISIT your business, then, by all means, include your address. You may even want to include driving instructions and a map.
By including your phone number, e-mail link, and, perhaps, mailing address and map on your web site opens your business to contact at the initiative of any visitor wishing to reach out to you. However, the content of their messages is completely up to their discretion.
It is possible, because you cannot guide them in their inquiry, that they will leave out key details -- such as the product in question -- when they submit send their e-mail. Asking, "How much is shipping" cannot be answered, under many circumstances, unless you know what product they are asking about and where they want it shipped.
In Part II, the use of CGI forms as a tool to help guide the inquiry process of web site visitors will be discussed. Until then...
About the Author
Cameron Walker is a partner in Web-Net Solutions, a company dedicated to helping businesses get the most from technology. He is the senior programmer of the firm and also works with local clients to meet their networking needs. Web-Net Solutions offers small to medium businesses the chance to access top level technical support, state of the art web design, and customized programming without the need to hire full time technical personnel.901-213-3768 or to contact see details below.
Web-Net Solutions
Web Site Design - Networking - Support
walker@web-net-solutions.com
www.web-net-solutions.com
Similarly, companies like Hewlett Packard, Federal Express, or Microsoft have huge web sites that are not particularly designed to get the visitor to pick up the phone and call. Frequently, in my experience, this is very frustrating from a customer service point of view. There are times that I WANT to call someone and get some direction. When the contact method is not clear, I often find myself less than pleased by the companys concern for my needs.
On the other hand, many web sites are designed with the INTENTION of triggering visitors to call, write, or come by. Such sites frequently include specialty products and services.
As a web site owner, you must decide if your site is supposed to make the phone ring or to keep it silent so that it does not interfere with your other work. Regardless of your answer, your contact page is a vital tool to reach your goal.
It is arguable that, aside from your main web page, the way you provide contact information to your visitors may be the most important page on the site. After all, it is the page that triggers some action, be it requests for more information or having the customer pick up the phone to arrange some service.
If your site includes a "shopping cart" then this tool is very important also, but, for the customer who has a question unanswered by your site, his or her use of the shopping cart may depend on how you provide access through your contact page.
Whether or not you want your phone to ring is your choice. How you trigger the desired response is achieved through your contact page (even if it is simply a link to another page within the site).
-- What Makes a Contact Page?
What is the minimal information that should be on a contact page? That depends on the action you want your visitors to take. If you want them to pick up the phone and call you to place orders, you will want your phone number to be obvious and prominent. (If you are VERY SERIOUS about taking calls -- perhaps providing ordering by telephone -- consider obtaining and using a toll free number.) On the other hand, if you do not want to be constantly answering the phone, then tucking your phone number away (or leaving it off) is the way you want to go.
However, consider this: What happens to those visitors who have questions not answered by your web site? Will they be patient enough to wait for an e-mail correspondence or take their business elsewhere? Your willingness to risk loosing customers must be balanced with your willingness to endure a constantly ringing phone!
Beyond the question of a phone number is the way you provide e-mail access. Since many visitors will expect to interact via the internet, providing an e-mail address is nearly a must.
If you simply list your e-mail like this:
walker@web-net-solutions.com
your visitors will have to cut and paste (or type) your address into their mail window. If you intend to use e-mail, go ahead and make it a "clickable" link.
The syntax for a clickable e-mail link is:
Contact" Target="_BLANK">href="mailto:walker@web-net-solutions.com">Contact Me by E-mail
This line of HTML will place the words "Contact Me by E-mail" on the page and link them to the default e-mail application, opening a pre-addressed New Mail window.
(if you want your e-mail to be clickable in e-mail messages, type it this way:
walker@web-net-solutions.com
and, frequently, it will act as a link in the body of an e-mail message.)
Using an e-mail link allows your visitors to freely correspond with you. By clicking on the link, they can access their mail program and write anything they desire, and send it to you. Such a feature, in my opinion, is a necessary part of a contact page.
You may also want to list the e-mail address as well. Someone may be viewing your site from a computer other than their own and decide to write down your e-mail address.
One more element to consider on your contact page: Your mailing address. Whether you list your address or not is up to you. If your business runs from your home, you may want to leave your address off for privacy reasons. (Or you could get a post office box or use the services of a mailbox provider such as Mailboxes Etc.) If there is no reason to leave it off, you should include your address so visitors -- some visitors will see the address and immediately assume your business to be more credible. If you want your site to stimulate visitors to ACTUALLY VISIT your business, then, by all means, include your address. You may even want to include driving instructions and a map.
By including your phone number, e-mail link, and, perhaps, mailing address and map on your web site opens your business to contact at the initiative of any visitor wishing to reach out to you. However, the content of their messages is completely up to their discretion.
It is possible, because you cannot guide them in their inquiry, that they will leave out key details -- such as the product in question -- when they submit send their e-mail. Asking, "How much is shipping" cannot be answered, under many circumstances, unless you know what product they are asking about and where they want it shipped.
In Part II, the use of CGI forms as a tool to help guide the inquiry process of web site visitors will be discussed. Until then...
About the Author
Cameron Walker is a partner in Web-Net Solutions, a company dedicated to helping businesses get the most from technology. He is the senior programmer of the firm and also works with local clients to meet their networking needs. Web-Net Solutions offers small to medium businesses the chance to access top level technical support, state of the art web design, and customized programming without the need to hire full time technical personnel.901-213-3768 or to contact see details below.
Web-Net Solutions
Web Site Design - Networking - Support
walker@web-net-solutions.com
www.web-net-solutions.com
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