A Direct Marketing Agency - Helping Brands Acquire and Retain Customers

Are you getting the most from the Web forms used to gather leads or increase customer and prospect contacts?

With so much emphasis on offers, on lists to drive traffic, and on creative to capture visitor attention, Web forms can get short shrift in the grand scheme. Keeping a few issues in mind when creating forms can make a difference in converting visitors into subscribers.

1. Less is more. It's tempting to gather as much info as possible from a prospect. After all, it'll help segment and better target messaging to your audience. But much like the 17-year-old boy getting grilled by his date's father at the front door, asking too many questions can be intimidating, or make the subject decide it's not worth the effort. Instead, especially when it comes to e-mail subscriptions, a couple of basic questions – name and e-mail address – can start the conversation. Follow up with additional e-mails down the road as part of an on-boarding campaign so you can glean more information once a relationship is established.
   Sometimes additional information is needed – for instance, when a follow-up by snail mail is required. Before adding extra fields, ask yourself whether each question is critical to the task at hand. If not, save it for later.
2. Design for the basics. A simple, vertical format is best for eye flow. But don't be afraid to test. A recent study by Interwoven shows that switching between vertical and horizontal layouts can bump response rates.
3. Compel action. Just because they've arrived to a request page doesn't mean they're sold on filling it out. A short, sweet benefit-laden headline can reassure the visitor to complete the form. Keep it simple, though. Too much copy can be distracting.
4. Don't forget the privacy promise. Though few people read extensive legalese, reassurance is important. You can get the point across with a few words, i.e., "We'll never share your name," or "We respect your privacy." You can always add a link to a detailed policy that spells out the details.
5. Make the action big. Don't make them search for a "submit" or "subscribe" button. Testing sizes and colors can make a difference, so shake it up occasionally to see how your audience responds.
6. Don't forget the confirmation. Never make them guess whether you've received their request. ALWAYS follow up with a confirmation and next steps, whether it's a confirmation screen or an e-mail. Include a way of getting in touch with you in case they have additional questions or needs as yet one more way of keeping the conversation going.