Order Forms

[sanity]

What is the general consensus on having an order form for people to contact you about a service rather than say email or a phone number.

I'm putting together some SEO packages and am wondering if it would be better to have an order form (no payment details though), just a contact us linked to the contact page or maybe both?

Ta
Soph

[Matt B]

Order forms are a safe way for people to request information. However, I have found that a phone call can result in a better conversion than a website form submission.
The conversions from forms are far less because potential customers haven't committed anything. Picking up the phone to call and request information is much more of an investment of time and energy, so they are more willing to communicate, share, and open to your follow-up.
There are some exceptions, but 99% of the time your best business is the result of a phone call.

Bottom line:
forms = more response, usually a poor customer, hard conversion
phone calls = less response, better customers, easier conversion

[Blue]

I agree. Client initiated phone calls result in much more sales than forms.

However, if you can get a prospective client to volunteer their phone number in a form (vs those that don't include their ph#), it's a good sign, and allows you to contact them in order to work your "salesmanship magic". Just don't require the ph# field.

Cover all your bases.

[Matt B]

I personally like the people that fill out an information request form but do not give me their phone or email address.

[kneelsit]

Hey SEO guy I would have thought you would know the cure for that one. :D

i.e. putting in a "required field" in the cgi script of your form:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<input type=hidden name="required" value="ak_phone,at_email"><input type=hidden name="missing_fields_redirect" value="http://www.yoursite.com/missingfield.html">
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Or am I teaching my grandmother to "suck eggs" ??

:)

[Matt B]

Yes, We usually make required fields for customers, but on our own stuff we tend to get lazy. Oops! :rolleyes:
But also, some people will not fill in the form if the phone number is required. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

I often have to go talk to the programmers when i get a submission like that. Programmers, you know. They give you what you ask, no more, no less. But it is what you asked for . . .

[Blue]

My point was that you can often determine which prospects are seriously interested in your services by not requiring them to fill out their phone number. If they're serious, they'll fill it in.

[Matt B]

ooooo! Good point.

[sanity]

Thanks for your input guys. :D

I was leaning towards not having a form a I find them impersonal. It's just I see them in so many places you gotta wonder.

I agree with Matt that prospects who call you are an easier conversion. I also agree with Blue that if you don't ask for a tel number and they give you one they are seriously interested.

:cheers:
Sophie