The goal of every business is to attract as many targeted customers as they can. Businesses create websites with the goal of increasing their chances of acquiring more customers either through direct sales or as prospects.
With the number of websites increasing, there is a need for business owners to either learn good search engine optimization (seo) practices or hire someone else to do the work for you. With good seo, you are assured that your website has a constant flow of visitors who need your product or service.
Other than using search engine marketing, progressive companies have embraced social media marketing as part of their marketing efforts. Companies can use social media marketing to:
1. Acquire new clients,
2. Use social media networks for customer support, or
3. Create a buzz about their products
Proper use of both seo and social media marketing can lead to a never-ending stream of visitors to a business website. There is one more thing that remains after a company gets visitors to their site. One needs to turn these visitors into buyers. In other words, you need to convert these visitors. This is especially true if the company had used social media to acquire its customers. To convert visitors into buyers or potential customers, the best tools to use are efficiently laid out forms.
Forms that work are easy to use, easy to find and are inviting to your web visitor. It is imperative for the visitor to find the form on your site. The form should entice the visitor to sign up or input their details. There is nothing wrong with ensuring that it is the most prominent section in your website.
Forms that aquire customers ask for limited information. For example, if your company does not need to know the zip code of the client, then do not include it in the form. Your web visitors want to spend as little time as possible on your site and give as little information as they can. It is prudent to assure them that you will use their information legally. A link to your privacy policy is essential for a form that works.
If you have used social media to attract a customer to your form, tell your website visitors what they will receive from filling in the form. The visitor should know what to expect once they have filled out a form. For example, you can tell them that they will receive a free newsletter, or a free book, or special offers. If the visitor values what they will get, you are likely to get more customers.
Finding potential customers is the first step for any business. However, implementation of forms that work can have a dramatic, positive impact in your business.
Delighted to see that you’re encouraging businesses to focus on forms that work.
As it happens, our book about how to design forms for usability is also called “Forms that work”. We have aimed to make it short, practical, and interesting: it’s less than 200 pages and includes a lot of pictures (and even a few cartoons).
Jakob Nielsen, the usability guru, said “The humble form: it may seem boring, but most of your website’s value passes through forms. Follow Jarrett & Gaffney’s guidelines, and you’ll probably double your online profits.”
Best
Caroline Jarrett
Thanks Caroline for the suggestion. It sounds like an interesting book considering I am a big believer that efficient, attractive forms do work.