First impressions can make or break a website, which means that the way you instigate first contact is at least as important, if not more, than any other part of your website. Once that initial contact has been established you will have to maintain the same flow of communications throughout the entire site. There is no point spending thousands of dollars on design and SEO if users cannot successfully complete key actions of the site. Developing and implementing great contact forms can be accomplished by the following: 1. Minimize confusion Keep your pages simple! Wherever you can, but in moderation, use buttons, check boxes and multiple choice sections. 2. Offer sufficient categories People like options and categories. When offering a variety of options make sure to include all. To eliminate missing some choices present a category option called "other" or "not sure". 3. Use CAPTCHA to filter bots CAPTCHA is a program that generates a visual test humans can pass, but current computer programs cannot. By requiring the typing in of a series of somewhat distorted numbers and letters, spam is cut down tremendously. 4. Minimize mandatory fields Do not force people to enter information which is irrelevant during inquiries, pre-sales or other procedures. Lengthy forms can be a turn-off. Only ask what is really necessary to complete the request or task. 5. Create "thank you" pages As a common courtesy, create thank-you pages. It will make visitors feel appreciated and it will also reassure them that their submitted details and information was received. If possible, indicate when a reply can be expected. 6. Present formatting examples Field and record validation rules control how certain data needs to be typed to be recorded properly. Phone numbers and dates are prime examples. Always show how the information has to be formatted. 7. Flexible validation rules Allow flexible validation rules in mandatory fields. This may be vital for merchants who are dealing with international phone numbers and zip/postal codes 8. Setting up proper validation alerts If a person enters the wrong information, make sure that your alerts explain what information was entered incorrectly and how it can be fixed. 9. Validation corrections It has happened to all of us. You fill out an application, an error alert appears and when you return to the form, all inputted data is gone and you have to restart. There are several solutions to this design problem including adding a JavaScript client side validation to the form. This will create an alert box asking the customer to correct the problem before the actual form submission. 10. Allow Tabbing Ensure your site is set up for tabbing, because many Web users move from field to field using the tab key. 11. Contact Form visibility Do not hide your "Contact" form and keep it close to the standard "About" or "Company" links. Contact forms play a key role in the general sales process, especially for first-time customers who need information before placing their order. These people like to get familiar with your company and may have specific questions you did not address on the site. Do not disappoint these customers and don't keep them waiting!
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