The AB Publish Blog 
Secrets to keeping visitors on YOUR Business Website: Contact page
When you create your own Business Website, there are several basics you must get right.
If you fail to do so, your Business Website will not keep visitors on your Internet site and they will go to a competitor.
I have already written articles about 5 Steps to a Great Home Page, and Secrets to keeping visitors on your Business Website using the About Us page and today it is the turn of the Contact Page.
Why do I need a great Contact Page?
Even if you have created a great Business Website that reflects your organisation values and explains its products and services, you will not have answered every question a visitor will wish to ask.
When visitors have questions, they will be looking for a quick and easy way to contact you, and it is becoming more and more common that the visitors are looking for an immediate reply.
If the way to contact you and your Business Organisation is not obvious, they will not waste time looking, they will turn to a competitor.
Include Basic Contact Information on every Page
A great Web Design for a Business Website will include basic contact information on every page – the preferred place is at the foot of each page, although some of the more important contact information is increasingly being placed at the header of each page.
As a guideline, every page of a well designed Internet site will include:
- The name of the organisation
- A contact telephone number
- Email address
- Postal address
- A link to the Home Page
- A link to a Contact Page
The link to the home page is to ensure visitors to not get lost.
They will always be able to return to your front page and orientate themselves from there.
The link to the Contact page may be even more important.
This shows visitors the path to ask any question they may have.
Visitors receiving answers to their questions are more likely to turn into customers.
Visitors who do not immediately see how to ask their questions are more likely to turn into missed opportunities.
What makes the Best Ever Contact Page?
Like all pages on your Business Website, the Contact Page must be carefully thought out.
Do not ignore this page and put less effort into it as so many Internet Sites seem to do.
The Best Ever Contact Page should list all ways you can be contacted, with any questions, comments, observations or remarks.
These will include phone, email, physical address for posting or visiting if appropriate to your organisation and more and more common, instructions for initiating on-line chat.
Check the design of your Business Website includes the following on the Contact Page:
- A form for sending general quick questions
- Direct phone number
- Postal address
- Email address
- If appropriate, individual phone numbers and email addresses for various departments (Support, Sales, After Sales Service…)
The most important thing though is to clearly state when you are available for each of the above methods and when the visitor can expect a reply. There is nothing more upsetting then ringing a contact number every half an hour, only to find out that the organisation was on a half-day holiday.
Concluding thoughts on Business Website Contact Pages
Like the About Us page, I have seen many Business Internet sites without a Contact Page.
Or if there is a Contact Page, it is not designed with the same thought and care as the rest of the Website.
They are missing out on the opportunity to:
- Open communication lines to the visitor in order to respond to questions
- Boost credibility by including details to contact your organisation in the real world
- Improve Search Engine Optimisation by having your address indexed by Search Engines
- Help visitors arrive at your business location – more and more people print out Internet pages and if your contact details are displayed the visitor will have a hard-copy of your address and phone number
All Business Websites created and published using the AB Publish Website Creation system are infinitely flexible.
The structure can be adapted to include the Greatest Contact Page on your site, and a link to this page from all other pages within the design of your Business Website.
If you require any help or have any further questions about this article, then please do not hesitate to contact me or any member of AB Publish.
Thu 17 March 2011 16:44:23
