Gathering customer information online is a smart move for any business. Customers prefer the efficiency of an online form rather than answering personal question on the phone. However, Internet users tend to protect their online time and will not fill out just any old form. If you approach your information gathering in the right way, you will be able to build an amazing customer base with it.
Let Customers Know How You Will Use the Info
Perhaps you are simply looking for email newsletter subscriptions , all you need to request is an email address and maybe a name. You should make it clear that the email your customer gives you will be used to send out email newsletters. If you need information to send a purchased product, then make it clear that the information given will be used for that purpose only. Sharing your plans for information will make visitors more comfortable and much more likely to fill out the form.
Tell Your Customers How They Benefit
Sometimes all the incentive your visitor needs is the promise of a free email newsletter. Others like to hear that they will receive a free gift or a coupon for a future purchase. Give your visitor something of value for filling out your form and make sure the value matches the form: a small benefit for an email address or a larger benefit for filling out a longer form. Let customers know when they create an account that they will be able to save their shopping cart for later uses or keep track of their orders.
Make Your Form Easy to Complete
A complex form turns away potential conversions. You can bring visitors to your site, but if you can’t get them to leave information on a form, then you loose an opportunity for a sale. Prefill as many spaces as you can. Require only the information that you need. Create a form that is easy to navigate without their hands leaving the keyboard.
Offer a Privacy Policy
Your customers will be far more willing to give you information if they know that you will protect their privacy. Filling out forms online can be unnerving for those who fear identity theft. If you promise to protect their privacy and follow through with your promise, you will make customers comfortable enough to fill out their information.
Once you gather the information, you can use it to get to know your customers better. The better you know your customers, the better you will be able to sell to them.
Image Credit: Assessment Company
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