A "contact page" is the page on a website that says, "Contact Us". It's where you give out information on how you can be contacted.

The biggest cardinal sin of contact pages is failure to display a phone number! Some busineses provide only a contact form, where the visitor submits a message, and is told they'll get a response in 24-48 hours.

The reason why this is the biggest cardinal sin of contact pages, is because the Internet, with its search engines, makes you extremely transparent. People can easily compare you to your competitors, and see just what kind of business you're running. Read on, and I'll explain.

No one is going to need a real estate agent until they decide they NEED a real estate agent. So when they visit your website, they have an immediate need. You can't expect to retain that customer if you don't resolve that need right away.

If I did a Google search for "seattle real estate agents" and found your website, but discovered you provided only a web form for contact, am I going to wait 48 hours to get a response? Or, am I going to go to the next agent on Google's search results?

The answer is that I'm going to the next agent.

In this day and age, never before have businesses been so naked. Google will list your business on its search results right next to all of your competitors. It's so easy for your customers to compare you with the competition. It's like going through the Yellow Pages, and seeing who has the best ad.

It's so easy to display your phone number on a website, and it's a part of providing excellent customer service. So, put it on there!

Labels: Usability, Website-Design