web site enquiry form - a good idea or not?

[hunny]

Hi,
i am thinking about adding an enquiry form to my web site in order to encourage people to contact me through e mail.
i feel it will be a good idea, but a couple of people have suggested that it doesn't look very proffessional.
Any comments please?
cheers.

[Richard Conyard]

Odd one that - I can't see why it would be unprofessional to try and engage your potential clients this way. After all they might not have an e-mail program available when they see your site.

[epiphany]

Well for a start you can ignore the people that say it doesn't look professional :)

[Webstuff]

I find it really helps; in fact I only ever use enquiry forms (because putting an email address on your website isn't always a great idea!), and simply validate the email a visitor provides to check it's real. Even after customers have my email addresses for the websites involved, they still tend to prefer to use the forms.

[hunny]

hi thanks for that
this is what i'm also thinking - it makes it more user friendly and gives a prompt in the right direction to what they require. is there a particular way to do this link - i'm working in front page and from past experience it is temperamental sometimes when adding things, i'm aware of how to add a hyperlink to the page, but unsure of where the enquiry page links to?(the submit button)
any help will be appreciated
thanks

[Webstuff]

You need to make a form... There are "mailto" forms, which don't require server side scripts, but then you might as well just provide an email address. Preferrably, you will need some sort of "Contact us" script. This can either be one on your own website (if your host allows PHP, or such), or a remotely hosted script (there are quite a few of these) which often display their own adverts :(

Does your host allow PHP/Perl/ ?

[Rob Holmes]

Hi Hunny,

It's a proven tool for getting customers to contact you, the main rule is generally the longer you make it the less people will fill it in.

Rob

[mumper]

Hi Hunny,

I have a form on my site and more visitors tend to use that than the email address link. Nice website by the way :D

[hunny]

thanks everyone....
just trying to find if my host allows PHP/perl like you suggest, not finding it easy to navigate the site, any ideas where it could be.

[hunny]

just found it.... it supports HTML, SSI(shtml), CGI/perl
but not PHP

[epiphany]

You can do it with cgi :)

[hunny]

ok ... thanks i'll give it a try

[Thais]

Hunny

I think on your 'contact' page you should have not only your email addy, a contact form & your phone number, but an address as well - then they have no excuse for not contacting you!! :) I can't see your address anywhere on the site - I always look for that on any site that I'm going to do business with, and probably most people do!

[Webstuff]

My contact forms have 3 fields;

"Full name" field
"email" field
"message" field.

If the site allows membership, this is dropped the one field; "message" if the user is logged in. To support messages about a specific item on the website, all items have a "feedback" link, that automatically fills in extra fields such as the item name / ID. (Hope this helps to give you an idea of whats needed for a good contact form!)

[hunny]

thanks to everyone for your time, i will take your suggestions, much appreciated. :D

[broadband-engine]

Hi

Try this PHP script. The URL below takes you to a wizard for setting this up, real easy to do

http://www.thesitewizard.com/wizards/feedbackform.shtml

Cheers

[Webstuff]

I think hunny said she only had Perl on her site...

[broadband-engine]

Oooops missed that. There is an option for Perl/cgi script offered on the site wizard aswell

Cheers

[Rob Holmes]

Hunny if you still have problems give me a shout and I'll set you up a free account on our email newsletter and contact form software - our systems would handle the processing side of things all you have to do is include a small snip of html on your contact page :)

Rob

[hunny]

hi everyone,
thanks so much for your help, i'll be trying to add a contact page today so i'll no doubt be in touch for more help.
anne