Optimising full conversion

[Alan]

Hi, I have a product/service that I am advertising via PPC.

I have dedicated landing pages with A/B test capabilities.

To sign up for the free trial of the product service requires about 8 bits of information, including physical address and a mildly technical question (what is your domain name?).

Not surprisingly the form with all 8 fields has a zero rate conversion.

Forms with just name / email and then in other ways request the other data get the best initial conversion (surprisingly better than just 'email' ).

I have two approaches to getting the other 6 bits of data
1. after the initial form, goes to a second screen requesting the data
or
2. automatically replying with a polite email explaining the need for extra data and requesting it

So the issue I have is the first step (name / email) converts well (14-19%), but the second step
1. 2nd form, only 50% actually complete it
2. automated email - no one at all responds!

What is worse is the 50% that complete the 2nd form the vast majority complete it in a way that requires further follow up by email - and only one has ever responded to the email, fortunately as he rang my number and 3 'full' conversions occurred.

My sample set isn't massive - around 200 click throughs over 2 months, which is consistent with search volumes I am targeting.

So ..... my main question is what is going wrong here - my emails appear to be ineffective - or do people just hate responding to emails - should I
1. do something more akin to an auto response series, to create some sort of 'trust'
2. use a highly formatted html email template ( currently simple plain textual )
3. use a link to a second form in the email
4. simply try and avoid emails and improve the step 2 form to be more 'infallible' ( currently the landing page builder doesn't give advance validation like verifying the domain is in the right format or the name exists)

I'm sure some are tempted to say - test all of the above - and I thank you for reading so far but I'm looking for some insight and experience, so please ask questions.

 

[Erno Horvath]

Hi Alan,

According to my experience (which is basically very similar to yours) segmenting the form into two steps should convert better than email.
The problem with email is:
- the user leaves the conversion funnel, even for 2-3 mins.. got the email he already started to do something else.. etc.
- gmail might put your email into the Promotions folder, so less chance.

Probably you can improve the email itself as well, but I would work on the 2nd form, to make that one better.
Also you can combine the two (if a user left the second form empty than send an email)

I have a page with 7 bits of information and the conversion rate is 15-18%, so yes number of fields have high impact on your conversion rate, but that doesn't mean you can't convert people at all.

My experience is people willing to give more details if they understand the purpose behind, so why you need that data. I don't know your service but for example if you selling bananas and asking about domain name your visitors might get confused why would you need that specific piece of information, as it's not related to their order. If you give a little hint to them why would you need that info, conversion rate should increase.

I hope that helped.

 

[fisicx]

Use the first form to start the conversion process. Take the potential client to a second page with a second form where you explain why you need more info.

For me it would be the physical address that would put me off. Why do you need this? Will the product not work without it? Can't you collect this information during the install process?

 

[Shopclicks]

I suspect that your lack of conversions most likely doesn't lay with the form and the information required but rather in the 'marketing' of the product/service on offer. How well are you 'selling' the product and compelling the visitor to click through to the form & complete it? Sending details in a form makes people uncomfortable if they haven't dealt with you before. You need to convince them that it's the most natural thing in the world and that people do it every day. Legitimate testimonials might help, and/or a real photo of you with a short spiel about who they are handing their info to. I take it the product/service is your own work.