Often overlooked, your website contact page plays an integral role in nurturing a successful relationship with a potential new client – or stopping it dead in its tracks.

Check out these do’s and don’ts for website contact pages to significantly increase your leads.

DO make your website contact page easy to find

This is the most important – and often overlooked – step. Depending on your business, the link to your contact page needs to be in the header, in a sidebar or in the footer. Of every page.

‘It doesn’t fit in with my website’s design’ isn’t an excuse. Your web design is there to support your message, not the other way around. And if your website’s objective is to encourage people to contact you, then that’s what it needs to support.

DO list your contact details in the most logical order

I’m often surprised when a physical store makes me hunt around on their website for their trading hours, street address or a map. I’m even more surprised when I discover these details aren’t even listed.

Apart from the convenience to your reader, imagine the time you’ll save not having to answer those enquiries on the phone anymore!

DO think about how people prefer to contact you

Is your target market new to the Internet, preferring to speak with a real person? Or are they time-strapped, preferring to shoot off a quick email?

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DO think about your personal communication methods

This doesn’t mean that if you hate speaking on the phone you can avoid publishing your phone number. What it does mean is that you should promote your preference as the main form of contact. If you prefer email, list your email or contact form first, and then list your phone number underneath.

Bonus tip: If you only check your Twitter account once a fortnight, don’t list Twitter as a form of contact!

DO offer a contact form

Your website visitor may be overseas, it might be after hours or they may only have a minute. Don’t make them wait until your business hours or when they have more time to contact you. They’ll forget. And they’ll be gone.

DON’T make your contact form long

This is not the time to go through a full brief. Think carefully about the purpose of the form, and ONLY ask what you need to satisfy this purpose.

Remember, you’re establishing a relationship. Just like a first date, if you’re full on, they’ll run for the hills.

DON’T make the contact form the only way of contacting you

Even if they DO use the contact form to contact you, it’s reassuring for visitors to your site to see that there are other ways of contacting you. You won’t look so much like a suspicious operation, and your reader is more likely to trust you.

And some people just want to speak with a real person.

DO take advantage of your readers’ attention

You’ve done it. You’ve engaged your reader enough to compel them to contact you. So they fill out the form, hit submit, and then what?

DON’T say ‘Thank you for your enquiry’ and leave it at that

Tell them how and when you’ll respond – and stick to it. This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Start as you mean to go on, or chances are, it won’t start at all.

But that’s not all. You’ve still got their attention. So give them value. Lead them to your top three blog posts. Direct them to your free eBook. Invite them to connect with you on Twitter. Don’t waste this opportunity.

When it comes to website contact pages, what turns you away from contacting a business?