This guest post was written by Courtni Wisenbaker-Scheel, a writer for HomeImprovementLeads.com.
Not all that long ago, the only way new clients could learn about your business was through word-of-mouth references, colorful TV advertisements, or the dreaded cold calls. The internet has changed the way every industry does business nowadays, but few more than the home improvement trade. Whether it’s via social media or your own webpage, potential clients are now engaging with your company electronically, and if you don’t have the proper forms in place, you’re guaranteed to miss out on some great prospects. At Home Improvement Leads, we’re dedicated to helping connect building professionals to their ideal next client. This is why we think forms are the key to helping your website stand out among the crowd.
Bridge the Gap
What’s one of the first things you do when you’re considering a big purchase? You probably research it online. According to Google, almost 70 percent of consumers use the internet to conduct home improvement-related research. That means that it’s up to your website to entice them and help bridge the gap from vague interest to direct communication. Strategically placed web forms easily give you that opportunity. Make sure that you leave a lasting good impression by not asking for more personal information than you may need initially. There’s potential for mistrust if you try to initiate a relationship by asking for a possible customer’s home address when it’s not completely necessary.
Know Your Target Audience
Although at one time, you could get an idea of someone’s demographics and goals through a phone call, those same people are no longer initiating that conversation. Instead, they are now heading to your site, and if you don’t have the proper forms in place you’re missing out on being able to connect. Take the time to build an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) either on your own or with the help of a consulting firm. Then, use that information to design your web forms to entice your target potential clients to get in touch by asking reasonable requests for personal information.
Call to Action Prompts Improve Business
Unless you conveniently and easily prod a homeowner to get the ball rolling, then you’re going to miss out on business opportunities to your competitors who do just that. Strategically place “Design Your Dream” and “Learn More About Our Business” prompts throughout your webpage, especially within your home page and your portfolio subpage. In fact, with a simple pop-up email request form, you have the potential to increase your sign-ups by 250 percent!
Tips for Your Forms
Be sure to keep these tips in mind for each of your forms:
- Keep it Simple: Only ask for one or two forms of contact initially and only what is absolutely necessary.
- Multilingual: If your employees are able to support it, a multilingual web page and forms will help you to reach a far broader pool of clientele.
- Like/Share Prompts: Referrals are still important, and social media is how people find that information from their family, friends, and neighbors.
- Correct the Errors: Have error message instructions that are concise and easy to follow.
- Photos: As a home improvement professional, you probably rely on visuals to help inform new clientele of the quality of your work. Help close the deal by incorporating photos of your best projects within your forms.
Whether you are one of three home improvement businesses in your area or one of a thousand, sign your next customer tomorrow by connecting with them through forms on your website today.
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Interested in implementing forms on your home improvement site? Check out our plans and starting building awesome, optimized forms today!
Author Bio
Courtni Wisenbaker-Scheel is a mother of two, and lover of all things Danish modern. She enjoys writing professionally for Home Improvement Leads, with the goal of empowering homeowners with expert guidance and connecting them to home contractors who can make their dream home a reality.
