Online Direct Response Form Guidelines and Exceptions

What is it that we say, ‘for every rule there is the exception that makes the rule’? Well, let us talk about a few guidelines (rules) for online registration forms and then I will demonstrate an exception that seems to blow away the rule, but still leaves it valid. First the guidelines:

1) When asking people for permission online, give visitors something in return for their permission. I work with homebuilders. This could be a simple as a free brochure. What would be even more compelling is an exclusive offer. You might give priority in lot selection, discounts, or upgrades just to the first shoppers to join the interest group or make some sort of commitment. It could be as simple as receiving advance notification of sales events as D.R. Horton in South Florida does so here.

2) Embed value in your form. Your visitor should feel that by filling out the form you are not just sucking up marketing data. Do this by asking questions that can only be of value if you intend to treat them differently based on their preferences. Knowing that at visitor has children or pets helps you to market to them. However, it is not offensive. Consider more typical qualifying questions such as “What is your Income?” Such questions are not consumer centered and can destroy your completion rates. I believe John Laing Homes does a great job with this in their “The John Laing Handshake” registration page.

3) Make it easy for visitors to sign up. This means asking for only a limited amount of information. You absolutely need to ask for email address, first and last name. However, some forms ask for much more what can be disastrous to your Online Form Conversion Rates. When you request a free, customized e-Brochure from Brown Family Communities in Phoenix Arizona, little is required. Would it be nice to know how they learned about Brown? Or would it be beneficial to know their income? Yes, but these Builder needs must be balanced against consumer fears about giving up personal information.

4) Reassure visitors that you will treat their personal information with care. It really does not matter what you are selling. Right by your submission button you can make your intentions clear. For example, here’s what Buescher Homes says on their new community advance notification page: “Buescher Respects your privacy. We will never sell or share your personal information with unaffiliated third parties. Privacy Policy.”

Easy enough? Now the exception. Here is the Priority Preview registration form for Langston Development’s Las Vegas Beach Club. More than 30 questions are asked and most are required. I am told that they secured tens of thousands of registrations early in the campaign. How can that be? They appear to egregiously violate rule #3 and #4.

Two factors seem to have offset these violations. First, Las Vegas was a super hot market when the campaign was introduced. Second, the offer was incredible. Here’s the current home page for the registration site. As I remember this page the first time I saw it, the pricing was under $150,000 for a hi-rise condominium in the hot Las Vegas market. Perhaps Langston should have asked for social security numbers and bank routing numbers so the whole transaction could go faster?

So what does this mean for our guidelines? If you have a killer offer in a hot market, don’t worry about asking for too much personal information. For the rest of us, mind the guidelines until your demand dramatically outstrips your supply.