Clients are often torn on whether to have a simple e-mail address or a contact form on their websites. On the one hand, users don’t like filling our forms and would find the e-mail link more user friendly. On the other hand, it’s nice to collect a minimal amount of information from each user for tracking and marketing purposes. It’s a fine line… how do you decide?

From the user’s perspective. You should consider having a form if:

• Your company has a well-functioning communications process to handle website leads. If by filling out a form, the user can get in touch with the right person quicker, then it’s a good idea. For example, if your form asks the user to choose from a menu of typical inquiries he might have, and by doing so the right person gets the e-mail and responds quickly, then the form was beneficial to the user.
• The response time can be shortened by asking the user a couple of simple questions, then a form works well.
• The type of inquiry needs to be tracked by the user. If it’s important for the user to have a record of the inquiry, then a form that spills out a unique code/number is best.

From your perspective. You should consider having a form if:

• You want to build up your contacts database. Just make sure you don’t get greedy and ask too many questions. Keep it simple and get the full name, phone, and email. You can always collect more information later.
• You are tracking your marketing efforts and have a mechanism to identify which page or offer a user is contacting you from.

These are a few key reasons for opting for a form. If you choose to keep it simple, make sure your e-mail address is protected so you don’t get bombarded with spam.