Tips
What Should Your Contact Page Tell People?
Your contact page should tell people what happens next. A single line like 'We respond within one business day' sets expectations and makes the business feel organized. Include the ways to reach you, when you are available, and what to expect after they hit send.
Say what happens next
Most contact pages stop at a form and an email address. Add one line telling people when to expect a reply, such as we respond within one business day. It costs nothing, and it shows you have your act together.
Do and don't
Do
- Tell people when to expect a reply
- Confirm the form went through
- Offer a phone or email as a backup
- Keep your hours and details current
Don't
- Leave a bare form with no context
- Make people wonder if it worked
- Hide the other ways to reach you
- Promise "24/7" when it is not true
If someone reaches out and hears nothing back, they call the next business on the list.
Put it in more than one place
Say it on the contact page, in the confirmation message after the form is sent, and in any auto-reply email. If a form ever fails, say so clearly and show a phone number and email instead of pretending it went through.
Common questions
- What should a contact form confirmation say?
- Confirm the message went through, then set an expectation. Something like: 'Thanks, we got your message and will reply within one business day.' If the form fails, show a clear error with a phone number and email so nobody is left guessing.
- How fast should a small business reply to an inquiry?
- Sooner is better, but being consistent matters more. Promise a window you can keep, like one business day, and hit it every time. A reply that reliably comes the next day beats one that sometimes comes in an hour and sometimes never comes.
- Should I put my phone number on my website?
- Yes, unless you have a strong reason not to. Many people trust a business more when there is a real way to reach a human. If calls are hard to take, pair it with a clear note about the best way and time to reach you.