As a speaker, your stage presence is part of your presentation. It's no different online! Your online presence is what others see of you across the web and all other types of electronic media. It ranges from how you answer the telephone to the viewer's experience at your website. None of the pieces can be ignored.

Be a Good Host; Let Your Visitors Speak

How hard is it for your site visitors to send you a message? Can they do it at all?

As a business site, your visitors sustain you.

Not providing contact methods is rude; it can result in missed opportunities to improve your site and raise your income. Not listening to what your visitors have to say is impolite.

Here are a few examples of how you and your business might benefit:

• A visitor tells you about something you could easily implement for better site navigation.
• There is an obvious and embarrassing typographical or grammatical error on a page, and someone lets you know.
• You are notified that a download link consistently retrieves a broken file.
• Someone makes a request that gives you an idea that will result in your financial independence.
• You can be told about problems with your product or service, rather than have the customer spread dissatisfaction noises throughout the internet with "... and their website doesn't even say how to contact them!"
• A prospect may need more information about a product before they will buy. If they can't get it, they aren't gonna :)

Without feedback, site owners can't respond to what their visitors want and expect or what tests their patience. To stay in business, your site must be responsive.

Besides, not providing contact methods is disrespectful of your isitor's needs, intelligence, and good will.

For most sites, contact methods should include all of the following:

• Email address (see below about spammer's email address harvesters).
• Postal mailing address, including country name.
• Telephone number.
• A feedback/contact form.
• Give your visitor a choice and s/he will be much happier.

If some contact information is absent, visitors may get the impression you are trying to hide. That will destroy the customer confidence your business requires.

Specifying an email address can be fodder for spammer's email harvesting robots. To prevent your address from being harvested in that way, create a graphic with your email address on it. Then use the image instead of text.

If you link the image to an href="mailto:____" link, the email harvesting robots can grab it. See "Advanced Email Link Generator with Anti-Spam Encoder" for some protection.

For best spammer protection, omit all email addresses from your source code. We use the image method, which allows only people to have access to our email address, and a contact form. Most people prefer to use the contact form.

The free CGI script, Master Feedback, is for simple contact forms. Master Feedback is designed to help you spam-proof your site.

The commercial CGI script, Master Form, has more features, including the ability to store collected information in a database. Master Form could be useful if your contact or other forms need to be more complex.

If you do not have CGI available for your site, there are sites that will host your scripts. Some charge a fee. Others do it for free but display advertising. Freedback.com provides a free form service with ads.

You need a contact form. It shows respect for your visitors by providing an easy way to communicate with you. A form is easier than an email link because the form is right there and an email link needs to launch the email program before your visitor can begin typing.

Responding to your visitors in a timely manner with appropriate answers can generate much goodwill and loyal customers.

I've seen the argument saying email links are preferable to contact forms because it ensures a valid email address. But when you think it through, that reasoning has several flaws.

First, and of least consequence, most people know how to type their email address and rarely make intentional typos. Yes, there are a few, and if that bothers you then you may want to forego the contact form. But if you use either of the CGI programs mentioned above, they will catch email addresses that are incorrectly formatted.

Second, using a contact form allows your visitors to send you anonymous email by providing a fake, albeit correctly formatted, email address. This is important. Some people will say constructive things about your site so long as they know you won't bother them with email they don't want. Many people feel their email addresses are being abused and don't like to give them out. Also, with anonymous messages people tend to be more honest about their feelings.

Third, a form is so easy that some people will use it who wouldn't otherwise bother.

An additional option for visitor feedback is using a live customer service program. Sites that can stimulate more spontaneous purchases by having someone on hand to answer questions would benefit. HumanClick is one site offering such a solution.

Some sites, however, might find live customer service a distraction or a commitment they are not yet ready to assume. Feedback answered promptly is sufficient responsiveness for most sites.

However you do it, be a good host. Let your visitors speak.

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About the author: William Bontrager, founder of Willmaster.com, has more than 20 years experience in the computer industry. Among his many accomplishments, he produces a successful e-zine directed towards webmasters and the business person who wants a successful website. Subscribe to his e-zine at Willmaster Possibilities.

Copyright 2001 William Bontrager

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