How much information?

[audiopro]

I have a difference of opinion with a group of PR people and was hoping that some of you could give us your un-biased views.
I have designed a web site to promote a network marketing organisation. They have a demo DVD which they are keen to post out to potential new recruits. I designed the contact form with basic name, address, postcode and contact email fields for the visitors to fill in. The PR company are saying that the form should ask for a lot more information such as education history, work history and a whole load of other things. They say this information is vital to sell the opportunity to a prospective recruit. I say that people are reluctant to give this information in a first contact and think it would put people off the idea before they start.
Anyone have any thoughts?


Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[Foamcow]

Definitely smaller forms are better.

If you ask for too much then people are put off filling the form in. They just won't bother.

Perhaps a compromise might be splitting the form into 2 parts and label them very clearly.

"This is what we need to know"

"This is what we would like to know, but you don't have to tell us if you don't want to" - but a bit more concise!

Perhaps even create 2 forms so the user fills in the first one then only after they have done that and are assured of getting their DVD they can be asked to complete the rest of the info.

If the PR company won't accept this then just go with their suggestion and see how low the replies are. Put something in your code to keep a track of the people hitting the page but not completing the form.

<honk>*:O)</honk>

Tyres: Mine's a pint of the black stuff.
Mike: You can't drink a pint of Bovril.

 

[BabyJeffy]

With the amount of identity theft reported in the news, I would not expect this kind of demand (for a legitimate company). Faced with a form as you have suggested, I would either invent responses (which makes the data useless) or just move on to another web site.

At the end of the day, you can keep your objection on file (so to speak) and deliver what they ask for.

If they are a UK based company, make sure they are registered to hold the data that they want to gather (and that their registration accurately reflects the description of the data and the intended use of the data).

Cheers,
Jeff

[tt]Jeff's Page @ Code Couch

http://www.codecouch.com/jeff/blog/

http://www.coedit.co.uk/

[/tt]

What is Javascript? FAQ216-6094

 

[monksnake]

Definitely smaller forms are better.

Perhaps even create 2 forms so the user fills in the first one then only after they have done that and are assured of getting their DVD they can be asked to complete the rest of the info.

I agree totally with these 2 statements by master Foamcow.

No one wants to spend 20 minutes filling out a form.

Ask those "PR" guys how many times they've filled out long forms online and how much they liked it.

The 2 forms idea seems perfect to me. The first form is all "required" information, then if the person so wishes they can fill out the 2nd "optional" form.


<.

 

[GUJUm0deL]

Well, you should do ask the PR firm is how vital[/i ] is that extra information? Maybe the education and employment history plays into their business model, one never knows. Just because the information seems useless doesn't mean that it is.

I would also suggest going back with the idea of splitting the form into several smaller pieces for a much better user experience. Ask the PR firm which info is useful (as in fits into the business model) and which info is helpful (as in "it would be nice to know").

One big mistake any firm -big or small- makes is having a form which asks for oodles of information which really has no relevance in creating an account or requesting info.

If the PR firm insists on having a mile-long form then do what they ask BUT implement some tracking on the form that shows how many users filled out the form, how many submitted (successfully) and how many abandoned the form cause of the sheer length of it. One good trick is to see at which field the user abandons the form. Sometimes it's not the number of questions that deters the user but the type of questions.

You can also make it known a major drawback of having areally long form is the possibility of useless info being submitted. I for one, don't see how my education background has anything to do with applying for an account or requesting info.

____________________________________
Just Imagine.

http://www.imajinarts.com

 

[audiopro]

Thanks for the valuable feedback. I knew I would get some sense here.
The PR people are living in another world as far as I am concerned but they are 'the experts', well that's what they keep telling the client.
The form is for people showing an initial interest in becoming an agent for this marketing company. My approach is a simple one, name and address so they can send the DVD and a phone number so the firm can contact them a week or so later. There is a free phone number on the initial form if the enquirer is that keen. I would leave the other details until when the firm have made a personal contact with them. The firm are a reputable outfit but it is undermanagement who are employing me to do the site. At the end of the day I will give them exactly what they ask for butI have to make my point to them so as not to get the blame for any failings. I'll let you know what the outcome is.

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[Foamcow]

they are 'the experts'

They are PR experts. Not necessarily web and UI experts.
Would you offer then advice on running a Public Relations campaign?
No, thought not.

Of course, maybe their campaign relies on this info and the people they are targetting are fully aware that they need to fill in this stuff and they really, really, really simply must have this DVD.
Somehow I doubt that though.

Jeff made a good point when he said people just fill in junk with most forms if they can get away with it. I know that if I see no good reason why you'd need that particular info then I just make something up. Bad data is worse than no data as you may well spend resources chasing a pointless lead.

<honk>*:O)</honk>

Tyres: Mine's a pint of the black stuff.
Mike: You can't drink a pint of Bovril.

 

[monksnake]

Would you offer then advice on running a Public Relations campaign?

Sure why not, it can't possibly be that hard.

<.

 

[GUJUm0deL]

I think you should go to your client with your concerns and not the PR firm. Let the client know that you are the web developer and you understand the user experience much better then a PR firm.



____________________________________
Just Imagine.

http://www.imajinarts.com

 

[johnwm]

The clue to all this is in the first question

I have designed a web site to promote a network marketing organisation.

One look at the business model for network marketing will explain exactly why the client is using a PR firm, and why the PR firm wants lots of info from possible clients.

I agree it doesn't make sense from a web design point of view, but it makes perfect sense from a network marketing organisation.

Moral: understand your client's business if you want to be a business advisor.

___________________________________________________________
If you want the best response to a question, please check out FAQ222-2244 first.
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[ChrisHunt]

Ahhh I hadn't spotted that. Presumably if people are gullible enough to fill in all that stuff, they'll be gullible enough to join the pyramid scheme network marketing organisation.

-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd

 

[Foamcow]

and why the PR firm wants lots of info from possible clients.

Not debating that and I did notice that it was a Pyramid scam scheme thing.

However, if the form doesn't get filled in - or gets filled in with junk then the point is moot. They won't get any info.

Softly, softly catchy monkey.
I always think that getting something is better than getting nothing.

You/they need to coax the info out of the punter. Think rats in a maze and a reward scheme.

If you reduce the 'required' info to Name, email, address and an optional phone number then you 'have' them.
Once you've got that you can 'encourage' the user to volunteer some more info to fulfill all those data desires the PR firm has.

It's a question of balance and deciding just how desirable that DVD is.

<honk>*:O)</honk>

Tyres: Mine's a pint of the black stuff.
Mike: You can't drink a pint of Bovril.

 

[audiopro]

I have spoken to a number of existing distributors and they all say the company is good to work for, support is second to none and the products they distribute are of a good quality so I don't have a problem with the business as a whole. It really is a good opportunity to earn a decent living but I just feel their approach on the web is a little bit too hard sell. They do make an effort to point out that to earn, the distibutors have to get out and work.
It was their initial contact that I felt could frighten off potential people by making them feel they were signing up to something they could not get out of.

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk