Forms are not boring. They are not fun to fill out, and every time you turn around you need to fill out another one, but they are easier to deal with online and are very efficient. They save you time and money by reducing data entry and human resource costs. Forms seem to be one of the necessary evils of life, and the world can't function without them.
Forms are a important facet of websites, and they may be the primary reason you created your site in the first place. In fact, for sites devoted exclusively to business and ecommerce, forms are the frequently theprimary reason websites are created. Don’t believe me? Try collecting money from one of your online customers without using some type of form. That’s when I realized that forms aren’t so boring after all.
Forms Description: What is it?
Forms allow visitors to register and gain special access (posting privileges, coupons, newsletters, etc.), but they are also the preferred way to collect payment from an online customer. It’s also hard to ship merchandise to a customer without having them fill out a form.
However, forms can do more than collect payment and shipping information because by default they collect information. Forms are the best way to collect demographic and statistical information about your customers or visitors. Data collected from forms can provide insight into who is using your site, and you can even have a comments form that allows your users to request new products or features. If you offer warranties, you can force the customer to register and fill out a warranty form.
Forms can also create templates that can be used in email marketing or newsletters. If you haven’t already considered email as a regular venue to connect with your customers, or as a part of a customer management system - you are already behind the times. Data collected from forms allow emails and newsletters to be personalized for each unique customer. More importantly, without forms you can’t even begin to build a database of customers whose purchasing and viewing habits can then be examined to predict future behavior - that in turn may change the way you manage your inventory or website content.
Well-designed forms can also help your customers find information faster which promotes returning sales. For example, if your website sells auto parts, you can present a form to the customer that asks, “Do you have a car or a truck?” The form can offer two choices, and then ask the customer to select from a list of car manufacturers, which presents another form, etc, until the customer finds the alternator for their specific car. When they get the alternator, you know it’s the right one, the customer’s confidence is high, and you created a happy customer that will probably come back when they need a new fan belt.
Form Users: Who needs it?
Obviously, if you need to collect a payment or ship merchandise you need to collect information on a form; however, forms can also be an important part of keeping your site under your own control. By only allowing registered users to post comments, or post to a forum, or participate in a social network, when someone acts inappropriately you know exactly who committed the offense. Forms make you the big Kahuna, the cops/police, and both judge and jury.
Forms allow you to elevate some of your content to a higher status by only allowing registered users access to it. Forms are necessary for newsletters (try sending one without knowing who your sending it to), payment information, and more.
Almost every website will need some type of a form, even if you allow visitors to post or comment without registration. Some sites allow comments by nonregistered users, but those that do require the poster to enter captcha letters correctly – oh yeah, I forgot to mention, captchas are forms too.
Form Features: What does it do?
Forms allow your visitors to give you their personal information, and their money. That’s the basic features you need to know. You can’t sell anything without forms. Additionally, they can be used to create other things like summary pages, download pages (with or without a checkout), calendars, and some even provide special effects.
Many Form modules come with templates, so you can create forms minutes after installing the module, including email templates. You can sort, create categories, and help text. The better ones validate data collected on a form, and some can automatically send your customers confirmation emails, and display thank you messages.
Creation of forms is a breeze with drag and drop editing, and you don’t need to be a techie to use them. After collecting the data it can be exported to charts, databases, or Google Maps. You can even alter the templates to insert any user defined fields you may want or need.
Form Benefits: What is achieved?
Frankly, if you became dedicated enough to be nominated for the Nobel prize in Forms, and you pop out the information at parties, you may disperse crowds. It’s pretty boring stuff, but previous generations learned - the devil really is in the details. Forms are one of those details. Don’t pay attention and you’ll probably wish you would have.
Forms are the difference between a modern red car, and an old-fashioned 50 coat, hand-rubbed, candy-apple red lacquered 64 GTO; they’re both good, but which one would you want to drive?