Testing delivers interesting insights into response mechanisms

My clients almost always use email as their main communication medium. Me too. I much prefer it to the telephone. It’s less intrusive,  more efficient and effective. And it helps me keep accurate records.  

A few weeks ago I decided to remove my mobile number from my two freelance copywriting websites altogether. As soon as I did, email enquiries abruptly stopped. Which wasn’t a problem. I was on holiday anyway so wasn’t keen to spend precious leisure time glued to my PC. Two weeks later I still wasn’t getting any enquiries. Not one. And I usually get at least two or three a day. So I reinstated my telephone number on-site. And work started flooding through as usual the next day… like turning on a tap.

A few useful things to bear in mind

  1. just because people don’t usually contact you by telephone doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate having a choice of  response mechanisms
  2. there’s a strong possibility that including a phone number on-site boosts credibility and fosters trust
  3. sometimes making changes to your website can cause havoc with response and conversion. Keep a sharp eye on both every time you amend your site and you’ll be able to back-track fast if things go dog-shaped
  4. archive old versions of web pages so you don’t have to recreate them from scratch if you need them again