Contact Information

If I go to a website and then go to the contact page and that page has a form with no other contact details, I quickly leave that site and do not bother looking further. Putting a form on your contact page to me, puts people off contacting you further. Now if I see full contact details I will take the time to contact you further. It’s a pet hate of mine to find a contact form because half the time you will fill in the form, submit it and then that is it, the receivers of the form often do not bother to contact you further, so to me, putting forms on your website is a waste of time, to me that makes your site unfriendly. But that is just my opinion.

Your contact details should be available on all pages. You can be sitting on a page and then think of a question you want to ask, if the contact information is there you can quickly phone or send an email but if you have to go to the contact page and fill in a form, well why bother.

In your contact information you need your full contact details. It is not necessary to put your address but put in your location as people like to know where you are situated before contacting you. Some clients could be local and where you are situated may matter to them. Give clients the option to contact you on your cell/mobile phone, your landline, skype, email and Whatsapp. These days I get lots of whatsapp contact from clients as it is easier and quick.

The quicker you reply to a potential client and if you can assist that client the better chance you have of impressing the client and getting the job – ‘The early bird catches the worm’. If a client contacts you and you are busy, get back to them at your first available opportunity.

Make use of the mail format signature in email, on every email you send, have your full contact information. Your aim with your advertising and marketing is to give the client contact details, many clients don’t have much time so will want to contact you quickly, don’t make your contact details difficult to find. Client’s want to contact you using the tool they use most often so make sure you give them all your social media details. Be accessible.

A word of warning, clients will contact you after hours if you do not want this or like it, state it in your advertising and marketing, state your hours of business and stress no contact after hours.

amftyping@mweb.co.za - alison@amftyping.co.za - +27 0828713452 - +27 011 7685028 - Skype: amftyping,

 

 

 

 

 

The Transcriptionists and Virtual Assistants Forum of South Africa

T A VA S A

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/tavasa/ Yahoo group email based discussion forum

From Wikipedia:
An Internet forum, or message board, is a bulletin board system in the form of a discussion site. People participating in an Internet forum will usually build bonds with each other and interest groups will easily form around a topic's discussion, subjects dealt with in or around sections in the forum.

Belonging to a forum is like being part of a family, you get to know everyone on the forum and it is a great place to discuss work problems, issues, advice, software problems, advertise events, courses etc. It is a great place to spread industry news.
Our forum was founded by Gaynor Paynter (Transcriptionist) and Alison Fourie (Virtual Assistant). This forum is very chatty with Vas and Transcriptionists asking many questions.

An example being;
Question: What in your opinion is the best digital recorder to advise a client to buy?
Answer: I think the most used one is Olympus, anybody have a closer idea than that? Thanks.

Other forums members will answer with their options and often a discussion will ensure. It is also a great place to vent your frustrations on when you have a bad day, there is always someone on the forum who will reply and give you encouragement that things will get better.
Forums are an excellent way of communicating with groups of people, especially so in the working environment.

The benefits of forums:
1. Working from a virtual location, you can keep in touch with what is happening with the industry you work in.
2. No need to get lonely as often there is always someone around on the forum who will reply.
3. It is an excellent way of passing information around a group of people.
4. You can use the forum for pc problems, questions you need to know about the industry you work in.
5. A means of communicating.
6. A forum is an excellent support tool.
7. A good networking tool for small businesses.

Since the creation of Tavasa, we have helped many people working from home with questions and answers that they do not know. The more established people on the forum have been able to answer questions which helps the newbie members and assists them in setting up their own businesses.
Tavasa has been successful in that it also provides job leads and contractor positions, anyone who is part of the group can apply for a contracting position if they have the skill needed. It is a great way of getting help with projects that you need and it’s a good starting point for newbies contracting out, as they grow their own businesses.

Written by Alison Fourie, AMF Typing Services cc, © Copyright 2001 AMF Typing Services cc®, Ck2001/083866/23. All rights reserved.