Capture Pages?
One of the things I've noticed is many marketers are now using forced "Capture pages" to collect information on their prospects. I understand that this is an easy way to keep track of visitors to your site but have you thought about the drawbacks? Don't let anyone fool you there are drawbacks.
The first draw back is this. If you have set up a capture page and your prospect is blocked from information on your product or service unless they put information into the capture page first, how many just navigate away from your page and go somewhere else? People are becoming more aware of the dangers of giving information over the internet and view collecting of their e-mail address etc as a danger. They consider the implications of spam generation and viruses attached to e-mail from unknown parties and you are an unknown party.
The second drawback is what do you have to hide? If you will not let a prospect see your information, why not? If your information is good and your opportunity is solid why are you blowing smoke in their face with a lot of hype and not allowing them to see what you are offering up front? A headline screaming "Make $5000 a week from home" with some tanned guy lounging on the beach telling you how great his life is is not information, it's hype. So now you not only want to collect their information you want them to spend more time clicking through to another page to find out whether they are interested or not. Why are you wasting their time? It doesn't matter that you don't think it's a waste of time, what matters is that they see it as you wasting their time.
Don't get me wrong, capture pages in themselves are not bad, its how you set it up that can be negative. By all means have a capture page to collect information IF they want to give it to you. Those who are interested in what you have to offer will give you the information. If they are not interested why are you forcing them to provide you with information? Are you planning to annoy them to death with unwanted and wasteful spam autoresponder messages? That's a waste of your resources and a source of resentment for them.By not requesting information up front people don't look at you as a source of spam. Being labeled a spam generator is the worst thing in the world for a business.
Last but not least by having a voluntary capture page, they see what you are offering and make a choice. You weed out the no's and get get the maybe's and yesses.
Of course like anything else you'll get the tire kickers but you won't be wasting your time on people who are not interested and don't want to be bothered. We all know it takes multiple exposures in many cases to get a sale but just because you expose someone multiple times does not mean that they are going to buy. So gathering information and constantly annoying someone who is not interested is not going to get you a sale either.
The first draw back is this. If you have set up a capture page and your prospect is blocked from information on your product or service unless they put information into the capture page first, how many just navigate away from your page and go somewhere else? People are becoming more aware of the dangers of giving information over the internet and view collecting of their e-mail address etc as a danger. They consider the implications of spam generation and viruses attached to e-mail from unknown parties and you are an unknown party.
The second drawback is what do you have to hide? If you will not let a prospect see your information, why not? If your information is good and your opportunity is solid why are you blowing smoke in their face with a lot of hype and not allowing them to see what you are offering up front? A headline screaming "Make $5000 a week from home" with some tanned guy lounging on the beach telling you how great his life is is not information, it's hype. So now you not only want to collect their information you want them to spend more time clicking through to another page to find out whether they are interested or not. Why are you wasting their time? It doesn't matter that you don't think it's a waste of time, what matters is that they see it as you wasting their time.
Don't get me wrong, capture pages in themselves are not bad, its how you set it up that can be negative. By all means have a capture page to collect information IF they want to give it to you. Those who are interested in what you have to offer will give you the information. If they are not interested why are you forcing them to provide you with information? Are you planning to annoy them to death with unwanted and wasteful spam autoresponder messages? That's a waste of your resources and a source of resentment for them.By not requesting information up front people don't look at you as a source of spam. Being labeled a spam generator is the worst thing in the world for a business.
Last but not least by having a voluntary capture page, they see what you are offering and make a choice. You weed out the no's and get get the maybe's and yesses.
Of course like anything else you'll get the tire kickers but you won't be wasting your time on people who are not interested and don't want to be bothered. We all know it takes multiple exposures in many cases to get a sale but just because you expose someone multiple times does not mean that they are going to buy. So gathering information and constantly annoying someone who is not interested is not going to get you a sale either.
14 people like it
Advertise on APSense
This advertising space is available.
Post Your Ad Here
Post Your Ad Here
Comments (31)
Pauline Bennett8
Affiliate Marketer
This is good advice, I am sometimes confused with the difference between a capture page, landing page and squeeze page!!!!
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
You're welcome Cindy
Cindy Bolley16
HHCTB?
Hmmmmmm....
Good food for thought indeed.
I may have to do a rethink or at least a tweak
on that business plan I am writing.
Thanks Cheryl
Cindy
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
I haven't gotten that one yet Melvin probably because I always uncheck the "Can we send you???" Default setting when I see it.
But then again I understand that one. Hairstylists do it all the time get your shampoo and cut they try to sell you the salon haircare line or another service.
Melvin Clifton5
Online/Offline Marketer since 1990
Another annoyance I have is when I make a purchase, within a day or two, I am again flooded with suggestions to purchase other products.
Melvin Clifton5
Online/Offline Marketer since 1990
I certainly agree with you on this point and I see it a lot; to often I might add I haven't received any real information, yet I
am being asked for something that's really personal to me; my name
and email address.
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
I personally think that one is a waste. If someone is smart or computer savvy they will never see it because it is going straight to the spam folder. Most people nowadays are using spam filters.
What really annoys me now is going through my voice mails deleting all those pre-recorded messages from those using auto diallers.
Mark Hultgren7
Wordpress Specialist
Hi Cheryl,
Been a while since I have stopped by. What do you think of the latest wave of email harvesting being done by 'Marketers'? Where they send you an emaail telling you they have a 'free' gift (product, ebook or video) all you have to do is sign up to their list to get it.
Now I do use a form to get a name and email, but the main reason for this is to make sure the person can gain access to the download via email and also to continue communicating with them about the subject.
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Thanks for the comments. I know that I absolutely refuse to deal with forced capture pages. Even if I may have some curiosity, the moment someone hides the relevant information it sets off a big red flag!
Peter Watson aka sur...11
Build an Income Online
I agree fully with your opinions on this matter. All of my capture forms reside somewhere within the content of my pages or as a voluntary option on my splash pages. I assume that those that signup are, at the very least, mildly interested in how I work or my various offers.
Thanks for writing so effectively and honestly on various subjects. :)
Martha7
this is good really very good
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
So true. I've got one email address that I use just for such purposes since it's overrun with spam on a daily basis
Jenny Stewart11
Thanks for the article Cheryl,
It is good news to have a reminder about the ills caused by these capure pages. i sometimes get careless and cant believe the quantity of sheer unadulterated crap I get in my email in box sometimes as a result of it.
Then you have to go and get out of it - if they let you!!!! It is easy enough to get on someones list but a nightmare to get off it on many ocassions!
Wendy7
Cheryl
You are most welcome
I most certainly would hate to be considered an annoyance LOL
Wendy
Emily Tanksley7
I did not know there was a difference in splash and squeeze... Glad I read this...
Jeff Greene8
Online Marketing Specialist/Consultant
TIP:
Although I have posted another Apsense blog on this free program called CONTACTIFY... It bears mentioning here... CONTACTIFY forms offer a secure and confusing barrier to spammers, and also prevents 'email poisoning" from destroying your sales.
I use this in the 'Email Support Form" link, instead of my email address: See it here--
http://www.peacefulpower.jottit.com
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Wendy thank you for not being on of the many annoyances out there. I firmly believe if you have a good product people will give you their information if they are interested. My site also has a capture page but the capture page is presented AFTER the information is presented and it's a Contact me link.
That way those who don't want to be annoyed won't be.
Wendy7
Mike
Thanks tons Will get to check later this afternoon. Now gotta some things done so I can get back here
Wendy
Mark Hultgren7
Wordpress Specialist
Hi Wendy,
Many people also call a Capture Page a Squeeze page (Like Me :-) )
Jeff explained the difference much clearer than I attempted to in my post at BMC.
Also, for anyone who wants them (FREE!) there is a great selection of templates available at
http://www.freemarketinggraphics.com/?download-now=1352
And YES there is an OTO available, but you don't HAVE to get it - I would appreciate it if you can afford it though ;-)
But the basic package is free to download.
Wendy7
Jeff
Certainly glad you clarified that for me (ooops)
Wendy