Name, rank and serial number - How do you get people to fill out your online forms

I am sure you have seen some war movie in which the captured soldier is asked about the secret plans, and even under torturous conditions he will only provide his name, rank and serial number.

Your website visitors feel the same way when you hold information "hostage". They are going to clam up, and all you'll get out of them is limited info, or worse - nothing at all!

• Keep it simple and necessary - Can you get away with only the name and phone number? If your visitor is serious, they will provide real information. Any additional information you require can be collected with a followup phone call or email.

• Tell them what comes next - your visitors should know what is going to happen after they fill out the form. Will they have to check their email for a link, will something start to download or redirect them to the content they are requesting.

• Send a confirmation message - While this has nothing to do with them filling out the form, it has everything to do with marketing. What if they stumbled onto your site and accidentally closed their browser? Now, they have an email confirmation page with a link back to your site! Smart move.

Your site visitors came to your site to make a purchase or engage your services, don't make it hard for them to get the process started online. Online forms are a vital part of your website (or at least it should be), make the most of them.