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Too much information! Where's the line between sign-up and turn-off?
Too much information! Where's the line between sign-up and turn-off?
August 20, 2010
I thought I’d take a moment out to tackle a personal bugbear of mine: excessive sign-up information requests.
Many websites quite reasonably ask users for sign-up information in order to access specific features like forums, or to join mailing lists, but sometimes, they just go too far:
- Mother’s maiden name?
- Annual net profit?
- Favourite after dinner mint?
It’s very understandable to want to know as much as you possibly can about a customer so that you can serve them better, but if you ask too many questions, you’re encroaching unnecessarily on their time, and if your questions get too personal, you’re encroaching on their privacy.
Remember, by its very definition, sign-up information is usually requested at the beginning of your relationship, so why ask in depth questions about a person’s business practices and personal life that you wouldn’t dream of asking at a first face-to-face meeting? At best, your customers will plough through the questions with a feint feeling of resentment and at worst, they’ll change their mind and go somewhere else.
Of course, asking for too little information may make it difficult to follow up with customers and target future marketing campaigns, so think carefully about the core information you need to know, and ask for that and only that. Otherwise, prepare yourself for a barrage of aborted sign-ups and false information.
Emily Cagle is director of Emily Cagle Communications
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Comments
I'm currently reviewing our our sign up process, so this is good advice, thanks.
Good points there Emily. I think sometimes we are tempted to think too much like a marketer and less like a consumer. Yes we need to guage certain facts, but their usefulness becomes redundant if they end up putting off a potential buyer.
Rosie Heptonstall
2nd Head
Very good point Emily.
I believe, however, there is one more point to be made. The Data Protection Act makes it very clear that personal data should be relevant in relation to the purpose of its collection. Those websites that deem it appropriate to seek as much information as possible about an individual may well be working outside the principles of the Act. In which case, they should not be surprised if they receive worrying correspondence (fines, etc) from the Information Commissioners Office.
For those that need to know...I think it is Point 3 of the Act !
I thought we had stripped our sign-up page to the bone, but after reading this I realise there is something else we can take out.
Good one!
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