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How to Use the Contact Form Tool in Connect

Enable Visitors to Reach Out Effortlessly

 

The Contact Form Tool in Connect allows your church to collect inquiries, prayer requests, and messages from visitors through a simple and customizable form. This tool ensures that your team can efficiently follow up with inquiries while providing a seamless experience for your website visitors.

1. What Is the Contact Form Tool?

With the Contact Form Tool, you can:
✅ Allow visitors to send messages directly from your website.
✅ Customize form fields to capture the information you need.
✅ Receive instant email notifications when someone fills out the form.
✅ Automatically send confirmation emails to respondents.

💡 Why It Matters: Having a reliable contact form helps increase engagement, improve communication, and create a welcoming environment for both new and existing church members.

2. Adding the Contact Form Tool to Your Panel

Step 1: Enable the Tool

  1. Log in to your Connect Dashboard.
  2. Navigate to Customize Tools.
  3. Click “Add Tool” and select Contact Form.
  4. Click the down arrow next to the tool to open settings.

3. Customizing the Contact Form

Step 2: Adjust Form Titles & Introductory Text

  • Tool Title – This appears in the Connect panel.
    ✅ Example: “Send Us a Message” or “We’d Love to Hear from You”.
  • Panel Title – The text that appears inside the tool when users open it.
    ✅ Example: “Get in touch with our team!”.
  • Introductory Text – Provide a brief message to explain why visitors should reach out.
    ✅ Example: “Whether you have questions, prayer requests, or need assistance, we’re here to help!”.

4. Setting When the Contact Form Is Visible

Step 3: Choose When the Tool Appears

You can decide when the Contact Form is available:

  • Always (Recommended for continuous accessibility.)
  • Working Hours Only (Only visible during office hours.)
  • After Hours Only (Displays only outside office hours.)

💡 Tip: If your team cannot respond to messages after hours, consider enabling an automatic response email to set expectations.

5. Customizing Form Fields

Step 4: Build Your Contact Form

  1. Navigate to “Build Your Form”.
  2. By default, the form includes:
    ✅ First Name & Last Name
    ✅ Phone Number
    ✅ Email Address
    ✅ Message Box
  3. Adding New Fields:
    • Click “Add New Field”.
    • Select a field type:
      ✅ Custom Text Field (For short responses.)
      ✅ Custom Text Box (For longer messages.)
      ✅ Checklist or Pick List (For dropdown or multiple-choice questions.)
    • Enter the field label (e.g., “Are you a church member?”).
    • Select Required if this field must be filled out.
  4. Removing Unnecessary Fields:
    • Click the trash can icon next to any field to delete it.

💡 Tip: Keep your form simple and concise to encourage higher response rates.

6. Setting Up Email Notifications

Step 5: Send Confirmation Emails to Respondents

  1. Scroll to Confirmation Email Settings.
  2. Enable “Send a Confirmation Email”.
  3. Customize the subject line and message:
    ✅ Example Subject: “Thank You for Contacting [Church Name]”.
    ✅ Example Message:
    “Hello [First Name], thank you for reaching out! A member of our team will get back to you shortly. If this is urgent, please call us at [Phone Number].”

💡 Tip: Confirmation emails reassure visitors that their message was received and set clear expectations for a response.

7. Setting Up Admin Email Notifications

Step 6: Get Notified When Someone Fills Out the Form

  1. Scroll to Notification Email CC.
  2. Enter an email address where notifications should be sent.
    ✅ Example: office@ministrydesigns.org.
  3. Customize the notification subject and message:
    ✅ Example Subject: “New Contact Form Submission”.
    ✅ Example Message: “Hey team, someone just filled out the contact form on our website. Check it out below!”

💡 Tip: Add multiple email recipients (separate emails with commas) to ensure no messages are missed.

8. Testing Your Contact Form

Step 7: Save and Preview

  1. Click “Save” to apply all changes.
  2. Open your website and test the Contact Form to ensure:
    ✅ Form fields appear correctly.
    ✅ Emails are sent and received.
    ✅ Notifications reach the right inboxes.

9. Best Practices for an Effective Contact Form

✅ Make It Easy to Find – Ensure the form is easily accessible from your homepage and menu.
✅ Use Simple Language – Avoid jargon; keep your wording welcoming and clear.
✅ Set Expectations – Clearly mention when and how visitors will hear back.
✅ Regularly Monitor Responses – Assign a team member to check submissions daily.
✅ Follow Up Quickly – A fast response shows you care about visitor engagement.

Next Steps

Your Contact Form Tool is now set up and ready to help your church stay connected with visitors and members! If you need further assistance, contact support@ministrydesigns.org.