Somebody's sink is leaking. They pull out their phone, search for a plumber, and tap the first site that looks legit. Now what do they do?
They don't fill out a form. They don't read your About page. They look for a number to call.
If they have to hunt for it, they hit the back button and try the next plumber. That's the whole story of a lot of lost jobs.
The number should be where the eyes already are
Top of the page. Every page. Not just on the Contact page, and definitely not buried in the footer in gray 11px text.
It feels pushy the first time you do it. It isn't. Nobody visiting a hair salon's site is offended that the salon wants to be called. It's the one thing they came for.
Make it tappable
On a phone, a number should be a link. Tap it, the phone offers to dial. That's it. If a visitor has to press and hold, copy, switch apps, and paste, you've added four steps to the one thing you wanted them to do.
Quick test: open your site on your own phone, tap the number. If nothing happens, fix that today. It takes about two minutes.
In Cantrip, the easiest way is a button or link in your header or hero that uses a tel: address, like tel:+15555550123. Write the number with the country code and no spaces or dashes in the link itself. What people see on screen can be formatted however you like.
Only list a number you'll actually pick up
Honestly, this is the part people skip. If you put your number on every page, calls will come. Some at dinner. Some at 7am. Pick a number you're willing to answer or at least return, and say when you do. "Mon to Fri, 8 to 5, I call back same day" is more reassuring than a number alone.
If you can't take calls, don't fake it. Say "text or email, I reply within a day" and lead with that instead. The point is to tell people the fastest way to reach you and then be true to it.
Keep the form too
Some people hate phone calls, and some are browsing at 11pm. A contact form covers them. Offer both, with the number first for anyone in a hurry.
The short version
- Number at the top of every page.
- Make it a link that dials on tap.
- Only list one you'll answer, and say when.
- Keep the form for everyone else.
Go tap your own number on your phone right now. If it doesn't dial, you know what to do.