# How to Collect Leads' Email and Phone Number
### Benefits of Collecting Emails and Phone Numbers
Use the email address or phone number collected to:
* [merge Contacts](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/modules/contacts) when a lead messages you from a different Channel.
* be able to [enrich data from your CRM](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/sales-use-cases).
* gain lead qualification information.
### Methods to Collect Contact Identification
Here are three methods that you can use to collect Contact identifiers:
1. Automatically obtained from Channel's Metadata.
2. Ask for a phone number or email using Workflows.
3. Use a Pre-Chat Form on the Website Chat Widget.
### **Automatically obtained from Channel's Metadata**
**Use this method** when you are using channels that pass metadata containing Contact's phone number or email to IS-Messenger platform.
IS-Messenger platform automatically receives Contact's phone number or email address for the following channels:
* [WhatsApp](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/messaging-channels/whatsapp)
* [SMS](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/messaging-channels/sms)
* [Email](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/messaging-channels/email)
For channels that do not provide Contact's phone number or email to IS-Messenger platform, use the other two methods to collect Contact identifiers.
### **Ask for a phone number or email using Workflows**
{% hint style="success" %}
**Use this method** when you expect leads to message you via instant messaging.
{% endhint %}
**Method Objectives**
* Select and customize Workflow Template
* Continue Workflow when the question is skipped
**Workflow Setup**
There are Workflow templates set up by our team that you can use immediately. These templates can be edited to fit your business needs.
{% hint style="info" %}
Learn more about [Workflow Templates here](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/modules/workflow).
{% endhint %}
### **Select and customize Workflow Template**
On the IS-Messenger platform, click **Workflows** > **+ Add Workflow** and choose your templates.
To collect emails, click **Welcome Message & Ask For Email** > **Use Template**.
To collect phone numbers, click **Welcome Message & Ask For Phone Number** > **Use Template**.
Then, customize the [Welcome Message](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/getting-started/quick-start) & [Ask a Question](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/modules/workflow) Step as desired.
Ask a Question Step configuration for Email
Click the **Ask for Email** step to edit the **Question Text**. The **Question Type** should remain as Email. Finally, click **Save** and **Publish** to activate the Workflow.\
Ask a Question Step configuration for Phone Number
Click the **Ask for Phone Number** step to edit the **Question Text**. The **Question Type** should remain as Phone. Finally, click **Save** and **Publish** to activate the Workflow.\
{% hint style="info" %}
Additionally, you can configure the Save Response As to [save the answer as a variable](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/contact-and-messages/untitled) to reference it at a later step of the Workflow.
{% endhint %}
### **Continue Workflow when the question is skipped**
These Workflow templates are set up with a Branch Step to check if the Contact Field already contains the email address or phone number.
| **Condition** | **Outcome** |
| --------------------------------- | ----------------- |
| Contact identifier does not exist | Ask the question |
| Contact identifier exists | Skip the question |
Add a Jump Step to continue to the next step in the Workflow when the question is skipped. In most cases, you will choose the Step after the Ask a Question Step.
{% hint style="info" %}
Learn how to configure the [Jump Step here](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/modules/workflow).
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="info" %}
Consider continuing your Workflow with [Lead Enrichment](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/sales-use-cases), [Routing](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/sales-use-cases), or [Assignment](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/sales-use-cases).
{% endhint %}
### **Use a Pre-Chat Form on the Website Chat Widget**
**Use this method** when you expect Contacts to message you via Website Chat Widget.
Unlike instant messaging channels, which provide the name of the contact, when contacts message from the Website Chat Widget, you’ll also need to get their name in addition to the phone number or email address.
**Method Objective**
{% hint style="success" %}
Use Pre-Chat Forms to ask for Contact's name, phone number or email.
{% endhint %}
**Feature SetupS**
{% hint style="warning" %}
**Must-have:** First add and install the [IS-Messenger Chat Widget](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/messaging-channels/website-chat-widget).
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="info" %}
Learn more about [Pre-Chat Forms here](https://docs.is-messenger.com/ismessenger/messaging-channels/website-chat-widget).
{% endhint %}
Here’s how to set up the Contact information you want to collect from the Pre-Chat Form.
Navigate to **Settings** module > **Channels** > **Website Chat Channel** > **Customize**.
Pre-Chat Form Configuration for Name & Email
1. Open the Pre-Chat toggle and enable Pre-Chat Form.
2. Add First Name and Email Address field to the form.
3. Make the fields Mandatory so Contacts must fill them out.\
\
Pre-Chat Form Configuration for Name & Phone Number
1\. Open the Pre-Chat toggle and enable Pre-Chat Form.\
2\. Add First Name and Phone Number Field to the form.\
3\. Make the fields Mandatory so Contacts must fill them out.\
####
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