diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1f283dc..f34994f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ would do this:
 
 ```ruby
 client = ActiveCampaign.client
-contact = ActiveCampaign::Contact.new(email: "hi@example.com")
+contact = ActiveCampaign::Contact.new(params: {email: "hi@example.com", first_name: "Tester"})
 client.create!(contact)
 ```
 
diff --git a/lib/active_campaign/contact.rb b/lib/active_campaign/contact.rb
index 946e7a0..33e1f4e 100644
--- a/lib/active_campaign/contact.rb
+++ b/lib/active_campaign/contact.rb
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@
 
 module ActiveCampaign
   class Contact < Resource
-    def initialize(email:, **params)
-      @params = params.merge(email: email)
-    end
-
     action find: :contact_view_email
     action create: :contact_add
     action update: :contact_edit
diff --git a/lib/active_campaign/resource.rb b/lib/active_campaign/resource.rb
index 8b9957d..d501a8f 100644
--- a/lib/active_campaign/resource.rb
+++ b/lib/active_campaign/resource.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
 module ActiveCampaign
   class Resource
     def initialize(**params)
-      @params = params
+      @params = format_params(params)
+    end
+
+    def format_params(params)
+      raise "no email attribute included in params" if params[:email].nil?
+
+      params.map do |k, v|
+        [:email, :phone].include?(k) ? [k, v] : ["%#{k.upcase}%, 0".to_sym, v]
+      end.to_h
     end
 
     attr_reader :params
diff --git a/test/active_campaign/resource_test.rb b/test/active_campaign/resource_test.rb
index faa3785..3206659 100644
--- a/test/active_campaign/resource_test.rb
+++ b/test/active_campaign/resource_test.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class ActiveCampaign::ResourceTest < Minitest::Test
       action action_name => action_mapping
     end
   end
-  let(:params) { {} }
+  let(:params) { { email: "testing@email.com" } }
   subject { resource.new(params) }
 
   describe "actions" do
@@ -28,5 +28,14 @@ class ActiveCampaign::ResourceTest < Minitest::Test
         end
       end
     end
+
+    describe "when no email param" do
+      let(:params) { {} }
+      it "raises an error" do
+        assert_raises RuntimeError do
+          subject.action(action_name)
+        end
+      end
+    end
   end
 end