Your Contact Form STINKS (and 6 ways to fix it)
Updated August 2023
And I’m telling you this because I want to help you.
If you’re an interior designer and feel wobbly on discovery calls and find yourself going over 20-30 minutes just trying to get the basics nailed down, I would almost guarantee you can solve this by fixing your contact form. Most businesses are not leveraging this simple yet critical form, and it’s causing issues throughout the entire inquiry process.
Set aside three minutes today and fix your contact form asap by applying these six tips.
Don’t use the general form.
Don’t use the general form that comes with your site. Name, email, phone, message. BORING. You are a luxury service provider and your intake questions should be tailored to the work you do for your clients while also gathering important information to set YOU up for success on your discovery call (unless you screen them out right away, which is yet another benefit of getting your contact form right).
Embed the form directly on your page.
Embed the form directly on your page, don’t hide it behind a button so it pops up in a lightbox or new window when they click the button. Pop-ups and windows that open in new tabs are jarring for the user experience.
Ask these questions:
And honestly, nothing else. Make them all required.
Name
Email
Phone
Project Address (y’all are forgetting this one like 80% of the time–ummmmmmmm kind of important)
How did you hear about us? (then include options so they can easily select how they found you. Be sure to include anywhere you market or advertise)
What is your timeline for getting started? (or, what is your goal finish date?--really throw them for a loop and get some good laughs in the meantime).
What is your budget? (then set the smallest budget you work with as the lowest option they can choose from).
What service are you interested in? (with a drop-down of your services, but only if they are clearly structured on your website)
Tell me more about your project!
Any questions you think I may have omitted are intentional. Some things are better to ask in person, and some are not necessary at all at this step.
Formatting matters!
Be sure to use a single-column form (two-column forms are bad user experience). And be careful with placeholder text. Don’t get too carried away. And yes, ALL CAPS does feel like you’re. yelling at them. Not good.
Your call to action on the button matters!
Change the wording on the button from SUBMIT to anything else: Send me more details, Let’s get started, Send Help Immediately, I’m Ready.
Whatever is appropriate for your business and brand voice.
Elevate the thank you message.
Once someone submits, have the form redirect to a thank you page that says, “Thank you for sharing your details. Your message is on its way to me now, and I’ll reach out in 1-2 days with more information.” (these settings are all available right within the form). Watch the tutorials here.
A big fear with contact forms that aren’t personalized is that the message will go into never-never land, and you’ll never hear from them. By personalizing it, asking specific questions, and redirecting to a thank you page once they submit, your prospects will feel more confident submitting a form, AND you’ll have all the information you need before and during a discovery call to make the calls really effective.
Now go RUN and fix your form.
If you want to take it one step further and have your contact form easily set off simple automations, we love using Honeybook to simplify and automate parts of the client experience process. You’ll receive 50% off your first year PLUS access to our complimentary Guided Honeybook Setup course when you use our link to sign up*.
*If you sign up through our affiliate link, we may make a small commission. However, we only recommend products we use and trust.
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