A quote form is often the main way a website turns a visitor into a customer. Yet many forms are long, confusing or hidden away. Here is how to make yours work harder.
Ask only what you need to reply
Every extra field is another reason to give up. Start with name, a way to contact them and a short description of the job. If you genuinely need more – a postcode, rough sizes, a preferred date – ask for it, but make anything non-essential optional.
Use choices instead of blank boxes
Dropdowns and tick boxes ("Which service?", "When do you need it?") are quicker to answer on a phone than typing, and they give you tidier information.
Break longer forms into steps
If you do need more detail, splitting the form into two or three short steps feels less daunting than one long page.
Let people send photos
For many trades a photo tells you more than a paragraph. An optional photo upload can save a site visit or a phone call.
Say what happens next
Next to the form, explain what happens after they press send – for example, that you will reply by phone or email, and roughly when. Then make sure you do.
Put the form where people can find it
Link to it from every page with a clear button such as "Get a free quote", and include it at the bottom of each service page.
Make it work on a phone
Use the right input types so phones show a number keypad for phone numbers and an email keyboard for email addresses. Make the buttons big enough to tap.
Keep spam out without annoying people
Hidden "honeypot" fields catch many spam bots without making real customers solve puzzles.
Test it yourself
Fill in your own form on your phone every so often and check the enquiry arrives. A broken form can quietly lose you work for weeks.