What’s the point of a sleek, well-designed website if it doesn’t convert visitors into customers.
Creating a smooth web experience can help you get more quotes through your website forms. However, if you have slow site speed, aren’t utilizing SEO, or don’t have great information on your website, then it can be tricky to get people to fill out your quote form.
Yes, there is an art and science behind how people fill out forms on the internet. And one thing you don’t want to do is create obstacles in the way of your quote form. It’s a big part of conversion rate optimization (CRO), and can directly impact your bottom line.
In this post, we’re going to give you three best practices for creating quote forms that are not only a breeze for prospects to fill out, but also give you all the information you need to move forward with a job. These key strategies (proven by user research) will enhance your quote form conversions and unlock your business's full potential.
We don’t like to bury the lead here, so we’ll tell you the three strategies upfront:
- Leveraging ‘social proof’
- Using form design best-practices
- Implementing real-time support (live chat or chatbots)
Let’s dive into each of these.
Leverage the Power of Social Proof
Understanding Social Proof
Social proof is where people tend to rely on the opinions or actions of others when making decisions. It’s one of the most well-researched and powerful forms of persuasion.
In terms of quote form conversions, this means that when potential customers see others using and recommending your services, they are more likely to trust your business and complete your quote form.
To make the most of social proof, you should showcase the positive experiences and testimonials of your past clients. Adding quotes from happy customers to your website is a great way to do this. This can help build credibility and trust among potential customers, which increases the likelihood of them engaging with your quote form and ultimately, converting.
Gathering and Displaying Testimonials
Collecting and showcasing testimonials is the easiest way to use social proof. Here are a few ways to gather them:
- Request feedback from satisfied clients immediately after their experience with your company
- Conduct surveys or interviews with your clients to gather their opinions
- Utilize third-party review platforms, like Yelp or Google Reviews, and display the best reviews on the same page as your quote form.
We understand how important social proof is in influencing potential customers' decisions, that’s why we’ve designed SmartMoving to make getting feedback easy. Through SmartMoving, you can send out requests for online reviews via email or text right after a move or service is completed.
And because you can send prompt, mobile-friendly invoices and let customers manage their move from a convenient portal, SmartMoving makes every move a 5-star experience.
Once you have collected testimonials, it is important to add them to your website, especially close to your quote form. Here are some ways you can use formatting to highlight your testimonials:
Techniques:
Bold text - Highlight key phrases or sentences that showcase the value and success of your services
Bullet points - Use bullet points to list multiple testimonials, making them easier to read and skim through
Images -Include photos of your satisfied clients to add a visual element and make the testimonials more relatable
By adding social proof into your quote form strategy, you can build credibility and trust with potential customers, ultimately leading to more quote form fills. Make sure to keep your testimonials up-to-date and relevant to showcase the continued success of your business.
Check out how Rightsize Moving Solutions utilizes customer testimonials on their quote page:
You can also display other forms of social proof which can be just as powerful as personal testimonials. For example, Moving Ahead Services uses their reputation as social proof with their statement, “Learn why our award-winning moving company is the best choice!,” alongside their services.
This subconsciously garners trust when customers are considering filling out the quote form (which is right next to it).
Streamline the Quote Form Process
The Psychology of Form Design
As a general rule, the more fields (fillable areas) you have on your form, the more overwhelming it will be for your potential customer.
That’s doubly true if you’re making all of these fields required. Imagine if you have a long, complicated form that asks the customer for every possible detail associated with their move, things like:
- The number of rooms in their house
- Any large furniture items
- An inventory of fragile/breakable items
Many prospects early on in their research process may not know the answers to these questions, and just want to get a ballpark estimate of how much moving services cost. Having all these fields can make someone overwhelmed, and cause them to leave your website, perhaps finding a competitor has a simpler form. When designing your quote form, consider the visual elements and keeping things simple. It's ket to keep the form clear and concise.
SmartMoving provides customizable quote forms that can be tailored to your moving company's unique needs. We enable you to include only the essential fields, increasing the likelihood of form completion.
Our software can auto-populate a form’s fields based on historical customer data, supporting a quicker quoting process. Here’s how it works in SmartMoving if you’re interested in learning more.
Best Practices for Form Simplification
To simplify your form, focus on these key aspects:
- Only request essential information: Narrow down the fields to what is absolutely necessary for a quote.
- Implement auto-fill: Pre-fill fields when possible - this can save users time and reduce friction to getting the form complete.
- Use clear field labels: Clear and concise labels ensure users understand what is being asked.
- Opt for single-choice questions: Replace open-ended questions with single-choice or limited selection options.
- Group related fields: Organize fields in a logical order and group them with subheadings or sections.
Form design is something that UX (user experience) designers spend years studying, but here’s a simple, easy-to-understand article on form design best practices for the rest of us.
The Balance of Information Gathering and User Convenience
When streamlining your form process, strike a balance between gathering necessary data and ensuring a positive user experience. While it's crucial to collect essential information for providing accurate quotes, lengthy and complicated forms can deter users from completing the process. Be mindful of user convenience and the overall experience when designing your form. Our recommendation? Gather only the necessary information from a customer and then personally reach out to them via email, phone, or social media. Remember that the purpose of a quote form is to capture prospect information so you can then follow up, answer questions, and close the deal.
By understanding the psychology of form design and implementing best practices, you'll create a positive experience for your users (and more customers for your business).
Integrate Real-Time Support
The Importance of Quick Assistance
What’s better than filling out a list of fields on a form? Having a real conversation with a human (or very helpful robot), all without leaving your computer or mobile device. That’s what live chat platforms and chatbots enable. Especially with the advent of ChatGPT and AI going mainstream, we’re seeing more moving companies utilize live chat or completely automated chatbots.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that little chat box pop up on the bottom right side of your screen as you’ve navigated the web, saying something like “How can we help?”
It’s no coincidence that this is popping up more and more. Offering real-time support can significantly increase your form's conversion rates.
Implementing Live Chat Effectively
Some key features to look for when choosing a live chat or chatbot tool include:
- Easy integration with your website's design
- Customizable chat windows
- Mobile app support
- Reporting and analysis tools
- Automation options
Set up your chat tool where it is easily accessible (like on your homepage and quote page), and use proactive chat prompts to engage users when they seem stuck.
If you’re struggling to know where to start, here’s a helpful article on the best chatbot software in 2023.
Many of these platforms also allow for hybrid live chat/chatbot functionality, so you can gather information automatically and only escalate it to a human at a particular point in the sales process.
Training Your Team for Live Engagement
To make the most of your real-time support system, invest in thorough training for your team. Some essential aspects to cover are:
- Company policies and guidelines
- Quote form-related inquiries
- Sales and support techniques
- Live chat software's features and functions
Ensure that your team is well-versed in both technical and interpersonal aspects.
With a combination of real-time support implementation and effective staff training, your quote form conversions will see a substantial boost.
More Best Practices for Increasing Quote Form Conversions
Educational Video Content
Many prospects want to see what they’re paying for. Since moving is a service and not a product, you can create short educational videos explaining what the prospect can expect when working with you.
Make sure your videos are concise, informative, and easy to understand. Share these videos on your website, social media channels, and embed them on your quote form page.
FAQ section
If you’re finding that prospects are asking you the same questions over and over during the sales cycle, that’s a big signal that you need an FAQ section on your quote form page.
To make it more user-friendly, categorize the FAQs and use collapsible sections to avoid overwhelming your visitors with too much content.
Downloadable resources
Lastly, you can offer downloadable assets like moving guides, checklists, and eBooks that can provide in-depth information about subjects related to your services.
These assets will position you as an authority in your field and help users see the tangible benefits of working with you.
In fact, content creation is an excellent way to keep your brand top-of-mind during the off-season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best practices for improving quote forms?
To optimize your quote forms, follow these best practices: keep the form short and simple, use clear and concise labels, group related fields together, apply progressive disclosure for long forms, and set a single-column layout for improved readability.
How can I improve user experience to increase conversions?
Ensure that your form is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and mobile-friendly.You can also provide helpful tooltips or hints for complex fields.
What role does design play in form conversion rates?
Design plays a significant role in form conversion rates. A visually pleasing, well-structured form design encourages users to complete the form.
Effective design elements include attention-grabbing CTAs, appealing colors, proper use of whitespace, and suitable font sizes. These elements improve user engagement and increase conversion rates.
How can A/B testing enhance the performance of quote forms?
A/B testing allows you to experiment with different form variations to identify the most effective design, layout, and content.
By comparing the performance of multiple form versions, you can analyze which elements contribute to higher conversion rates and make necessary adjustments to optimize your quote form.
What essential fields should be included in a high-converting form?
A high-converting form should include only the most essential fields to avoid overwhelming users. Key fields include:
- The user's name
- Email address
- Phone number
From there, you can add optional fields like checkboxes for the services needed or the zip codes of the starting and ending destinations.
Limiting the number of fields makes it easier for users to complete the form, resulting in increased conversions.
You can see how From Here to There Movers uses SmartMoving to create a compact, well-organized form that strikes a balance between information-gathering and usability (you can read their full story of how they increased their conversion rate by 400%):
How can personalized content contribute to conversion rate improvement?
Personalized content, such as pre-filled fields or tailored recommendations, provides a unique user experience and makes users feel valued.
This approach fosters a positive impression of your brand and increases the likelihood of users completing your quote form, ultimately leading to improved conversion rates.
Final Thoughts
Putting into motion the three strategies in this article will help you boost your quote form conversions (and you don’t need to be a professional web designer to start using them today).
First, build trust with your audience by showcasing positive testimonials, awards, and certifications. Address any privacy concerns by including your privacy policy and using secure elements like encryption when transmitting data.
Next, improve your form's design by eliminating unnecessary fields, using clear labels, and breaking it into smaller steps. This ensures a smooth experience for your users.
Finally, utilize live or AI-driven chat to remove any barriers to form-fills, add a personal touch, and streamline the quote collection process.
If you had to pick just one of these tactics to start with, we’d recommend going with social proof. There’s a reason word-of-mouth marketing is so effective – it simply works.
But collecting those testimonials can be tricky, especially if you don’t have a repeatable system for your moving business.
SmartMoving automates all the tedious parts of running a moving company (like sending invoices and managing customer relationships), so you can be sure every move is a 5-star experience.
Ready to take your moving company to the next level? Schedule a live demo to see how SmartMoving can help you increase your profitability and impress your customers.
