Guide
Contact forms that actually get used
A contact form is where a visitor becomes an enquiry, and it is the part of the website most often got wrong. Too many boxes, no reassurance, no reply for two days, and a job that was yours goes to someone else.
Ask for as little as possible
Every extra field costs you enquiries. Name, phone, and a box to describe the job is enough for most trades. Email only if you actually use it.
You can ask everything else on the phone. The form only has to get you the call.
Let people send a photo
A photo of a leak, a cracked tile or a tired kitchen tells you more than three paragraphs, and people find it far easier than describing the problem in words.
A WhatsApp button does the same job and many customers prefer it, especially younger ones who would rather not ring a stranger.
Say what happens next
One line under the button, something like "We reply the same day, usually within a couple of hours", removes the fear that the message is going into a void.
Then show a proper thank you message after they send it, not a page that just reloads and leaves them wondering.
Reply fast or lose it
Most people contact two or three trades at once. The first proper reply usually gets the survey, and the survey usually gets the job.
Set the form to text you as well as email you if you are on site all day. An enquiry sitting in an inbox until Friday is a lost enquiry.
Keep the spam out
A quiet spam check on the form stops the junk without making real customers do puzzles. Never use one of those long verification steps that people abandon halfway through.
Every form we build has protection on it and every enquiry is stored properly rather than only sitting in an inbox.
Common questions
Is a contact form better than just showing my number?
You need both. Some people ring, some will only type, and evenings are when a lot of forms get filled in.
How quickly should I reply to a website enquiry?
Same day at the latest, and within an hour if you can. Speed wins more jobs than price in most trades.
Where to go next
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More guides like this
- What Pages a Trade Website NeedsA simple page structure that covers search, trust and getting the call.
- How to Write a Service Page That ConvertsThe order you say things in matters as much as what you say.
- Why Your Website Is Slow on MobileMost of your visitors are on a phone, often on patchy signal. Speed is a sales issue.