One use for Gravity Forms: client intake
I use Gravity Forms for a lot of things around my site, but the options it gives me for client intake is worth the cost alone. It starts simple enough, with a contact form that I direct all leads to.
Ask the right questions
The questions + options on the form help me better understand whether or not I’m the right fit for the project as well as what the person reaching out is looking for. Thanks to the conditional settings, I can show or hide specific questions based on how the user is filling out the form. That way I get the information I need while preventing confusion by asking what I don’t need.
Thank yous
Once the form is filled out + submitted, the user is sent directly to a specific thank you page letting them know how much tiny blue orange appreciates them. While a thank you message where the form used to be on the page is nice, a unique page with fun copy is a bit more satisfying for the user in terms of knowing the form submitted.
While I don’t use this feature, you can output specific data from the form to this thank you page. For example, you could say “thanks so much, _________” but have Gravity Forms input the person’s first name on that blank line. The data that you do this with should be a required form field, otherwise you run the risk of having awkward blank spaces on your thank you page.
Filter leads
As the person filling out the form is enjoying the thank you page, Erin is filtering the entry that is emailed directly to her. We have systems in place so she knows exactly which information to send them, what projects to say “heck yes” to + questions to ask if there needs to be more clarity on something.
Automate specific steps
Automation is one of my favorite things about Gravity Forms. Not only does it automate the thank you page + sending emails to the tiny blue orange team, it can also automate things for the potential client.
One way I use their automation is by sending a client intake questionnaire directly to anyone requesting help with site maintenance. Because that is usually a shorter discussion + project, I want to get the ball rolling right away. More custom projects get that information directly from Erin after all the necessary details are clear.
The step-by-step breakdown looks like this –
- Potential client fills out contact form
- They are redirected to a thank you page
- Their answers are emailed to us
- The necessary intake questionnaire lands in their inbox
Imagine how many minutes it would take to do those things on your own? Now multiply that by the number of people that ask for your services every week, month or year. This is exactly why I geek out about automation + tools that work for me, like Gravity Forms.
Additional use of Gravity Forms
Another way that you might want to use Gravity Forms on your site is by creating your own quiz or assessment. It’s exactly what I use for my completely free security quiz.