Guides · Local Site Partner
A quote request form has one job: give you enough information to call the person back. Every extra question makes it a little less likely they’ll finish. For most trades, four or five fields are enough.
The fields worth asking for
- Name. One field is enough; you don’t need first and last separately.
- Phone number. Make it required. Most trades close jobs by phone, and a form without a phone number means emailing back and forth.
- Email. Useful for sending a written quote. Optional if you’d rather call.
- Type of job. A short dropdown, for example Interior / Exterior / Cabinets for a painter, or Repair / Installation / Emergency for a plumber.
- Town or postal code. Tells you right away whether they’re in your service area.
- A short description (optional). “Two bedrooms and a hallway” helps you prepare for the call.
Photos are a nice option for trades where they help you quote, such as painting, roofing or landscaping, but keep them optional.
What to leave out
- Budget questions. They put people off before they know your price.
- “How did you hear about us?” as a required field.
- Long address fields. You can ask for the address on the call.
- Hard puzzle-style spam checks. Use your form plugin’s invisible spam protection instead.
- Creating an account or logging in.
Where the form should go
- A “Get a free quote” button on the first screen of your homepage, visible on phones without scrolling.
- The form itself near the top of the page or one tap away.
- On every service page, not only a separate contact page.
What happens after someone sends it
Show a short thank-you message that says what happens next, for example “Thanks, we’ll call you within one business day.” Then make sure the notification reaches a phone you check, and reply quickly. People who ask for quotes often ask two or three businesses at once.
Test it every month
Forms break quietly. A plugin update, a changed email address or a spam filter can stop leads from reaching you with no warning. Once a month, send yourself a test request and check that it arrives in your inbox, not spam. Many form plugins also save every submission in your website dashboard, which is a useful backup.
Frequently asked questions
Should I have a form if people can call?
Yes. Some people prefer not to call, especially in the evening or at work. Offer both a tap-to-call number and a short form. How to make your number tap-to-call.
How do I know how many requests the form brings in?
How to count calls and quote requests from your website.
Want me to check your site?
Send me your website. I’ll look at it on a phone and reply by email with what I’d fix and the price. No call needed, no obligation.