This Dallas Moving company was nice enough to let me use their home page form as an example on how to improve it’s usability. The form allows site visitors get get a quick estimate on how much it would cost to move using their service. If any of you have been following this blog, you have to know by now that the best thing you can do is keep them simple as possible. Let’s take a look at their form.

Give It a Reason

So if you look at their home page you will find this form that I have taken a screenshot of on the right as the main element. If you are good at getting forms to convert you should see right away that it’s missing a key element. It’s the reason why you should fill it out. If you look closely you will find it on the site, but it’s not obvious. If you want someone to fill out a form give them a clear reason.

It’s Not Really Mandatory, or Is It?

The second thing killing this form is the dreaded asterisk. There is nothing wrong with using an asterisk usually. It commonly indicates required field. When using it though, two other things need to happen. There needs to be a note someplace on the form that states the asterisk means required form element, and there also has to be a form element that is not required. Otherwise is just wasted text. If all elements are required, just say “All elements are required”, and forget the asterisks. The form in the current state could create a little bit of confusion.

It’s Just a Quote, Not an Application

The third item, and this is probably the most influential item is asking for information that will have little to no impact on the quote of service. Asking for the moving date should have little to do with costs, and if it does, it could easily be explained…after the visitor has submitted the form. See Poll on forms. Only asks for what is absolutely required.

Make It Easy

Not all forms questions are easy to answer or ask. On this form they ask for the estimated move weight. I’m guessing most people would not be able to accurately answer this. I don’t know the weight of the chair I’m sitting on. In the Dallas Movers defense though, they did make it easier to estimate by additionally offer estimations by the number of rooms instead of pounds.

Finalize It

The final part, and failing of this form is the submit button. We know what it will do, and there is no confusion there. When you just say submit though, you are missing an opportunity to say why you should fill out the form. A quick form reader might see that submit button without reading the form, and think it’s not or them. Where as a quick reader that saw “submit for free quote”, would know what that form was form without reading anything else, and just might fill it out.