*Ding* You got an inquiry and after reading their response, you just have to work with this person! They’re a total ideal client! What a dream, right? What if you could get thoughtful responses that help you connect with potential clients every time? You can, but it all starts with going over what to include in your inquiry form. Because yes, you’re going to need more than name, email, and an ambiguous empty box to get better inquiries.

How to Connect with Clients

Before we create the specific fields they’ll fill out on their inquiry form, I want you to think about how you currently connect with potential clients. Are there any common interests you seem to geek out over? A favorite show? A shared value? A secretly epic travel location?

First off, those things should be added in small doses to your website, but first, make a list. Now, are any of these relevant to your offers? Can you find a way to make them relevant? For example, if you often connect with clients over shared hobbies and you’re a wedding photographer, could you ask potential couples what they love to do together or how they met?

Generic questions get generic responses, friends… So, if all you’re asking is “tell me more about your wedding,” you’re going to be left disappointed. If instead you say, “I show up to your reception — what kind of jams are pumping?” because your marketing consistently talks about how you’re a videographer who is a music buff, you’ll get more insight into the couple!

Instead of having to pull something to connect with out their answer “we want our wedding to be fun and boho chic,” from the question “tell me about your wedding dreams…” you will more likely get something specific. They may answer your question with, “for sure 90s jams – we could rock out to Run DMC and N*SYNC all day.” Then you can build connection by saying, “phew – thank God you stand on the right side of the BSB & N*SYNC best boyband of all time debate! I used to have a massive poster of JT (ramen-hair era) hanging on my wall.”

What to Include in Your Inquiry Form

Picking up what I’m putting down? Let’s talk specifics…

Personality

So, find ways to infuse your inquiry form with personality. It can be the types of questions you ask (or how you ask them) like I mentioned above, but it could also be clever placeholder text. Maybe instead of asking for their name and then using “first name” as the filler text, you can use the name of a character from your favorite show. Subtle, but unique.

(Only) Questions You Need Answers To

I know you’re thinking, “duh, no shit, Cassie.” But hear me out… One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is asking more questions than they need to, which pushes people away because it makes the form feel like a chore. Instead, get clear on what you need to both qualify the lead and build connection.

So, of course you’ll have the obvious like contact info, but then limit your connection building efforts to a max of two questions. You don’t need their life story. You just need fodder to create a personalized response and feel out if they’re an ideal client.

How to Create a Contact Form

Okay, so you can create a contact form right through your website builder 99% of the time, but the problem with that is when the leads come in, they go into your inbox abyss. If you’re working with more than one client, a CRM like HoneyBook could change the game for you.

Instead of going to your inbox, your leads will go into a designated platform for you, sorted by what stage of your process they’re in. This will not only keep you super organized, but can also increase your bookings by showing you have your ish together.

Within HoneyBook, creating a contact form that is beautifully branded to your business is super easy. And all that info you collect from them like their event date and details can be auto-populated into their project for you, saving you even more time! By not having to worry about all the logistics of managing all their info, you can focus on further building the connection!

Give Yourself the Best Chance to Book

Say “goodbye” to the days of getting horribly boring inquiries that leave you scratching your head thinking. I mean, really… How the hell do you personalize an email in response to “we’re getting married and need a photographer.”

We buy from people we trust and we trust people we connect with. Set yourself up for success by being intentional and knowing what to include in your inquiry form in order to build a relationship from the onset.