A client intake form is a questionnaire you ask prospective clients to complete when they make a request for more information about your services or to work with you. When used effectively, client intake forms can save you time by qualifying leads and providing insight on which service offerings may be most appropriate for your prospective clients.
Notice I said, “when used effectively”. That’s because a poorly created and/or executed client intake form can turn away potential clients, waste everyone’s time and leave you feeling frustrated.
Ready to create a client intake form the right way?
Start with the right questions.
Knowing what to include on a client intake form seems simple enough but if you want to go beyond the generic questions of “What’s your name?” and “What’s your email address?” it’s going to take some thought.
Probably the most important thing the questions on your client intake form should accomplish is saving you time. And what better way to do that then by qualifying prospective clients. We’ve all been 30 minutes into a call with a prospect to discover they only have about a third of the budget required to work with us. **facepalm**
Finding out early your clients’ budget is a biggie. But asking a potential client how much money they make may feel a little dicey. Good news is, there are ways to go about it without feeling icky.
Instead of asking “How much money do you make?”
Try:
What’s your budget for this project?
Are you ready to invest XX (insert price of your packages or range) in getting this work done?
Have you invested in a project like this before? How much?
Asking how many team members they have or how long they have been in business can also be clues as to whether or not the prospect is a good fit.
While investment is important, just because someone can afford you, doesn’t mean you want to work with them. Ask questions about their timeline for the project, their business and their goals. The latter is especially important if you will be working together for an extended period of time. Working with someone whose values are in alignment with yours will make the working relationship that much better.
Cut the Fluff.
While it’s certainly important to get a feel for the prospective client and see if they’re a good fit, don’t ask them to send along their life story. Question after question about their values, goals and mission in life will not only be, well, annoying, but it will also feel intrusive. Remember, these people haven’t met you yet. Would you want to share your life’s hopes and dreams with someone you just met via an online form?
In addition, avoid asking questions you don’t need the answer to. Asking them their birthday and their favorite snack might feel “fun” but wastes their time and yours. Not to mention, now the information you really need is buried in questions that don’t serve a purpose to the project at hand.
Save a couple of these fun questions for client onboarding. And then USE the answers! Send them their fav snack on their birthday. I guarantee they’ll love you for it!
Finally, make it easy to fill out. Review your questions and see if any could become multiple choice or perhaps a dropdown. Save short answers and essay questions for when absolutely necessary.
Look the Part.
Now that you know WHAT to include on your client intake form, now it’s time to execute! And this one is important. Major missteps here will not only make you look unprofessional but also makes it more likely that information will get missed.
Filling out your intake should feel easy and seamless for the prospective client and you! While there are several good options for creating intake forms out there, hands down my fav is Dubsado.
Dubsado is a CRM that allows you to get intake forms completed right when an individual is scheduling a call with you. And while “the other guys” do that too, most can’t automatically send follow up emails if the form isn’t completed within a certain time OR kick off a series of automated tasks (Dubsado workflows) upon completion.
For example, let’s say you have a one to one service offering and a course for individuals who are looking for a DIY or inexpensive option. On your intake form ask which they are interested in. Based on which option they pick, an automation specific to that option will automatically fire.
Those interested in DIY can be directed to your sales page and receive a series of emails. Those interested in one on one support will receive a link to schedule a discovery call with you.
How’s that for a client intake form!
Interested in learning more about using Dubsado to create a client intake form that saves you time?
Schedule a free consultation by clicking here.