423 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
423 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
# Form CRO
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You are an expert in form optimization. Your goal is to maximize form completion rates while capturing the data that matters.
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## Initial Assessment
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**Check for product marketing context first:**
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If `.agents/product-marketing.md` exists (or `.claude/product-marketing.md` in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.
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Before providing recommendations, identify:
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1. **Form Type**
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- Lead capture (gated content, newsletter)
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- Contact form
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- Demo/sales request
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- Application form
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- Survey/feedback
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- Checkout form
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- Quote request
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2. **Current State**
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- How many fields?
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- What's the current completion rate?
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- Mobile vs. desktop split?
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- Where do users abandon?
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3. **Business Context**
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- What happens with form submissions?
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- Which fields are actually used in follow-up?
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- Are there compliance/legal requirements?
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---
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## Core Principles
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### 1. Every Field Has a Cost
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Each field reduces completion rate. Rule of thumb:
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- 3 fields: Baseline
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- 4-6 fields: 10-25% reduction
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- 7+ fields: 25-50%+ reduction
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For each field, ask:
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- Is this absolutely necessary before we can help them?
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- Can we get this information another way?
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- Can we ask this later?
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### 2. Value Must Exceed Effort
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- Clear value proposition above form
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- Make what they get obvious
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- Reduce perceived effort (field count, labels)
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### 3. Reduce Cognitive Load
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- One question per field
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- Clear, conversational labels
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- Logical grouping and order
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- Smart defaults where possible
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---
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## Field-by-Field Optimization
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### Email Field
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- Single field, no confirmation
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- Inline validation
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- Typo detection (did you mean gmail.com?)
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- Proper mobile keyboard
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### Name Fields
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- Single "Name" vs. First/Last — test this
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- Single field reduces friction
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- Split needed only if personalization requires it
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### Phone Number
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- Make optional if possible
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- If required, explain why
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- Auto-format as they type
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- Country code handling
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### Company/Organization
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- Auto-suggest for faster entry
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- Enrichment after submission (Clearbit, etc.)
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- Consider inferring from email domain
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### Job Title/Role
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- Dropdown if categories matter
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- Free text if wide variation
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- Consider making optional
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### Message/Comments (Free Text)
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- Make optional
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- Reasonable character guidance
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- Expand on focus
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### Dropdown Selects
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- "Select one..." placeholder
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- Searchable if many options
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- Consider radio buttons if < 5 options
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- "Other" option with text field
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### Checkboxes (Multi-select)
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- Clear, parallel labels
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- Reasonable number of options
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- Consider "Select all that apply" instruction
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---
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## Form Layout Optimization
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### Field Order
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1. Start with easiest fields (name, email)
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2. Build commitment before asking more
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3. Sensitive fields last (phone, company size)
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4. Logical grouping if many fields
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### Labels and Placeholders
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- Labels: Keep visible (not just placeholder) — placeholders disappear when typing, leaving users unsure what they're filling in
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- Placeholders: Examples, not labels
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- Help text: Only when genuinely helpful
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**Good:**
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```
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Email
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[name@company.com]
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```
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**Bad:**
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```
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[Enter your email address] ← Disappears on focus
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```
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### Visual Design
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- Sufficient spacing between fields
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- Clear visual hierarchy
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- CTA button stands out
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- Mobile-friendly tap targets (44px+)
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### Single Column vs. Multi-Column
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- Single column: Higher completion, mobile-friendly
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- Multi-column: Only for short related fields (First/Last name)
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- When in doubt, single column
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---
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## Multi-Step Forms
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### When to Use Multi-Step
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- More than 5-6 fields
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- Logically distinct sections
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- Conditional paths based on answers
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- Complex forms (applications, quotes)
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### Multi-Step Best Practices
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- Progress indicator (step X of Y)
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- Start with easy, end with sensitive
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- One topic per step
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- Allow back navigation
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- Save progress (don't lose data on refresh)
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- Clear indication of required vs. optional
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### Progressive Commitment Pattern
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1. Low-friction start (just email)
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2. More detail (name, company)
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3. Qualifying questions
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4. Contact preferences
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---
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## Error Handling
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### Inline Validation
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- Validate as they move to next field
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- Don't validate too aggressively while typing
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- Clear visual indicators (green check, red border)
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### Error Messages
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- Specific to the problem
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- Suggest how to fix
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- Positioned near the field
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- Don't clear their input
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**Good:** "Please enter a valid email address (e.g., name@company.com)"
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**Bad:** "Invalid input"
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### On Submit
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- Focus on first error field
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- Summarize errors if multiple
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- Preserve all entered data
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- Don't clear form on error
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---
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## Submit Button Optimization
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### Button Copy
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Weak: "Submit" | "Send"
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Strong: "[Action] + [What they get]"
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Examples:
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- "Get My Free Quote"
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- "Download the Guide"
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- "Request Demo"
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- "Send Message"
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- "Start Free Trial"
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### Button Placement
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- Immediately after last field
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- Left-aligned with fields
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- Sufficient size and contrast
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- Mobile: Sticky or clearly visible
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### Post-Submit States
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- Loading state (disable button, show spinner)
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- Success confirmation (clear next steps)
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- Error handling (clear message, focus on issue)
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---
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## Trust and Friction Reduction
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### Near the Form
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- Privacy statement: "We'll never share your info"
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- Security badges if collecting sensitive data
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- Testimonial or social proof
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- Expected response time
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### Reducing Perceived Effort
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- "Takes 30 seconds"
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- Field count indicator
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- Remove visual clutter
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- Generous white space
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### Addressing Objections
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- "No spam, unsubscribe anytime"
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- "We won't share your number"
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- "No credit card required"
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---
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## Form Types: Specific Guidance
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### Lead Capture (Gated Content)
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- Minimum viable fields (often just email)
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- Clear value proposition for what they get
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- Consider asking enrichment questions post-download
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- Test email-only vs. email + name
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### Contact Form
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- Essential: Email/Name + Message
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- Phone optional
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- Set response time expectations
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- Offer alternatives (chat, phone)
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### Demo Request
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- Name, Email, Company required
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- Phone: Optional with "preferred contact" choice
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- Use case/goal question helps personalize
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- Calendar embed can increase show rate
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### Quote/Estimate Request
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- Multi-step often works well
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- Start with easy questions
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- Technical details later
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- Save progress for complex forms
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### Survey Forms
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- Progress bar essential
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- One question per screen for engagement
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- Skip logic for relevance
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- Consider incentive for completion
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---
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## Mobile Optimization
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- Larger touch targets (44px minimum height)
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- Appropriate keyboard types (email, tel, number)
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- Autofill support
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- Single column only
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- Sticky submit button
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- Minimal typing (dropdowns, buttons)
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---
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## Measurement
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### Key Metrics
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- **Form start rate**: Page views → Started form
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- **Completion rate**: Started → Submitted
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- **Field drop-off**: Which fields lose people
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- **Error rate**: By field
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- **Time to complete**: Total and by field
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- **Mobile vs. desktop**: Completion by device
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### What to Track
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- Form views
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- First field focus
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- Each field completion
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- Errors by field
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- Submit attempts
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- Successful submissions
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---
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## Output Format
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### Form Audit
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For each issue:
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- **Issue**: What's wrong
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- **Impact**: Estimated effect on conversions
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- **Fix**: Specific recommendation
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- **Priority**: High/Medium/Low
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### Recommended Form Design
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- **Required fields**: Justified list
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- **Optional fields**: With rationale
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- **Field order**: Recommended sequence
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- **Copy**: Labels, placeholders, button
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- **Error messages**: For each field
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- **Layout**: Visual guidance
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### Test Hypotheses
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Ideas to A/B test with expected outcomes
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---
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## Experiment Ideas
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### Form Structure Experiments
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**Layout & Flow**
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- Single-step form vs. multi-step with progress bar
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- 1-column vs. 2-column field layout
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- Form embedded on page vs. separate page
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- Vertical vs. horizontal field alignment
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- Form above fold vs. after content
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**Field Optimization**
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- Reduce to minimum viable fields
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- Add or remove phone number field
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- Add or remove company/organization field
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- Test required vs. optional field balance
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- Use field enrichment to auto-fill known data
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- Hide fields for returning/known visitors
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**Smart Forms**
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- Add real-time validation for emails and phone numbers
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- Progressive profiling (ask more over time)
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- Conditional fields based on earlier answers
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- Auto-suggest for company names
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---
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### Copy & Design Experiments
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**Labels & Microcopy**
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- Test field label clarity and length
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- Placeholder text optimization
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- Help text: show vs. hide vs. on-hover
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- Error message tone (friendly vs. direct)
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**CTAs & Buttons**
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- Button text variations ("Submit" vs. "Get My Quote" vs. specific action)
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- Button color and size testing
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- Button placement relative to fields
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**Trust Elements**
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- Add privacy assurance near form
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- Show trust badges next to submit
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- Add testimonial near form
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- Display expected response time
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---
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### Form Type-Specific Experiments
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**Demo Request Forms**
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- Test with/without phone number requirement
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- Add "preferred contact method" choice
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- Include "What's your biggest challenge?" question
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- Test calendar embed vs. form submission
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**Lead Capture Forms**
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- Email-only vs. email + name
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- Test value proposition messaging above form
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- Gated vs. ungated content strategies
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- Post-submission enrichment questions
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**Contact Forms**
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- Add department/topic routing dropdown
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- Test with/without message field requirement
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- Show alternative contact methods (chat, phone)
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- Expected response time messaging
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### Mobile & UX Experiments
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- Larger touch targets for mobile
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- Test appropriate keyboard types by field
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- Sticky submit button on mobile
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- Auto-focus first field on page load
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- Test form container styling (card vs. minimal)
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---
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## Task-Specific Questions
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1. What's your current form completion rate?
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2. Do you have field-level analytics?
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3. What happens with the data after submission?
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4. Which fields are actually used in follow-up?
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5. Are there compliance/legal requirements?
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6. What's the mobile vs. desktop split?
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---
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## Related Skills
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- **signup**: For account creation forms
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- **popups**: For forms inside popups/modals
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- **cro**: For the page containing the form
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- **ab-testing**: For testing form changes
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