How to get more people to fill out your form
7 ways to increase your form response rate. Use personal links, prefilled answers, a clear date, and reminders only to the people who forget.
To increase the response rate of a form, make it easy to start and easy to finish, then remind the people who forget. People rarely refuse a form. They mean to fill it in later, and then they forget.
These 7 steps work for surveys, sign-offs, RSVPs, and document requests.
1. Send each person their own link
One shared link in a group email is easy to ignore, because it feels like it is for someone else. A personal link says "this is for you". It also lets you see who answered and who did not.
2. Fill in what you already know
Do not ask people for their name, email, or company when you have them already. Prefill those answers, and let people confirm or correct them. A form that is half done feels short.
How to prefill a form from a spreadsheet.
3. Give a real date
"By Friday, October 23" gets more answers than "when you have time". A date also tells people when the reminders stop.
4. Say how long it takes
Put the time in the first line of the email and the form: "It takes about 3 minutes." Then make it true.
5. Ask only what you need
Each extra question is one more reason to stop. Cut the questions that are nice to know. Show a question only when an earlier answer makes it matter.
6. Make it work on a phone
Many people open the email on their phone. The form must work with a thumb: big buttons, files from the camera, and a signature with a finger. Answers must save as people type, so they can stop and continue later.
7. Remind only the people who forget
A reminder at the right time brings people back to the form. Send reminders only to the people who have not answered, at fixed times before the date:
| Your form | Reminders |
|---|---|
| With a due date | 3 days before, 1 day before, and on the due day |
| Without a due date | 3 days and 7 days after the first email |
Need the words? Copy one of these form reminder email examples.
Do all 7 with one tool
AllBack is a form builder with automatic reminders. Tell your AI what you need and from whom. AllBack sends each person a personal link, prefilled with what you know. It reminds only the people who are not done, and shows who is still missing.
Send the speaker form to our 24 speakers by October 24. Fill in their names and talk titles from this sheet.
The free plan has unlimited forms and answers, and reminders for 50 people a month. Send your first request.
Questions
What is a good response rate for a form?
It depends on who you ask. People who know you, like clients, staff, or parents, can all answer. Then the goal is every answer, not a percentage.
Do incentives help?
A gift card can help for an anonymous survey of strangers. For people who know you, a clear date and a reminder usually help more.
How can I see who has not answered?
Each person needs their own link. Then the tool knows who is done. How to see who has not filled out your form.