So, you want to build a custom lead capture form that actually works—and you’ve heard Formsort might be the tool for the job. Maybe your current forms are clunky, or you’re tired of fiddling with code every time marketing wants to change a field. This guide’s for marketers, growth folks, and product teams who want a step-by-step walkthrough—no fluff, just the real stuff.
We’ll cover the basics, show you what matters (and what doesn’t), and help you avoid common headaches. By the end, you’ll have a working custom form—ready to collect leads without annoying your users or your devs.
Step 1: Get Set Up with Formsort
Before you start, you’ll need a Formsort account. There’s a free tier, which is honestly fine for testing or small projects. If you’re dealing with high volume or want advanced integrations, you’ll need to pay. But don’t overthink it—just sign up and get into the dashboard.
Pro tip: Don’t get stuck comparing tools forever. If your team is already using something else (like Typeform or Google Forms), know that Formsort is more customizable, but it comes with a learning curve.
Step 2: Create a New Flow
In Formsort, everything starts with a “flow.” Think of a flow as the whole experience—from the first question to the final “Thanks for submitting!” page.
- From the dashboard, click “Create new flow.”
- Give it a name you’ll recognize later (not “Untitled Flow 7”).
- Pick a template if you want, but honestly, starting from scratch is better for learning.
What works: Templates can speed things up, but they come with a bunch of fields you don’t need. If you’re building something custom, blank is better.
Step 3: Add Your Steps (and Keep It Simple)
A good lead capture form doesn’t ask everything all at once. Break it into steps—one or two questions at a time. This keeps users from bouncing halfway through.
- Click “Add step.”
- Choose the step type: “Question,” “Info,” or “End.”
- For a basic lead form, you probably want:
- Name
- Phone (optional—don’t force it unless you actually call people)
- Company (if B2B)
- Anything else you really need
Don’t:
- Ask for stuff you’re not going to use. Every extra field drops your completion rate.
- Get fancy with conditional logic until you have the basics working.
Do:
- Use “Info” steps for context (“We’ll never spam you”).
- Keep each step focused—one main action per screen.
Step 4: Configure Fields and Validation
Each question gets its own settings. This is where you make sure you’re collecting useful, clean data.
- Click your question step, then add a new field (e.g., “Email Address”).
- Choose the field type (text, email, phone, dropdown, etc.).
- Set up validation—Formsort lets you require fields, limit input length, and set patterns (like forcing an email format).
What works:
- Use built-in validation for emails and phone numbers. Saves you from chasing bad data later.
- Mark only the essentials as “required.” Optional fields reduce friction.
What to ignore:
- Custom regex for most folks. Unless you’re handling edge cases, the defaults are fine.
Step 5: Customize the Look and Feel
Let’s be honest—default forms are ugly. But don’t spend hours tweaking fonts and colors right now. Get the basics in, then polish later.
- Go to the “Theme” or “Design” section.
- Add your logo (if you have one).
- Set your brand colors.
- Pick a clean font (don’t get cute with Comic Sans).
Pro tip:
- Use real content, not lorem ipsum, as soon as possible. It surfaces awkward phrasing early.
What to ignore:
- Heavy animations or weird layouts. They slow things down and distract from the main goal: getting the form filled out.
Step 6: Set Up Logic and Branching (Optional, but Powerful)
Formsort’s logic tools let you show or hide fields based on earlier answers. This is useful if, say, you want to ask for a phone number only if someone says they want a call.
- Click on a step or field.
- Look for “Show if” or “Branching” options.
- Set simple rules (e.g., “Show this step if answer to ‘Preferred Contact Method’ is ‘Phone’”).
What works:
- Keep logic simple. Too many branches = confusion and bugs.
- Test every path a real user might take.
What to ignore:
- Overly complex flows. If you’re mapping decision trees, you’re probably overcomplicating.
Step 7: Connect Integrations (Where the Magic Happens)
The whole point of a lead form is to get data somewhere useful—your CRM, email list, or Slack channel. Formsort supports a bunch of integrations, but the basics are:
- Zapier: Connects Formsort to almost anything (HubSpot, Mailchimp, Airtable, etc.).
- Webhooks: For sending data straight to your backend.
- Native integrations: Depends on your plan and what’s available.
How to set up: - Go to the “Integrations” tab. - Pick your tool, follow the prompts (API keys, URLs, whatever). - Map your form fields to destination fields.
What works:
- Zapier is dead simple for most use cases. If you’re not technical, start here.
- Test with fake submissions before going live.
What doesn’t:
- Relying on email notifications as your “CRM.” You’ll lose leads. Set up a real integration.
Step 8: Preview, Test, and Fix Issues
Nobody gets it right on the first try. Formsort’s preview mode lets you see your form as users will.
- Click “Preview” in the top right.
- Go through every step, try weird inputs, and see what breaks.
- Share the preview link with teammates (especially non-technical folks—they’ll spot bad copy or confusing steps fast).
Fix:
- Typos and broken logic before launching.
- Anything that feels slow or clunky.
What works:
- Testing on both desktop and mobile. Most leads come from phones these days.
- Asking someone who wasn’t involved in building the form to try it out. They’ll notice what you missed.
Step 9: Launch Your Form
Once you’re happy, it’s time to go live.
- Click “Publish.”
- Grab the embed code or link.
- Add it to your website, landing page, or wherever you want to collect leads.
Pro tip:
- Put the form where your users already are. Don’t bury it three clicks deep.
- Track how it’s doing (Formsort has basic analytics, or hook up Google Analytics).
What to ignore:
- Launching a “beta” to your team for weeks. Just ship it! You can always tweak later.
Step 10: Review, Iterate, and Don’t Get Precious
No form is perfect out of the gate. Watch your completion and drop-off rates, then fix what’s not working.
- Shorten the form if people bail early.
- Clarify confusing questions.
- Change the order if something feels off.
Remember:
- More fields = fewer leads. Ruthlessly cut anything you don’t need.
- If you’re not getting the leads you want, change one thing at a time and see what happens.
Wrapping Up
Building a custom lead capture form in Formsort isn’t rocket science, but it pays to keep things simple. Start with the basics, launch fast, and improve as you go. Don’t fall for shiny features you don’t need—focus on making it easy for people to give you their info.
Iterate, don’t overthink, and you’ll end up with a form that works (and maybe even makes your sales team happy).