If you’re in a B2B SaaS company and still using generic onboarding forms, you’re missing a trick. Personalization isn’t just a buzzword—it’s how you show clients you actually get their business. This guide is for anyone tired of clunky, one-size-fits-all forms and wants to use Paperform to make client onboarding less painful (for everyone).
Below, you’ll find a no-nonsense, step-by-step process to personalize onboarding forms that impress clients and get you the info you really need. Plus: what actually works, what’s fluff, and what to skip.
Why Personalize Client Onboarding Forms Anyway?
Let’s get this out of the way: Personalized onboarding isn’t just about looking clever. It’s about:
- Reducing friction: Clients fill out forms faster if they feel relevant.
- Getting better data: You ask the right questions, tailored to their industry or use case.
- Building trust early: Personal touches show you care about their business, not just their money.
But you’ve got to do it right. Overly clever forms can backfire—if you make it too complex, clients just bounce. The goal is to personalize, not overwhelm.
Step 1: Map Out What You Actually Need
Before you build anything, figure out what info you really need from your B2B clients. Don’t just copy someone else’s form.
Do this: - Talk to your customer success or sales team. What info do they wish they had sooner? - List must-haves (company size, main contact, use case) vs. nice-to-haves (social links, office dog’s name). - Keep it lean. Every extra field is a reason to quit.
Pro tip: If you don’t use a field within a week of onboarding, cut it.
Step 2: Set Up a Baseline Form in Paperform
Fire up Paperform and start a new form. Keep it ugly and basic for now—just add the fields you need.
- Add core fields: Company name, contact details, etc.
- Group related questions: Use sections or page breaks for clarity.
- Don’t try to personalize yet. Just get the skeleton down.
At this stage, you’re making sure the essentials are covered. Don’t get distracted by colors or conditional logic until the basics work.
Step 3: Identify Personalization Opportunities
This is where you make the form smarter, not just prettier.
Look for places where: - The questions should change based on industry, company size, or use case. - You can refer to the client by name or company throughout the form. - You want to recall info from earlier answers (e.g., “You said you’re a SaaS with 100+ users…”).
What actually works: - Conditional logic (show/hide questions based on earlier responses). - Piping answers into later questions or instructions. - Pre-filling fields with client-specific info (from a CRM, email, or link).
What’s mostly fluff: Overdoing it with too many conditional branches. If your form looks like a conspiracy theorist’s corkboard, simplify.
Step 4: Add Conditional Logic (Show/Hide Questions)
Paperform’s conditional logic is where most of the magic happens.
How to do it: 1. Select a question you want to show or hide. 2. Set up a rule (e.g., “Show this question only if Industry = Healthcare”). 3. Repeat for other questions that should be targeted.
Examples: - If the client chooses “Enterprise” as company size, show extra questions about security needs. - If the client selects “Marketing Agency,” ask about white-label requirements.
Tips: - Don’t nest conditions five layers deep. If it’s getting complicated, you’re probably asking too much. - Test every path. There’s nothing more annoying than a form that dead-ends.
Step 5: Use Answer Piping for a Personal Touch
Answer piping means using a client’s earlier answer later in the form. In Paperform, you can insert answers into questions, descriptions, or even headings.
How to set it up:
- In the text where you want the answer to appear, click the “Answer Piping” button or type @ to choose a previous answer.
- Example: “Hi [@ContactName], tell us more about your goals at [@CompanyName].”
Why it works: - Makes the form feel more like a conversation. - Reinforces that you’re paying attention, not just ticking boxes.
Don’t overdo it: Using their name in every question is creepy, not friendly.
Step 6: Pre-Fill Forms for VIP Clients
You can pre-fill Paperform fields using URL parameters. This is especially handy if you’re sending forms to clients you already know, or if you’re passing info from a CRM.
How to pre-fill:
- Find the field’s unique ID in Paperform.
- Add it to the URL as a parameter (e.g., ?company=AcmeCorp&contact=JaneDoe).
- Send the custom link to the client.
When it’s worth it: - For repeat clients or partners—saves them typing what you already know. - For sales-qualified leads, to speed up onboarding.
When to skip it: - For anonymous or self-serve sign-ups. Too much hassle for little gain.
Step 7: Brand, Polish, and Test
Now that the logic is in place, make it look like you care.
- Add your logo and brand colors—keep it simple and clean.
- Double-check the mobile experience. Most people fill these out on their phones.
- Test every condition, with every possible path. Get someone outside your team to try it and see where they stumble.
Don’t spend hours obsessing over fonts. If your form is clear and easy to use, you’re ahead of 90% of SaaS companies already.
Step 8: Automate Next Steps (Without Getting Fancy)
Once the form is submitted, what happens next? Paperform lets you:
- Send tailored confirmation emails (using answer piping for a personal touch).
- Trigger webhooks or integrations (like Slack, HubSpot, or Zapier).
- Assign new clients to the right team member, based on answers.
Keep it simple: Automate only what you’ll actually use. If you set up a fancy Zapier flow nobody checks, it’s just noise.
What to Ignore (Unless You Have Time to Burn)
- Gamification widgets. They rarely help in B2B—just make things longer.
- Unnecessary “fun” questions. Save the personality quiz for your company retreat.
- Long intro text. Clients want to get in, fill out, and get out. Respect their time.
Wrapping Up: Personalization, Not Perfection
Personalizing onboarding forms in Paperform isn’t rocket science. Get the basics right, use conditional logic and answer piping where it actually helps, and don’t overcomplicate things.
Start with something simple, launch fast, and tweak based on feedback. You’ll learn more from one real client filling out your form than a week spent fiddling with settings.
Cut the fluff, keep it human, and your clients (and your team) will thank you.