How do you create a lead sheet, a contact form, a questionnaire, a call to action in your post? Google Docs allows you to not only create private forms, spreadsheets, and presentations, now you can embed them into your Website or Blog. You also have the choice to share those forms and docs with others. You can even invite others to view or collaborate on your work. This could be a great tool, it has the potential to take your readers from being a viewer to being a potential lead. Here's a sample of one I did creating a suggestion box.
First, you will need a Gmail Account. It's FREE, and this doesn't mean you have to change or even use this email address, it's just your log-in for everything Google. (Highly Recommended even if you don't use Google Docs) Go to Google and log-in or Sign up for Gmail.
Once you have your account setup, go to Google Docs to create your forms, documents, spreadsheets and presentations on-line. You can also upload your existing creations from your computer. If you'd like, Take a tour of Google Docs before you begin. There are 100's of Templates already created for you to choose from, or you can create your own. There's even a Help Center for those needing a little assistance and support.
To create your own lead sheet or contact form, go to Google Docs
1. SELECT NEW, THEN SELECT FORM:
2.Give your Form a title, include somesupporting text (optional), Label your field or question, add field supporting text (optional), select question type and format for responses, put a check in the box to make field required or not, then click DONE. Add additional questions by clicking on the "Add Question" button at the top. Don't worry about the order of your questions and fields, you can "drag and drop" them and sort them later. Repeat this process for each field or question.
3. Once your form is complete and you are satisfied, click "SAVE" in the upper right hand corner.
Now you have some options available that can make your form a valuable tool that you can share.
You can send your form to clients and prospects via email, you can also view your responses here. Next, use the "More Actions" button to A) Create and Edit an automatic response form, and B) to "EMBED YOUR FORM INTO YOUR WEBSITE OR BLOG POST." This is one of Google Docs best features in my opinion.
4.Click on "MORE ACTIONS" to get your code.
5. Once you place the embed code into the proper location on your Website or Blog, you're set to go:
6. To view your responses and new leads, just go to your Google Docs, and open the form. All your results will be right there for you to follow up with. How cool is this?
Note: Any updates or edits made to your original forms, documents and presentations on Google Docs are automatically updated in all the locations you have placed them on the Web. There's no need to go back and replace the HTML code on your Websites or Blogs, so place it in as many locations as you'd like.
Now you just have to be creative and decide how you want to use a tool like this. Decide what questions or fields of information you need to make this a powerful tool for your on-line business and customers.
TIP: Don't go overboard with questions, people get overwhelmed easily in many cases, and won't take the time to fill it out if there are too many. I hope this is easy enough for you to use and to understand. As always, thanks for reading and taking time to visit. It's always nice to have you swing by and say hi.
Wow. This is high tech stuff. Thank you for sharing, although I don't think I will ever have a post that will utilize this function, I will certainly keep in bookmarked just in case.
Brad: I just created one - had to remember what my log-in was, do a password reset and so on - I sign up for all this stuff and take forever fully utilize it. Now that I have one, I am sure I will find great ways to utilize it - after I finished my first video :-)
Brad, This is awesome! I have been so busy working that I hadn't noticed this new feature. I cannot wait to try it! Thanks for bringing us up to speed:)
Where is the gold star? Sheesh...yall are slow...do I have to actually flag this thing? Google docs are very cool I just need some time to design a few...
Thanks for the tip Brad! I've been using all the Google tools but mainly used Google Docs for document sharing. This is another great use so thanks again.
I've been using Google docs for awhile now. It makes being able to access important info so easy from any computer, I love it. I haven't used the collaborative feature yet, but look forward to giving it a try.
Brad, I don't know whether to be scared or excited - I have been playing around with google docs and not really aware just yet that I could do all that you said in your post which I am bookmarking. It's as you and the AR Gods are sleeping with me and walking around with me while I think during the day. I think it and then it magically appears in your blog - scary or exciting? - you be the judge. ~Anne Marie
Thanks a lot Brad. I am definitely going to give this a try sometime next week. I have heard of Google docs but I didn't know much about it. Have a great one.
Brad: Enjoyed the Plain English version. Is that you? I have seen another video on another topic by the same person....very fun to watch. Simple and easy to understand.
Brad, thanks for sharing this! I see them but I have never used them. Your post has just changed my mind. I'm going to have to try this out. Thanks for the advice and tutorial. Enjoy your day. Regards, C.
Brad-Thank you for the wonderful info. I love AR and have quickly become addicted. There is so much info that it can be very overwhelming especially for a newbie. Your posts have been a great help. I admire all the great work you do on AR and also that your hero is God. That's really cool!
Brad, I use to use Google Docs when it was called something else that I can't seem to remember right now, before Google bought it out. It was what I used when writing my blog articles but this is great...I never thought about using it for forms, spreadsheets etc.
You're the best...now if you could just get rid of weblin for me I would simply adore you!
Brad, you are so amazing w/ the information you have. I just need to catch up w/ you on technology. I can get overwhelmed at times. But I keep working on it!
I just dont get how you always have such insight. I mean seriously this is the stuff we all need to be on top of and it seems like every day I read another thing I need to have. Is there a way to go back over the past few years and read up on all that was laid out before I got here? I feel like I must have missed an awful lot.
As far as this actual post and enough of that...
I was looking for a solution like this. Some sort of email thing that I could interact with users on my new site. I was thinking some sort of system of autoresponders set up with different accounts for different pages IE learnaboutbuying@blahblah.com but then I realized that would be justl like you said.. too many different forms. Having a centralized area where site goers can input as well as receive is exactly what people want. You can get what you want and they get what they want its all about providing value. Seriously I spent like 5 hours today trying to solve this and I think this is the exact thing I needed.
Pretty interesting, Google Docs is very powerful and didn't realize I could use for the benefit of blogging. I wonder how clever I can use the form for, I liked your suggestion form in your previous blog.
Love it! Now would the process work the same way with a website, not just a blog site? I've always had problems figuring out how to embed into my website.
Thank you Brad- you make learning things a pleasant and enjoyable experience. You have a knack and gift for expaining things so well and making them seems so easy!
That is amazing. I was going crazy trying to figure out how to create a simple form in FrontPage for my website. I know it's not that difficult but I just couldn't figure it out.
This seems to be very simple and easy. Thanks for the tutorial.
One + One = Two! I've known and used GoogleDocs.... but never thought about using it for forms on website :O Duh! You rock, Brad... but I think you know I think that :)
And Plain English videos.... always a great way to explain - and comprehend :)
Wooo Hooo!! I am creating one right now to imbed in my blog that will give consumers a way to ask for specifics in regards to search for foreclosures.
THANKS BRAD!
Edit: Brad, your instructions were right on the money! It took just a few minutes and I created a custom foreclosure search on my blog. I tested it, and it works beautifully! Again, thank you SO much!
I started playing with this last week, I hadn't been in it for a long time. Lo and Behold there was a google doc from you in there from month and months and months ago. I can't even remember hos that happened.
Brad, I've got to give it to you. That is way too sweet!!! I have been wondering how to make things more streamline in my life and I am sure that will help.
Wow! Again, you find and explain in detail even more tools and resources to build our presence and make it something that can actually give us some return on our effort here at ActiveRain! I am going to have to bookmark this one for later this week. I am heading for church and this afternoon will participate in our company wide open house so I truly appreciate your help and easy to follow instructions!
Brad - this is cool stuff! Thanks for making life easier for us.
I saved this post in my google favorites on my toolbar, but wanted to save it through SnagIt - I have Version 9 and clicked on the scrolling web page, but it will only capture what's showing on the screen, rather than all you wrote. Is there something in the ActiveRain code that thwarts the usual scrolling function in SnagIt?
I love googl docs but havent played aroudn with it this much. Thank you so much for the very helpful tips and tricks, keep them coming. I am going to book mark your blog now so I dont forget to take a look at this.
Brad -- this is fantastic, helpful info! Although I have a gmail account and use Google daily, I hadn't ventured into the forms and docs area yet ... I imagined it would be too difficult to navigate. But you've made it easy -- THANK YOU!!
Love it! Now would the process work the same way with a website, not just a Blog site? I've always had problems figuring out how to embed into my website.
Liz - yes this will work on any website or Blog. For your website, unless you have a webmaster, the process is the same as listed in this post. If you have a webmaster to do it, just provide them a link to this post and to the code for the form you create. If you or they need help, just let me know. :-)
Brad: Enjoyed the Plain English version. Is that you? I have seen another video on another topic by the same person....very fun to watch. Simple and easy to understand.
Michelle - the video is created and provided by CommonCraft, they do many videos on various topics and they always include "In Plain English" in the title. Very easy to understand and extremely user friendly. :-)
Hi Brad - I often use Google Docs or Blogjet to draft blog posts and to save "ideas" for the future. Just a tip for future Google Docs users, it's best to add your pictures in the final document and not Google. I don't know why images don't copy so well from Google Docs. The links look interesting to check out. Thanks
Brad - I already posted one form, but have a question: on Question Type, there is "multiple choice" and "checkboxes". Will either of these allow the reader to check multiple boxes? I couldn't find any instructions online that described what the various question types do.
OK Brad, I'll do it. But before I try that I have to confess: I cannot figure out how to upload pictures to my blog. Do they have to be put out there on the web somewhere first so I can linK to them? Help! Help! I am sure you have written about this before, so I feel pretty silly and embarrassed even asking.
Debbie Solano - just click on the "tree" in your icon bar. That will open a dialogue box then click on the little "file box" next to the URL space and search your computer for where ever you keep your pictures. Make sure they are either JPEG's or GIF's. Browse and upload. When your picture uploads you will notice two tabs. The first is "general" type in your description and title. Then click on the "appearance" tab. Set your size ... you may want to experiment with this. Tell the program where you want the photo or image to be placed. Right, left etc ...In the vertical and horizontal spaces, I type in 5-10. This gives you space between your words and your picture. Play around with it. Just be careful about copyright infringement. Don't take other people's pictures! Also make sure your "Pop-up Blocker" is disabled for this process. Here's some images I created that might help...
Look for this icon on the tool bar of your post or comment to add photos, you can upload them from your computer or put the URL where they are located on-line.
Once you click on this box, just click "Browse", find your photo or image, then select "Upload" and that's it. If you are using a photo you have on the web already, just enter the URL where it's located in the Box that says "Image URL". Hope this helps.
There is also a "Getting Started" link that has numerous articles and posts you may want to review. :-)
I can see where many of us in the industry could use this for generating leads or gathering information: Let me give it a shot, but those of you in these "fields" will come up with much better ways to use these created forms in a Blog post or on a website.
REALTORS® - Collect Information for Buyers, Sellers, Investors, and Relocation data for purchasing and selling home.
Lenders - gathering PreQual information to start the Loan process, or just to get personal data to run credit etc. (I know there are some using this process already)
Appraisers - Property information and details for appraisals, comps, etc.
Home Stagers - What kind of Budget do sellers have, Home details and information you need to setup appointments and consultations.
Title Companies - There are tons of ways a title company could use these forms, just ask any consumer. LOL~ Been there, done that!
Financial Planners - Collect information and important data to help those in need of Financial planning
Movers - Solicit information about Home items, valuables, moving details, dates, times, locations etc.
The point is, ANYONE could use these if they take the time to figure out what areas they may be needed.
I think you get the idea, but you know your industry better than I do, and how a tool like this might benefit your online business, marketing, and customers.
Ok I made my first form for my site. Is there a way to set this up so you are emailed when someone responds? I dont see the option. Also did you notice the plugins? Wow!
In case someone was wondering how to receive email notifications I figured it out.
Go to your spreadsheet that is created after you have a form in place. Then upper left corner where it says file then notification rules then set your preferences. It works great so far.
Brad- You have done it once again! I was looking into other vendors to add forms to my site and when I saw your "Suggestion Box" email with the form and a google docs reference, I made a note to myself to look into it. And voila - Now I have a great post that lays out the process for me. Thanks as always!
Wow Brad -thanks for this great tip - I have lots of uses for this and it looks easy. As always - thanks for doing the hard work and giving us easy to implement instructions - you rock! Thanks for Mixpo help too - been running crazy :)
Hello! Thanks for the helpful information... I bookmarked this so I could come back to it. Cross your fingers: I will give it a go and and see if I can do this. I have always wanted to be able to do more and with your help it may be possible. Thanks again Brenda :)
Brad-I signed up for FeedBlitz and created a blog subscription. I copied the script but it's not showing up as a subscribe me button. I could be doing something wrong. Do you or anyone else already have a tutorial on walking through the Feedblitz steps once someone signs up?
As much as I use Google for stuff, I should have though to look there when I made a "Contact Me" form just the other day! I may just switch this for the other one--it looks better. Thanks Brad.
Hey Brad - After your initial post about gdocs a few days ago, I started messing around with it. It's pretty cool but what I would really like to do is create and save my own templates with it. It would be so handy to have a template form that I could email for showing feedback on each listing. I hope that google will continue developing this and not drop the ball and move on to their next big idea. They seem to have a tendency of doing that and I think Chrome is their focus at the moment.
Brad: Thanks for an excellent post (as always) and I have to get started putting some needed forms out on my BLOG now. Again thanks for showing us how!
Brad, you are the bomb but there is no way I can figure all this stuff out! Staying up till 2:00 a.m. is killing me! Oh, well, tomorrow is another day of blogging (and learning how to make it all look good.)
Chastity - I answered. :-) You did a great job adding that to your post, now imagine all the other ways you could use that as a propery manager... hmmm. Hope your day is better tomorrow, the sushine in the day always starts with and in you!!
Marian - a year is a long time to invest into something like this, I hope you get the rewards and all the fruits of your labor by implementing what you learned here. Thanks for taking the time to comment. :-)
Janet - thank you, feel free to use this information as your guide, but please DO NOT copy it and repost it. You can ReBlog it if you're wanting to share the information on your Blog. Thanks. :-)
I just embedded a form into my AR blog and it works great! In case it wasn't mentioned, you can go into the code to adjust the height and width of your form - the default size is only 314px wide but I increased it to 600 so it fills the page. For you Point 2 users this may be the solution to replacing their limited form options with your own custom form.
Eric - yes, another great feature about these is that the HTML code is customizable when you embed it here on AR. If you are familar with HTML coding, there is quite a few really great things you can do with these forms and their "presentation" factor. I'm not a point 2 user, but for those who are, that sounds like a great idea. I have heard about many limitations in their application. Maybe these will be an answer or solution. Thanks Eric.
Brad,
Your information always astounds me. Your posts are very well organized and helpful. Often gives me the idea that I wish to use in the near future. Often I save. I know there are probably others I have missed that were equally good that I missed. This is probably an obvious answer, but where do I go to find the archived posts on the "How Tos" or do you have a book of them available? Thanks.
PS Where is the spell check? Frightening.
Derenda - just click on my name below, I have more "Help & How-To" posts sorted and categorized there.
There is a spell check is available, just click on the icon that looks like this hope that helps, and thanks for such a nice comment, I really do appreciate that. :-)
Great idea & great tutorial! I filled out your form of couple of days ago & was intrigued so I looked up your blog, and there it was....the sequal explanation. I think this has potential for the blogs we use for our outside blog as well. I'm going to try & do it.
When I was building my website I had all the pieces but no explanation on how to actually give form to the forms, thanks now I think I got a handle on it. U da best!
Kevin - I have not checked out Google's Business Center Beta just yet, been busy with their other elevendyhundred things!! lol~ I will check it out and let you know my thoughts....probably in a later post along with comments and observations of their new "Google Chrome" browser. Thanks. :-)
I just dont get how you always have such insight. I mean seriously this is the stuff we all need to be on top of and it seems like every day I read another thing I need to have. Is there a way to go back over the past few years and read up on all that was laid out before I got here? I feel like I must have missed an awful lot.
Eau Claire - you can go to my profile and catch up on all I have written, as for other members, just search the groups and topics for other areas you have an interest. I have sorted everyting I have written by category on my profile, just for that purpose. Have fun, and enjoy. :-)
Brad - this is cool stuff! Thanks for making life easier for us. I saved this post in my google favorites on my toolbar, but wanted to save it through SnagIt - I have Version 9 and clicked on the scrolling web page, but it will only capture what's showing on the screen, rather than all you wrote. Is there something in the ActiveRain code that thwarts the usual scrolling function in SnagIt?
Sharon - sorry for the late response. I'm not familiar with anything on AR that would cause that. Not sure what you mean by the scrolling function to be honest. Let me know how I can help? Thanks. :-)
Brad, this is great and I will give it a try some time. I love the lead generator idea and think it might work for me. P.S. I notice my photo is not included on your montage of members...an oversight I'm sure. Should I send you a copy?
Dane - oh it's there alright, but my darn Blog is covering up many of my favs, you see, they're all "behind the scenes!" lol~ Tell me you didn't spend 20 minutes looking for it on my background did you? haha.
ActiveBrad's about to have a facelift as soon as we get the AR customizer up and running again. :-))
Ok I made my first form for my site. Is there a way to set this up so you are emailed when someone responds? I dont see the option. Also did you notice the plugins? Wow!
Eau Claire - did you find it yet? There is an option to receive email notifications when forms are filled out and submitted. Let me know if you need help finding it. I did see the plugins, powerful stuff eh? :-)
Brad-I signed up for FeedBlitz and created a blog subscription. I copied the script but it's not showing up as a subscribe me button. I could be doing something wrong. Do you or anyone else already have a tutorial on walking through the Feedblitz steps once someone signs up?
Michele - I don't have a Feedblitz tutorial, they have some pretty detailed instructions on their site though. If you need me to help you with it, just let me know, it's not something I have time to write out in the comment section of this post. Trying to stick to google docs and forms on this post... lol~ :-) You know where to find me, call anytime. :-)
That's awesome, It's just what I was looking for. Do y ou know how I can create a button for "subscribe to my blog" when I write a blog?
Stephanie - there are some posts out there I have seen, I may have even done one, you can check on my AR profile, it would be there and sorted by category if you haven't figured out how to do it already.
Thanks so much for the info. This is great stuff. I'm new here. Can you tell me what it means to subscribe to a blog? Also, these forms and the ability to create our own is great. Thanks so much!
Hi Brad, thanks for your tutorial on this cool feature. The web form I use today on my website also captures the sender's IP address, which is occassionally a handy piece of info to have. Does the Google Form capture the IP address as well? -- John
Thanks so much for the info. This is great stuff. I'm new here. Can you tell me what it means to subscribe to a blog? Also, these forms and the ability to create our own is great. Thanks so much!
Mitzi - to subscribe to another member means you will see their photo and blog show up on the right side of your screen when you click on the link at the top that says "Blogs" and only those you subscribe to will show up on your Blogroll at the link. If you subscribe like on mine, via email, you will be notified by email when that member puts up a new post. Let me know if you have any other questions ok? :-)
I tried to get the notifier to send an alert to my personal Email but so far I can only get it to go to my Gmail account. Any thoughts?
Eric - you can forward your gmail account to any server (email) you want, and it's free. I use yahoo as an altrnate source. Hotmail is another that works well for this sort of thing. Hope that helps. :-)
Hi Brad, thanks for your tutorial on this cool feature. The web form I use today on my website also captures the sender's IP address, which is occassionally a handy piece of info to have. Does the Google Form capture the IP address as well? -- John
John - great question, not sure if it does or not? Check it out an let me know what you find out after you do? Thanks, it may be a couple days before I can get over there to see. :-)
Brad- I added the Google Docs widget to my iGoogle home page; makes it hard to miss an inquiry. I may also try labeling those form submission notifications e-mails and have them forwarded to my main Email.
Brad, this is a great post. I never new you could create forms in Google. I guess you learn something every day. I was just looking into some software for this very thing today. I appears I may not have to buy it after all. I'm definitely checking this out!
Foster - it should, but wordpress does have some limitations and restrictions. You'll have to try it out and see. Just add the code to the HTML section on Wordpress and see if it works for you. I know it works on Blogger Blogs. :-)
Just checked it out, I did a test form. I have used EmailMeForm-com in the past; it is also a free service for the first 5 forms. The Google docs Form was so easy to do. I've had a gmail account for about a 1yr but not till the last few months I started to explore its other applications. It's great discovering all these features in ActiveRain and Google.
You're great. Thank you for the tutoring. I often use the information, or bookmark it for the future - and thought today - on Canada's Thanksgiving - what a perfect reminder - to give Thanks.
Eva - glad that worked out for you. I like Google Docs better than EmailMeForm and not for just the reasons you mentioned, It just has more features and options and will continue to grow and evolve...
June - you can setup an email notification to go to any email account you choose. It's in the upper right hand corner of the Google Docs page. Hope that helps. :-)
Brad - You've done it again! Thank you for the great tips. You make it so easy for us less technical by giving us screen shots that walk us all the way through doing something. I appreciate the time you take to share your wisdom!!
Man, Brad, you sure have some great resources for us Newbies! Thanks for being so creative and resourceful. You are raising the bar in my world. - Tana
Brad- I'm at my wits end...can you help?! I created a form and copied the embed code, pasted it to my blog and it just says "loading..." Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong. The blog is in draft form, is that a problem.
I can't find the answer in the Google Help forum
Just saw your "Wild Turkey" Post, maybe that's the real problem.
Matt - we are having some technical issues from upgrades over the weekend. We are aware of many of these issues and trying to get them corrected. Just hang tight, then try again a bit later. Sorry, and thanks. :-)
Posted by 
Look for this icon on the tool bar of your post or comment to add photos, you can upload them from your computer or put the URL where they are located on-line.
Hello! Thanks for the helpful information... I bookmarked this so I could come back to it. Cross your fingers: I will give it a go and and see if I can do this. I have always wanted to be able to do more and with your help it may be possible. Thanks again Brenda :)
hope that helps, and thanks for such a nice comment, I really do appreciate that. :-)
Very helpful advice! I always wondered how to do this. I'm off to give it a try. Thank you.