Overview
You need to follow a few steps to create an event invitation. Below is a list in the order we recommend following. You may also like to watch the below video as an overview of the steps.
Contents
Create a list of contacts
The first step is to upload a list of contacts you want to invite.
If you have the contacts module click here to follow the instructions on how to upload a list.
If you don’t have the contacts module click here to follow the instructions on how to upload a list.
Note: For CSV Uploads, it is not required for you to add RSVP and Dietary Requirements into the uploaded CSV. However, it will be required for you to add the RSVP Field (and/or Dietary Requirements Field) into the RSVP Form itself.
Create the email invite
Follow the steps in this article to create your email. Make sure you include a Registration hyperlink / button that links to the RSVP form, so your contact can sign up to attend the event.
Set up the RSVP forms
The RSVP form allows the recipient to confirm their contact details and register for an event. As part of your Vuture setup we have created default RSVP forms for you to use.
There are two types of RSVP forms:
Prefilled RSVP
When your contact clicks the Registration button on the invitation, the RSVP Prefilled form pre-populates their contact details in the form, they simply accept or decline.
Blank RSVP
Is used when the invitation is forwarded and it does not pre-populate the contact's details.
To set up the RSVP Prefilled form
- In the Landing pages select the RSVP Prefilled.
- Click on any field on the form to open the Form Editor window.
We recommend that you make the First and Last name fields on this form Read only, if your invitation is forwarded to another person, they cannot over-type the contact details. You may also set these fields and the Email Address field as Required. The forwarded recipient would instead, click on a link to access the Blank RSVP Form, to submit their contact information and register to the event.
Step 1: Click on the First Name field, place a check mark beside Read only if desired also select Required, then repeat for the Last Name field.
Step 2: We now need to add the Accept/Decline field.
- In the Add a field tab on the left-hand side choose from the Vx Fields click Accept/decline. The Accept/decline field is added to the bottom of the form.
- Click onto the Accept/Decline field to view the field settings and select Required? to make this field mandatory.
- To change Accept/Decline to Yes/No, change the details under Options. We suggest that you change the Field Label to read “RSVP”, since this is what your recipient will see. You might also want to change the “Field Name” to read “RSVP”. That way when you View Stats to see the form submissions, the column name will read “RSVP” instead of “Accept/Decline”.
- While you are still on the RSVP field, you can decide whether you'd like to pre-check the Accept option to make it easier for those who wish to RSVP yes.
- You may wish to reorder the boxes by using the arrow buttons to the right.
Step 3: You will also need to set your redirect pages for when someone submits the RSVP Form.
- Click the drop-down arrow below Accept and choose the Thank you Accept Landing page.
- Click the drop-down arrow below Decline and choose Thank you Decline Landing page.
Step 4: Click on the Form Settings Tab and scroll down until you see "Form data options". Make sure that this is set to "Pre-fill contact details".
Step 5: While on the Form Settings Tab, scroll down until you see the "Update Vx List?". Be sure to check this box if its not checked already.
Step 6: Click Save when complete, then publish your RSVP Prefilled landing page.
Edit the link in your RSVP Prefilled form
You might want to give you recipient the option to complete a blank form because they are not on your list.
Add a text box with text like ‘If this is not you please click here to register’
- Use the word here as the hyperlink
- The Insert/Edit Link window will open
- From the Link List select the RSVP Blank, and edit the Title field to ‘Register here’ or similar
- You may personalise this Landing Page using the Insert field, for First and Last name to say ‘This invitation is meant for {First name} {Last name}, if this not you click here’
To set up the RSVP Blank form
The Blank Form is disconnected from the Vx List and is used if the Invitation is forwarded or shared with another contact. Select the RSVP Blank form under your Landing Pages folder.
Step 1: Click on the First Name field, place a check mark beside Required, then repeat for the Last Name field.
Step 2: We now need to add the Accept/Decline field.
- In the Add a field tab on the left-hand side choose from the Vx Fields click Accept/decline. The Accept/decline field is added to the bottom of the form.
- Click onto the Accept/Decline field to view the field settings and select Required? to make this field mandatory.
- To change Accept/Decline to Yes/No, change the details under Options. We suggest that you change the Field Label to read “RSVP”, since this is what your recipient will see. You might also want to change the “Field Name” to read “RSVP”. That way when you View Stats to see the form submissions, the column name will read “RSVP” instead of “Accept/Decline”. Be sure to use the same language and Field Name that used on your RSVP Prefilled form.
- While you are still on the RSVP field, you can decide whether you'd like to pre-check the Accept option to make it easier for those who wish to RSVP yes.
- You may wish to reorder the boxes by using the arrow buttons to the right.
Step 3: You will also need to set your redirect pages for when someone submits the RSVP Form.
- Click the drop-down arrow below Accept and choose the Thank you Accept Landing page.
- Click the drop-down arrow below Decline and choose Thank you Decline Landing page.
Step 4: Click on the Form Settings Tab and scroll down until you see "Form data options". Make sure that this is set to "Blank form, disconnect from contact".
Step 5: While on the Form Settings Tab, scroll down until you see the "Add contacts to folder" section. From the drop down, select the list you want the RSVPs for contacts who submit the Blank Form to write back to (e.g. the Vx List you use to send your invitation to). Also, be sure to check the "Update Vx List?" box if its not checked already.
Step 6: Click Save when complete, then publish your RSVP Prefilled landing page.
Create an iCal
Follow the steps here to create an iCal with the details of your event.
Set up the Thank you pages
You'll want to make sure your Thank You Pages, “Thank you Accept” and “Thank You Decline”, are relevant to this event and that the Thank You Accept page includes your iCalendar file.
- Under Landing Pages, click the default Thank you Accept Landing page
- In the Text Editor update the content to provide details about the event and hyperlink to the iCalendar
- Repeat the previous steps to create a second page called Thank you – Decline, updating the content to reflect their declining the event
-
Publish both pages
Testing the process
Hyperlinks check
To ensure all hyperlinks are working, and that your email is not going to be held up due to broken hyperlinks, it is recommend checking all emails and landing pages.
- Click the check email icon.
Any links with issues will be written in red and need investigating.
Note: Vuture is unable to check links for LinkedIn. However, these can be manually checked by hovering over the hyperlink to test it does indeed go to the correct LinkedIn page.
Testing and sending
Before sending out the newsletter or invitation you should always send a test to yourself and a few colleagues internally. Please follow instructions here on how to test. Then follow these steps to send your final email.
Go back: Getting started - editing your email
Need more information on using forms with the Contacts Module?
