Overview
You need to follow a few steps to create an event invitation. Below is a list in the order we recommend following:
Prepare a list of contacts
In Dynamics create your campaign and marketing list as you would normally do.
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.
Setup 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 the RSVP.
Blank RSVP
Is used when the invitation is forwarded and does not pre-populate the contact details.
To setup the RSVP Prefilled form
- In the Landing pages select the RSVP Prefilled form.
- Click on any field in the form to open the Form Editor window.
We recommended to make the First and Last name, and Email Address fields on this form Read only. That way if your recipient forwards or shares the invite with another person, the other person doesn't override the data. 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. We also recommend that you make these fields required.
Step 1: Click on the First Name field, place a check mark beside Read only and also select Required, then repeat for the Last Name and Email Address field.
Step 2: We now need to add a RSVP Field.
- Click any field in the form to open the Form Editor.
- Choose Add a field tab and from the Select List drop down select "Contact Information". From the "Select Dynamics field" select "RSVP" then click on "Add Field".
- Click into the RSVP field on the form (will appear at the bottom). This will open up the Field Settings tab. Make this field required.
Note: If you'd like, you may change the "Field label" from RSVP to something like, "Would you like to join us?". Changing the Field label will have no negative impact on writing back the data to your CRM.
- 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 "Campaign" section. Please select the Dynamics campaign you'd like this form submission to write back to.
Step 6: Next, while still on the Form Settings Tab, select the Marketing List you'd like to add contacts who complete this form to. This can be the same Marketing List you plan on sending to.
Step 7: Always check the box "Write back to the selected Dynamics Campaign and Marketing list".
Step 8: Click Save when complete, then publish your RSVP Prefilled landing page.
Edit the link in your RSVP Prefilled form
You might want to give your recipient the option to complete a blank form because they were forwarded the invitation and are not on your original 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
To setup the RSVP Blank form
The Blank Form is disconnected from the original contact and is used if the Invitation is forwarded to or shared with another contact. Select the RSVP Blank form under your Landing Pages folder.
Step 1: Click on any field in RSVP Blank Form to open the Form Editor. Click on the First Name field, place a check mark beside Required, then repeat for the Last Name and Email Address field.
Step 2: We now need to add a RSVP Field.
- Click any field in the form to open the Form Editor.
- Choose Add a field tab and from the Select List drop down select "Contact Information". From the "Select Dynamics field" select "RSVP" then click on "Add Field".
- Click into the RSVP field on the form (will appear at the bottom). This will open up the Field Settings tab. Make this field required.
Note: If you'd like, you may change the "Field label" from RSVP to something like, "Would you like to join us?". Changing the Field label will have no negative impact on writing back the data to your CRM.
- 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 "Campaign" section. Please select the Dynamics campaign you'd like this form submission to write back to.
Step 6: Next, while still on the Form Settings Tab, select the Marketing List you'd like to add contacts who complete this form to. This should always be done for a Blank form.
Step 7: Always check the box "Write back to the selected Dynamics Campaign and Marketing list".
Step 8: Click Save when complete, then publish your RSVP Prefilled landing page.
Create iCal
Follow the steps here to create an iCal with the details of your event.
Setup 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 include 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
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Publish both pages
Testing the process
Hyperlinks check
To ensure all hyperlinks are working and you email is not going to be stopped due to broken hyperlinks it is recommend checking all emails and landing pages.
- Click the email check email button
- Any links with issues will have a red X beside them and need investigating.
Note: Vuture is unable to check links for LinkedIn. However, these can be manually checked by clicking the hyperlink to test it does indeed to go 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
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