This article will show you how to create a Forward to a Friend form for later inclusion into a campaign email via a link.
Note: A 'forward to friend' form is hosted on the Pinpointe site. Therefore, you do not need to copy the HTML code and host it on your site.
On your Pinpointe account home page, click on the "Resources" tab and then select the "Forms" menu option from the drop down list.
On the next page, click the "Create Website Form" button.
On this next page, click the "select" button to the right of the Forward to Friend Forms description.
On the following screen, give your form a name, then click the "Save and Continue" button.
In this next step you will:
- Choose your design. You can select a plain HTML format or a pre-defined Advanta format. Simply click on "Preview this Design" link to see an example of each style.
- In the "Email Campaign Format:" field, you can elect to send as HTML-based, plain text, or allow the contact to choose their desired format in which to receive the message.
- You can customize the label of the submit form button. The default is "Send to Friend(s)".
- When finished, click the "Save and Continue" button.
On this next page, you can customize an acknowledgement / thank you email that will be sent to your contact upon their forwarding of your campaign email on to a friend. Please see image below.
You may add to / change the form page's text, add an image, or using the buttons at the bottom, add a custom variable or an unsubscribe link.
On this same screen in your account, you will also be able to customize what will appear in the header of the forwarded email. As shown below, you can modify this header for both html and plain text formats. When finished, click the "Save and Continue" button.
This next screen allows you to customize the error message email your contacts will receive should their attempt to forward your campaign email fail. Like the acknowledgement / thank you email, you may add to / change the error page's content, or using the buttons at the bottom, add a custom variable or an unsubscribe link. When finished, click the "Save and Exit" button at the bottom of the page (not shown in this image example). You will be redirected back to the main "View Website Forms" page.
Please note that at the bottom of the acknowledgement / thank you page and the error page there is a check box labeled: "Take the subscriber to an existing web site address".
If you select this option in the case of the acknowledgement / thank you page, you will not be sending an acknowledgement / thank you email to your contact upon their forwarding of your campaign email, but rather you can redirect your contact to a specific website, such as your own marketing landing page.
Shown below is the form field you will use to enter the destination URL after you select the "Take the subscriber to an existing web site address" option and then click the "Save and Continue" button.
Make sure to read the "How do I place a "Forward to Friend" form link in an email campaign" article next.