How to Trigger an Automation from an Opt-In Form

There are three basic components to triggering an email Automation sequence from an Opt-In Form: 

1) The Contact needs to be turned into a "SUBSCRIBER" 

Do this thru the opt-in Form's Settings window by clicking  "Connect to Email Marketing > Select Lists"

2) The Contact/Subscriber needs to have a triggering TAG  

Add this thru the opt-in Form's Settings window by clicking "Tag contacts on new message" - then create a new tag or start typing and select from existing Tags

3) The Automation Sequence needs to be set up completely, with a Triggering Tag and TURNED ON 

Do this thru the Automation Sequence creation screen.  First set up your "Trigger"  by clicking "Add New Trigger" and choose "Tag is Added" - then from the list of Tags, select the Tag you created/setup in Step 2 above.  Next create all steps in the automation (emails/delays, etc.) that you'd like people to flow thru. Finally - turn ON the Automation.

See video and text below video for further details on each step: 

ALSO:

See this article on the Difference between Contacts, Subscribers & Members

See this article on the basics of Email Marketing within ShinePages

See this article on Form Settings and how to Connect to Email Marketing 

See this article on Triggering Automations with Tags

See this article on Email Marketing Pricing

STEP DETAILS:

STEP ONE: The Contact Needs to Be a "Subscriber" 

It's important to note that EVERYONE in your system is considered a CONTACT.  However only those CONTACTS who have been added to an EMAIL LIST (under Emails & Automations) are considered SUBSCRIBERS as well.  

Once a CONTACT has been added to an Email List and made to be a SUBSCRIBER, they are then eligible to receive emails from within the ShinePages Emails & Automations function. 

All CONTACTS are FREE. There is an Add-On Fee For SUBSCRIBERS above and beyond the free Subscribers allotted in your plan. Note: You may always choose instead to use a third-party email marketing platform - we integrate directly with a number of different platforms.

*Note: You should always have permission to add someone to an email list - Please see this article on best practices for email marketing. 

HOW TO ADD SOMEONE TO AN EMAIL LIST FROM AN OPT-IN FORM: 

1) Click anywhere within the Form widget itself on your page within the Builder. A small pop-up toolbar will appear above the Form widget.  

2) Click the "gear" or "cog wheel" icon to access the Form Settings Window

3) From the Form Settings window - there are many important fields and settings to complete, including Form Name, Notification email, Action upon Submit (setting the "Thank you page"), etc.  Fill out your entire Form Settings window and all fields as appropriate. See this article for details on ALL the important Form Settings. 

4) As you fill out the various fields in the Form Settings window - scroll down until you see the "Connect To Email Marketing" box. Click on the "Select Lists" button next to "Connect to Email Marketing" - and then select the appropriate List or Lists you'd like from the Select Lists popup.

*This step adds the person to an Email List and turns them into a SUBSCRIBER (as well as a CONTACT) - thus making them eligible to receive Emails & Automations (campaigns and automations) from your verified business email address.  (See this article to get your email verified)  

STEP TWO: The Contact/Subscriber needs to have a triggering TAG

Within the same "Form Settings" Window of your Opt-In Form - you'll see the option to "Tag Contacts on New Message".  (Again - see Form Settings tutorial for a FULL explanation of all parts of the Form Settings window) 

This allows you to apply a Tag to any Contact/Subscriber that fills out this Form.  

You can then use this Tag as the "Trigger" to start your Automation. 

STEP THREE:  The Automation Sequence needs to be set up completely, with a Triggering Tag and TURNED ON

Now that you know your Contacts will be turned into Subscribers and will receive a Tag upon filling out the Form, you can go ahead and set up your Automation Sequence. 

There are many ways to set up an Automation Sequence. 

Please see this Full Tutorial on Setting up a Automation 

And this article on Triggering an Automation with Tags

However, for the purposes of this article - here are the Quick Basics to Trigger an Automation from an Opt-In: 

1) From Emails & Automations - click 

Automations >  Create a New Automation >  Blank Automation then create your Automation's Name.

2) Click the top pink box that says "Click to edit your Automation Triggers"  - then click "Add New Trigger"

3) From the List of potential Automation Triggers - select "Tag is Added" - then choose the name of the Tag you added in Step 2 above. 

4) NOTE: Do not select multiple Tags within one single Trigger unless you want the Trigger to REQUIRE ALL TAGS be present in order for the Contact/Subscriber to enter the Automation Sequence.  

If you want to allow for the option of one tag OR the other as the "triggering" tag - add new Automation Triggers and select a single Tag for each trigger.  This will allow this OR that tag to be the "trigger". 

5) Now complete your Automation sequence by adding as many Email Steps, Delay Steps, etc. as you would like.  You will want to have as many steps completed as possible before turning ON your Automation. 

Once someone has completed all current steps - they are considered "complete" and will not automatically get new steps if they are added to the end of the sequence. 

We recommend adding a 'Add a Tag" step to the bottom or last step of your Automation Sequence and creating an "Automation Name Complete" (or similar) Tag - so that you can easily pull lists of all Contacts/Subscribers who have "completed" the Automation. 

6) Once your Automation Sequence has been built to your satisfaction - turn it ON! :) 

Now your Automation is scanning for any new Contact/Subscriber with the Triggering Tag and will enter them into the Automation flow for you!