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How does one collect names and contact info via a form on a website?

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  • 23-06-2010 4:42pm
    #1
    Seanie M
    Registered Users Posts: 1,795 ✭✭✭


    Hi there,

    Is there software I can use or buy that will allow a website to collect and collate names and contact info into a database, submitted through a website for e.g. email lists, without the need for manually adding such contacts having got in touch via a regular contact form?

    Any help is appreciated.

    Later,

    Seanie.


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    #2
    lil_lisa
    Registered Users Posts: 1,829 ✭✭✭lil_lisa


    I'm assuming this form is on your own site? You're going to need server-side controls to do this. Something like Perl or PHP tied with a database like Oracle or SQL Server. I'd recommend having a read of this if you have none of this on your site.


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    #3
    Seanie M
    Registered Users Posts: 1,795 ✭✭✭Seanie M


    Thanks for the reply Lisa. I'm not THAT terribly PHP savvy, let alone Perl, but as most servers support these platforms and languages, I was hoping for a little programme to gather that data and do the dirty work for me.

    Alternatively, can I double up a contact form to become the gatherer of that info with a php script instead of clogging up an email inbox with submissions?

    Seanie.


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    #4
    lil_lisa
    Registered Users Posts: 1,829 ✭✭✭lil_lisa


    Its not extremely difficult, have a look at this w3schools tutorial, it's pretty much exactly what you want to do.


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    #5
    Seanie M
    Registered Users Posts: 1,795 ✭✭✭Seanie M


    Thanks again Lisa.

    That tutorial is pretty good. However, it is only good for gathering the information. Say if I wanted to send all users stored in the table an email, I'd have to select all the email address and copy+paste into an email editor. What I'd like to have is the ability to construct the email from the server-side and simply send it to all the emails in the database. Short and sweet!

    Seanie.


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    #6
    SamB64
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭SamB64


    Seanie,

    Ifwhat you want to do is to collect email and contact details via a form on your website, automatically load them into a database and then be able to send either:
    • broadcast to the full list (or subsets of that list)
    • A timed sequence of emails after they've signed up
    What your looking for is an autoresponder.

    1-shopping cat is a good one, if a little expensive but it'd easy to use.

    You could also try mail chimp, or awber

    These all give free trials.

    Basically you go through a little wizard which will create a htmal snippet that you add to your website

    Hope this helps,

    Sam.


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    #7
    Seanie M
    Registered Users Posts: 1,795 ✭✭✭Seanie M


    Hi SamB64, yep, that is more along the lines of what I am looking for. I have decided on Mail Chimp, which suits me down to the ground regarding personalization, useage, pricing when larger campaigns are needed, etc.

    Thanks again guys!


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    #8
    oldat31
    Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭oldat31


    Does your hosting package have a newsletter.
    People signup to the newsletter and then you can auto send out bulk letters to anyone who has signed up.


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