Operations & Processes

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Onboarding Process

This article explains the Onboarding Process, from when the user visits the homepage up to when they visit their dashboard for the first time.

The TownSites Onboarding Process. Click to view larger.

Check Availability Form

Link to Check Availability Form

The user arrives at this form by clicking the link on the TownSites homepage.

In this form, the user types a city name. As they type, the database is queried and cities appear on the screen. (On mobile, the user must tap the Check Availability button before this happens.)

Once a user finds a city they are interested in, they can click the Check button beside it to find out if that city is available.

  • If the city is taken, the page is reloaded and the user is invited to try another city.
  • If the city is available, the user is redirected to the Features & Pricing Page.

Regardless if the city is available or not, the user’s information is sent to ActiveCampaign and added as a Contact in the “TownSites Waitlist” list.

Features & Pricing Page

Link to Features & Pricing Page

The pricing for the subscription is displayed along with the features of the product. The user is given two choices:

  • Reserve Your TownSite – User is sent to the Payment Form.
  • Schedule a Webinar – User is redirected to the All About TownSites Zoom Webinar registration page.

Payment Form

Link to Payment Form

Required information (pre-filled from Check Availability Form):

  • First and last name
  • Email
  • Phone number

Rundown of current pricing:

  • Default price: $495 (billed every month, after 30 day period)
  • Onboarding fee: $990 (one time fee)

After form submission:

  • The submission entry is saved for viewing on the Primary Dashboard
  • A new Contact entry is created on ActiveCampaign (if it doesn’t already exist)
    • The Contact is added to the list Customer List*
    • The Contact is tagged as Stripe Customer after checking if he/she has paid
    • ActiveCampaign then waits until the Customer completes the Onboarding Form. If the Customer hasn’t completed the form in 2 days, a task is assigned to the Onboarding Specialist to contact them and find out what’s wrong.
  • A new customer record is created on Stripe
    • Stripe processes the payment
    • A TownSites subscription is created and attached to the customer record
    • An email receipt is sent from Stripe to the Customer
  • Optional: An email informing the recipient that a new user has signed up is sent to Associate(s)
  • The Customer, having paid, is then sent to the Payment Success page

*Important Note: The ActiveCampaign list Customer List is used for sending customer-focused email campaigns; it is not used for tracking whether a Contact is a paying customer. The list of current/previous customers can be viewed on Stripe.

Payment Success Page

Link to Payment Success Page

This page thanks the Customer for paying and invites them to book an appointment with the Onboarding Specialist using the Book Appointment button. The appointment is handled through Calendly. Link to book an appointment

After booking an appointment:

  • The Customer is redirected to the Pre-Onboarding Form.
  • The Customer is sent an email containing a checklist of all materials required for Onboarding. (This is the same checklist as in the Pre-Onboarding Form.)

Pre-Onboarding Form

This page has two functions:

First, a checklist is displayed to ensure the Customer enters the Onboarding meeting prepared. The items on the checklist are:

  • A high-resolution headshot
  • The website of their real estate business
  • Any legal text that the Customer, their broker, or their MLS require to be displayed
  • A list of websites where local news and information about the Community can be found
  • A high-resolution image that best portrays the Community
  • A creative name for the TownSite

Second, a form is displayed with additional information the User can fill out prior to Onboarding. The fields are:

  • Customer email address (filled in automatically)
  • One paragraph description of your city/community
  • 2 rewriting prompts used for training the AI
    The user is given a prompt and instructed to rewrite it in their own tone of voice.

Once the Customer has filled out the form, a success page is displayed. The Onboarding Process resumes with the scheduled Onboarding call.

Onboarding Form

Link to Onboarding Form

During the Onboarding Call, the Specialist will meet with the Customer via Zoom.

After first checking to see that the Customer has handy all of the requirements listed on the Pre-Onboarding Form, he/she will then direct the Customer to the Onboarding Form (link above).

Required information:

First page: Personal Info

  • First name, last name, email address, and phone number
    • Note: If the Customer is using the same device he/she used to pay, this info is added automatically.
  • Headshot (photo upload)
  • Business name, Customer’s job title, and website URL
  • Any legal info required to be placed on the TownSite

Second page: Community

  • Community name (City, ST)
    • Note: If the Customer is using the same device he/she used to pay, this info is added automatically.
  • Community resources
    A list of websites an Administrator can use for finding relevant content about the community.
  • File Upload
    The Customer is encouraged to upload their own photos and videos for the TownSite. At the least, one header image is required.

Last page: TownSite

  • TownSite name, chosen by Customer
  • Suggested domain name
    A domain name is automatically chosen for the Administrator to use when setting up the TownSite.
  • A Theme and Color Scheme
  • Any additional information or requests

After form submission:

  • A task is created in ActiveCampaign and assigned to an Associate
  • The Customer’s Contact entry in ActiveCampaign is updated with the tag Completed Onboarding
  • A message is shown to the Customer informing them that TownSites staff are now in the process of building the TownSite and will be finished before payment starts in 30 days (Usually around 10 business days)

The Onboarding Process resumes with the completion of the TownSite.

Welcome Email & Customer Login

Once the TownSite is completed and published by the QA Specialist, The following occurs:

Welcome Email

An email is sent to the Customer informing them that their TownSite is ready, and includes the following:

Customer Login

After clicking the link in the email, the Customer is first invited to create a password, then prompted to login with their email address and password.

At this point, the Customer has successfully logged in and the Onboarding Process is complete.