Category: Cvent Tips

Testing in Test Mode

9/3/2018

This topic is OH so important and something that really fires me up.
Please tell me you're doing all of your Cvent site testing in TEST MODE!?

I actually bring this up because I see a TON of testing happening in LIVE mode and so I wanted to cover a few things related to this phenomena.

First off, why you should not do your testing in live mode:

Making and testing changes within your reg site are infinitely harder once your site is live. So if you're sending stakeholders live sites to look at on their first pass (because there will always be changes after they look through it), it's going to make your job harder when it comes to updating.
If your stakeholder is not attending that specific meeting, they've now just registered for it. That means that they will show up on all of your reports moving forward. Even if you cancel them out, they'll still show up as a cancelled attendee forever.
The point I most like to drive home because many of your average users don't realize this, once you "test" in a live site, you're using up real registrations which cost your company money. Sure, your company probably has a great per-registration rate so it's probably "only" a few dollars here or there but over time you could save (or cost) your money hundreds of dollars (depending on how much you're testing in live mode, of course).

So then you're probably thinking "but how do I send a test to my stakeholder who is not a user in my account because I can only send tests to account users or test users???"

So glad you asked!

Here are a few ways to perform tests while still in test mode to appease your stakeholders:

Most obvious and easy, if they're an active user, send them a test. (I have to include this option)
Use the Weblink option. If your stakeholder(s) are not users so you cannot send the test directly to them, you can send yourself a test of an open weblink that you can forward along to whomever needs to test the site! {MAGIC!} You can either create links for the Website (Summary Page) or go right to the registration process (Identity Confirmation page), skipping the Summary Page all together. {Caveat: using this method, the person can only use the same email address one time. If they need to test it again, you'll want to cancel them in Invitees & Registrants so they can start a new test. No need to fully remove them if you don't want to but at least cancel them.}
If you're going to be inviting people via email from the system, you can go ahead and add your tester as a "real" invitee by doing Quick Add under Invitees & Registrants. You can choose whether to send them an email invitation right then and there or you can continue adding all your testers and manual send their invitation later on. This would give them the full registration experience from start to finish, as a real registrant would see it, but doesn't use up real registrations. Just a reminder, though, same as with #2, if your tester needs to test more than once you will need to cancel them before you send them their next test.

Please feel free to comment with any other suggestions, questions or how YOU like to test! Looking forward to connecting with you!

Do you have a burning question you'd like answered or a process outlined better for you? Maybe you have a tip you'd like to share with the world. Feel free to comment below or hit the Contact button to submit your ideas!

Comment below to join the conversation. Was this helpful? How do you do it? Can't wait to chat with you more!

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My Process for Building a Standard Cvent Site

8/27/2018

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In this article I am going to lay out the process I go through when building sites!

Like everything in Cvent, there is more than one way to do this process. This is how I prefer to do it. Please chime in and comment below with your process!

I always do the bulk of my site building while in Pending Status (the very first mode right after I Enable Online Registration). I keep my site in this mode until I've done basically everything I can do, up until testing.

ONCE I'M READY TO TEST, I move my site to Test Mode.
When working on many sites at once, this helps me to keep track of where I am in the overall process. Moving to test mode, to me, indicates that the site either has or will be going out to stakeholders for review. I've done everything I can do up until this point and now I await the stakeholder's changes! Any and all review and testing is always always ALWAYS done in test mode. Yes, 3 "always'" are necessary there because I've seen way too many people who don't do this and you're costing your company money by testing in a live environment (not to mention changes are that much more difficult if your site is live).

{More on the many ways you can test in a later TOOL - stay tuned!}

After getting ALL of the changes, and finally the "sign off" from the stakeholders and my planner (yes, you're my planner - that's how I will always refer to you!) we get ready to SEND! I ensure my lists are formatted properly (First Name, Last Name, Email Address in 3 separate columns, right?!), I usually do yet another once over of my site and my emails, THEN and only then will I hit the Launch button. At the very last second. Right before we send out invitations.

Why? Because there's usually another change that needs to be made. :)

Once we're 1,000,000% ready to actually send out invitations, THIS is when I will load my invitees into their specified Invitation Lists. I usually send myself the little email that says my list uploaded properly. Just because. Most of the time I don't even look at it but I still like to get that email and then delete it.

Then I send out my invitations!
Promotion & Communication > Event Emails > Select Correct Email List > Invitation > Manual Send > Click the Check Box at the Top of the List of Invitees (to Select All) > Ensure the Number of People the Warning Message Says It's Sending to is the Same Number You Uploaded > If All Looks Good, Press that Green SEND Button!

Do you have a burning question you'd like answered or a process outlined better for you? Maybe you have a tip you'd like to share? Feel free to comment below or hit the Contact button to submit your ideas!

Comment below to join the conversation. Was this helpful? How do you do it? Can't wait to chat with you more!

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