How can I use an image or text link to have my visitors initiate a chat? I use the standard buttons on other areas of my web page and would like to use something different on other areas of my site or in an email.

Are you just using a static image or icon, one that does not change to reflect your online or offline status?

Follow these steps.
1. For an image on a web page or anyplace else insert your image into your document like normal.
2. Get your html for your chat button from the Velaro control panel. Navigate to Deploy -> Live help buttons in the control panel.
3. You will need to edit the html presented. Copy it all to a blank document such as Notepad.
4. Edit the html till you get a link that looks similar to the following.

http://service.velaro.com/visitor/requestchat.aspx?siteid=XXXX&showwhen=inqueue" target="VelaroChat"  onClick="this.newWindow = window.open('http://service.velaro.com/visitor/requestchat.aspx?siteid=XXXX&showwhen=inqueue', 'VelaroChat', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,menubar=no,status=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,replace=no');this.newWindow.focus();this.newWindow.opener=window;return false

In the above example replace the "XXXX" with your own site ID.

5. Most applications (i.e.web editors, Frontpage, Dreamweaver, Expression Web, Word, etc.) will allow you to right click on the image and add a hyperlink.
6. Copy and paste the edited html in the area provided in your editor.
7. Save your work and publish.

When your visitor clicks on the image it will open a chat with one of your agents that is signed in and available for chat.

If you would like to direct the chat to a specific department that you have setup in your account, (i.e. Sales, Support, etc.) you will need to add the following parameter "&deptid=XXXX" to the html.

1. Obtain your html for chat the same as above but also select the department in the control panel on the deploy page.
2. The html will re-generate with the department ID in it.
3. Copy and paste this into a blank document such as Notepad.
4. Edit the html until you  have a link similar to the following.

http://service.velaro.com/visitor/requestchat.aspx?siteid=XXXX&showwhen=inqueue&deptid=XXXX"target="VelaroChat"onClick="this.newWindow=window.open('http://service.velaro.com/visitor/requestchat.aspx?siteid=XXXX&showwhen=inqueue&deptid=XXXX','VelaroChat','toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,menubar=no,status=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,replace=no');this.newWindow.focus();this.newWindow.opener=window;return false 

In the above example replace the XXXX with your site ID and the XXXX with the department ID for your specific department.

Repeat steps 5, 6,and 7 above.

Instead of using an image or icon in your webpage or email you can also use a text link.

1. In your editor (i.e. Word, Dreamweaver, Frontpage, Web Expression etc.) highlight the etc you wish to use as a kink to initiate a chat. Example "Click here to chat now"
2. Follow the steps above just as if you were going to use a static image. The only difference is that you will be using text instead of an image.
3. Save your work.

You can use the above method to place a link in a webpage, email document, email signature, etc.

Want to direct the chat to a specific agent? Then select the agent name instead of the department when you grab the html for the chat button in the control panel. The parameter "&userid=XXXXXXX" will be placed in the html instead of "&deptidXXXX"
Using the html for a chat directed to a specific agent is useful in email signatures if you would like the people you send an email to to initiate a chat with a specific agent.

PLEASE NOTE:
Using this method will not allow your visitors to see if your are either online or offline, if you are not signed in to take chats, the person clicking the link will be directed to the "No One Available" form you have designated.

You may also use the above guidelines for the Click to Call function. Use the html generated for Click to Call instead of Click to chat.