=== Lead Capture Chat ===
Contributors:      nitspatel
Tags:              lead generation, chat widget, contact form, leads, floating widget
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to:      6.9
Requires PHP:      7.4
Stable tag:        2.3.0
License:           GPLv2 or later
License URI:       https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

A beautiful floating chat widget for WordPress. Collect visitor leads, manage them in your dashboard, and export to CSV - all without a SaaS dependency.

== Description ==

Lead Capture Chat adds a polished, animated floating chat widget to your WordPress site. It captures every visitor's name, email, phone, and message, then stores each lead directly inside your WordPress admin.

No third-party services. No monthly SaaS fees. No data leaves your server.

🚀 **[Live Demo & PRO Features Preview](https://leadcapturechat.netlify.app/)**
🎥 **[Watch the PRO Demo Video](https://www.awesomescreenshot.com/video/52257987?key=f8ea1c56911033d0146356b861a427d4)**
🔥 **[Upgrade to WP LeadChat Pro](https://checkout.freemius.com/plugin/29207/plan/48049/)**

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= ✅ Free Features =

* **Floating chat widget** - animated slide-up popup triggered by a fixed button in the corner of every page
* **Inline shortcode** - embed the form anywhere with `[npleadchat]`
* **Leads dashboard** - view, search, sort, and manage all leads from WP Admin → NP Lead chatbot
* **Bulk actions** - select and delete multiple leads at once
* **Search & sort** - find leads by name, email, phone, or message; sort by name or date
* **Client-side validation** - instant feedback before form submission
* **CSV Export** - download all leads as a CSV file directly from the admin dashboard
* **REST API powered** - built on the WordPress REST API with nonce verification
* **GDPR-friendly** - all data stored locally in your own database; no external services

---

= ⚡ Why Upgrade to WP LeadChat Pro? =

WP LeadChat Pro turns your simple floating widget into a complete lead generation system for freelancers, agencies, WooCommerce stores, and SaaS landing pages.

**Lead Capture**

* Unlimited leads - no monthly cap
* Custom Field Builder - Text, Email, Phone, Dropdown, Checkbox, Textarea
* Drag-and-drop field reordering
* Live admin preview while editing settings

**Email Automation**

* Instant admin notifications on every new lead
* Automatic visitor auto-replies
* Template tag support (name, email, message, etc.)
* Custom sender identity

**Spam Protection**

* Honeypot anti-spam field
* Google reCAPTCHA v3 support

**Appearance & Branding**

* Full colour picker controls
* Widget position - left or right
* Adjustable widget width
* Custom profile image/logo upload
* Editable welcome text and branding

**Plans start at just $3/month · 7-day free trial · 14-day money-back guarantee**

🔥 **[Upgrade to WP LeadChat Pro →](https://checkout.freemius.com/plugin/29207/plan/48049/)**

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= Perfect For =

* Freelancers and consultants
* Agencies
* Small businesses and service providers
* Coaches
* WooCommerce stores
* SaaS landing pages
* Lead generation websites

---

= How It Works =

1. A visitor clicks the floating chat button on your site
2. A smooth animated pop-up appears
3. The visitor fills in their details and submits
4. The lead is saved instantly in your WordPress database
5. You manage all leads from WP Admin → NP Lead Chatbot

---

= Shortcode =

Use `[npleadchat]` to embed the form inline anywhere - pages, posts, or widget areas.

---

= Privacy & GDPR =

This plugin stores lead data only in your own WordPress database. No external API calls are made. No third-party tracking. No SaaS dependency.

---

== Installation ==

= Automatic Installation =

1. Go to **Plugins → Add New**
2. Search for **Lead Capture Chat**
3. Click **Install Now**, then **Activate**

= Manual Installation =

1. Download the ZIP file from WordPress.org
2. Go to **Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin**
3. Upload the ZIP file and click **Activate Plugin**

= After Activation =

* The floating widget appears automatically on all pages
* View captured leads at **WP Admin → NP Lead Chatbot**
* Use `[npleadchat]` for an inline embed
* Visit **WP Admin → NP Lead Chatbot → Upgrade to PRO** to unlock advanced features

---

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Does this plugin work with any WordPress theme? =

Yes. It works with Elementor, Divi, Gutenberg, WooCommerce, and all modern WordPress themes.

= Where are leads stored? =

All leads are stored locally inside your WordPress database. No external servers, APIs, or SaaS services are involved.

= Can I embed the form on pages or posts? =

Yes. Use the shortcode `[npleadchat]` anywhere you want an inline form.

= Can I customise the widget design? =

Basic CSS customisation is possible in the free version. Full colour, branding, and layout controls are available in WP LeadChat Pro.

= Can I add custom fields? =

Yes. WP LeadChat Pro includes a drag-and-drop Custom Field Builder supporting text, email, phone, dropdown, checkbox, and textarea fields.

= Does it support email notifications? =

Admin notifications and visitor auto-replies are included in WP LeadChat Pro.

= Is spam protection included? =

WP LeadChat Pro includes Honeypot and Google reCAPTCHA v3 protection.

= Will my existing free leads transfer to PRO? =

Yes. Existing leads are automatically detected and available in PRO - no data migration needed.

= Does this plugin slow down my website? =

No. Assets are only loaded where needed and fonts are bundled locally (no Google Fonts external request).

= Is this plugin GDPR compliant? =

The plugin makes no external requests and stores all data locally. GDPR compliance ultimately depends on how you handle the collected lead data on your site.

= What happens when I uninstall the plugin? =

The plugin removes its custom database table on uninstall to keep your database clean.

= What is WP LeadChat Pro? =

WP LeadChat Pro is the premium version that unlocks unlimited leads, custom fields, email automation, spam protection, full appearance customisation, live admin preview, and priority support.

🔥 **[Learn more & upgrade →](https://checkout.freemius.com/plugin/29207/plan/48049/)**

---

== Screenshots ==

1. The floating chat widget - gradient header, avatar, animated popup, modern form fields, and a success message
2. Leads dashboard - view, search, sort, and bulk-delete all captured leads inside WP Admin
3. **PRO: Settings panel with live preview** - colour pickers, avatar upload, field toggles, and a real-time live preview sidebar
4. **PRO: Custom Field Builder** - drag-and-drop fields with type selectors (Text, Dropdown, Checkbox, and more) and required-field toggles

---

== Changelog ==

= 2.3.0 =
* Added: In-admin Upgrade to PRO page (WP Admin → NP Lead Chatbot → Upgrade to PRO) with feature list, Free vs PRO comparison table, and live preview link
* Added: Dismissible admin notice promoting PRO features - permanently dismissible per user with a single click
* Improved: Upsell code is fully i18n-ready, uses proper escaping throughout, and follows WordPress coding standards
* Improved: PRO upsell is automatically disabled when the PRO version is active (no duplicate notices)
* Updated: Version bumped to 2.3.0

= 2.2.3 =
* Added PRO landing page links
* Improved upgrade CTAs
* Added comparison table
* Enhanced PRO promotion inside the readme

= 2.2.2 =
* Added demo video link for PRO plugin
* Minor readme content changes

= 2.2.1 =
* Removed accidentally committed readme backup file
* Minor readme changes

= 2.2.0 =
* Added: Pro upsell section in plugin description
* Added: New FAQ entries explaining Pro features and how to upgrade
* Fixed: FAQ entry for colour customisation now correctly points to Pro

= 2.1.1 =
* Description update only - no functionality changes

= 2.1.0 =
* Plugin renamed from NP Lead Chatbot to Lead Capture Chat for clarity and better searchability
* Updated banner and plugin icon assets
* No database or functionality changes - safe to upgrade

= 2.0.0 =
* Complete UI redesign - gradient header, DM Sans font (bundled locally), animated popup, modern inputs
* Added floating button toggle animation (chat icon ↔ close icon)
* Added slide-up open / scale-down close popup animation
* Added loading spinner on submit button during form submission
* Added styled success and error response messages with icons
* Added Escape key and outside-click to close the popup
* Added ARIA labels and roles for full accessibility
* Replaced Google Fonts external request with locally bundled woff2 font files
* Refactored frontend PHP - shared form field helper, proper label elements, autocomplete attributes
* Improved inline validation - error state clears as user types
* Added `[npleadchat]` inline embed with its own gradient header

= 1.2.0 =
* Added Export Leads (CSV) feature in the admin panel
* Improved admin UI
* Minor performance improvements

= 1.1.0 =
* Added bulk actions support in admin lead listing
* Added search functionality
* Added column sorting
* Improved UI and performance

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release with lead capture form and admin dashboard

---

== Upgrade Notice ==

= 2.3.0 =
Adds an in-admin PRO upgrade page and a dismissible admin notice. No database changes - safe to upgrade.

= 2.2.3 =
Improved upgrade CTAs and added comparison table. Safe to upgrade.

= 2.2.0 =
Adds Pro upsell information. No database or functionality changes. Safe to upgrade.

= 2.1.0 =
Plugin renamed to Lead Capture Chat. No database or functionality changes - safe to upgrade.

= 2.0.0 =
Major UI redesign. No database changes - safe to upgrade.

= 1.2.0 =
Adds CSV export for leads. Safe to upgrade.
