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Ideas on Designing a Club Web Site! | |||||
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Many thanks to JERRY WELTER, DTM - former D2 Webmaster - for this excellent article! We need to evaluate what makes a great club web site from two different perspectives: the prospective Toastmaster visitor, and the club member. As a visitor, I'm looking for two (2) big things: What's different about this club? and how do I find out more? If a prospective Toastmaster found their way to your site, they have probably found their way to other club sites, too, and are trying to decide which one to visit. So make your site more distinctive; make sure your web site reflects your unique club personality. Secondly, you want the web site visitor to actually become a meeting visitor. Make that transition easy: provide a map with simple directions. Be sure to suggest they come a few minutes early to meet the club. Suggest they call ahead so that that someone can be looking for them. (Of course, that means you need to include a contact name, email/phone, and make it easy to find.) Club members have different needs, including: What's happening?, and building community. Frankly, I did a web site for my own personal club because I wanted to find out when I was on the schedule. (I regret to say I lose my printed schedule with great regularity.) I find other members really like to have the schedule on-line, too. Visitors may not know what the various positions are, but they will see that things are happening every week, and that might interest them, too. One factor to help build retention is creating a feeling of community. District 2 Toastmaster Kanako Iwata-Eng says that "Friends don't let friends just leave Toastmasters." Put your club newsletter on-line on the club web site. Some clubs have a weekly email about what happened, and put it on the web site. Putting pictures of events helps stimulate good memories, and encourages participation in the next event. Just like any site, you need to keep it fresh to keep folks coming back. What else? All the usual: Links to your District and TI WHQ sites; Q&A; FAQ's; President's Welcome Message; a Guest Book; Promotions to up coming club, Area and District events; List your weekly winners; etc. In summary, whatever helps your club attract and keep members should be part of what makes your club web site great. |
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