Wondering how to generate interest for your asociation's community after launch?

The Florida Association of Insurance Agents has been successful in moving their membership to an online culture. Paul Peeples, VP of Information & Technology at FAIA said it took a while, but persistence paid off.

"We tell our members: "This is our culture, this is what our organization is going to look like in the future. Everyone who is to be employed at FAIA has to use the online tools to perform at their job. Everything we do goes back to the community, or all information will become silos."

At FAIA, any agent who is asked a question, in email or on the phone, is asked to post the question in an online Forum. That way, Paul says, people can search in an organized fashion for answers, before sending their agent a question. Paul says FAIA has trained their organization to direct customers and other agents to the forums with links to the question or comment in emails, instead of using email to answer the questions directly.

 Paul suggests these tips in attracting readers to your blog posts:

• Use juicy blog topics to populate your newsletters. "Just because people are not commenting on a blog post, does not mean that people are not reading." You can track web statistics to see which posts are popular, and who are the prolific posters.
  

• "Don't get discouraged!" It takes time to generate interest.

• Allow choice members to be administrators. 16,000 of our members can't all start blogs!

• Get buy-in from everyone in your organization before launching a blog.

• Get early adaptors on board to populate and drive conversation. Pay attention to what active members are posting.

• Create microlists; have members sign up for specific topics. This becomes self-organizing. From these blog posts, you can generate newsletter topics. It makes the newsletters in email form more interesting and draws people back into the online communities.

• Hold a contest asking new members to put up profiles by the end of the month. Everyone who enters, receives a pre-paid Starbucks card.

• If you're an administrator, find the bios and member profile photos in your organization,put up their profiles for them, and send emails to all your constituents to see their new presence online. Members who wanted to change their photos or bio appreciate this, as it means less work for them. Members can now edit their profiles, instead of start from scratch.

• Ask fun, personal questions in each profile: What's on your ipod, what book are you currently reading, what would your fantasy job be if you weren't working at your association?
  

Have members in your network who are 45-and-up and are not yet comfortable participating in your online community?

Here's a tip from one of our clients:

In order to make the virtually shy 45-and-up administrators feel more at-ease in, try creating a step-by-step paper brochures and mail or hand them out in person. Your hook on the paper brochure could include where in the online FAQ section, they can go to find content help. Use your brochure to create an FAQ section.

Then, call every administrator by phone, and share tips with them on how to promote events. You can cover how to write, post and place the event on community calendar in less than 15 minutes. This plan has been a proven, surefire way to generate a lot of interest, and put content on your association's site, with few glitches!

Have other tips to share?

It would be every administrator's fantasy to be able to push a button and create a successful online community. 

In reality, implementing this paradigm-shifting technology in the corporate world is a new challenge. One size does not fit all, because each company has different reasons for implementing online community, and must accommodate different business processes.

In a webinar with Abby Shaw, from the Web Management division of Fireman's Fund Insurance, we discussed what has driven the success of these knowledge management tools in the corporate environment, and what has caused their failures. This webinar emphasizd the need to:

• Focus on what the community will contribute
• Set appropriate expectations
• Avoid common points of failure
• Identify required elements

Want to learn how companies are successfully using Web 2.0 online community and social networking tools to facilitate knowledge management?

This webinar will focus on the benefits to the enterprise of social networking systems that:

• Improve work quality
• Preserve informal knowledge; access internal expertise
• Reduce legal exposure

• What Web 2.0 tools make sense for the enterprise?
• What are special implementation issues for new tools in the enterprise?
• How do social networks affect corporate performance?

Do you the best strategies and tactics to start and grow your online community?

Growing a thriving and lively community is part art, and part science. In this PowerPoint (which I  present as a webinar), we dissect the science of it, giving you real, tangible tips to take back to your office and start using immediately.

You'll learn how to exploit your existing organizational resources, as well as how to bring people in to your community from the outside.

Download this great organizing tool for your online community at our "Resources" section of golightly.com.

As Advanced Solutions International's partner, GoLightly is preparing to roll out a big welcome when we exhibit at ASI's iNNOVATIONS conference & trade show!

Advanced Solutions International is the largest global provider of web-based software for member and donor-based non-profits, serving 3000 customers and millions of users worldwide. GoLightly is ASI's chosen iMIS technology partner.

If you're planning on saddeling up to one of the biggest iMIS conferences in the industry, come by the GoLightly booth and learn how your association can buck the social networking trends, and wrangle your constituents.

I'm really looking forward to presenting GoLightly's robust new features in Vancouver, Canada for the NiUG users' group on April 16. If you are a NiUG member, and are in the area, please contact them to save a seat for an in-person demo.

Michele Morgan, Executive Director of NiUG says this about our partnership:

NTEN has championed GoLightly for almost a decade. As a is a partner and customer of GoLightly, we've learned a lot about how a technology organization successfully manages their social networking.

You won't want to miss their upcoming conference April 8-10 at  Atlanta's CNN Center where  NTEN and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits will come together to provide a meeting ground to draw on the expertise and commitment of the nonprofit community.

And while you're there, come visit the GoLightly booth

Check http://www.nten.org/ntc for more conference details.

Holly Ross, Executive Director of NTEN says with GoLightly, the NTEN organization has grown by over 70%: 

Our members are more active and require very little added staff time. GoLightly is straight-forward to administer, and easy for users to navigate. What a great next step from generic email discussion lists... and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Did you know CalSAE is a partner and customer of GoLightly's? Learn how they are transforming their organization using Social Networking for iMIS - powered by GoLightly!

Elevate 2010 will be held April 12-14th in Long Beach, CA.

GoLightly 'gets' it. We are in good hands with GoLightly because of their focus on associations. And unlike Facebook and Twitter, our private social network lets our members interact without feeling exposed to the general public. For us, it is a priceless member benefit. – Shelly Alcorn, CAE, VP of Education & Development

 

 

 

View CalSAE's website for more info . 

GoLightly Exhibiting At NTC Science Fair in Atlanta, April 2010

NTEN and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits will come together to provide a meeting ground to draw on the expertise and commitment of the nonprofit community at The Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, GA. These annual NTEN conferences are notorious for selling out, so you may want to register soon.

Here are some of the breakout sessions we recommend:

Advocacy 2.010: In 2008, New Media became a potent force for change in politics and advocacy. Today, every campaign – whether a candidate, issue, or fundraising – has a New Media component.

Beyond Traditional Fundraising: Utilizing the Web and Social Networks to Secure Donors: The most coveted donors are spending their time on social networks like MySpace and Facebook, and tweeting about the causes that matter to them most. Whether an organization is just setting up a Web site for the first time, and has limited resources, or is looking for more advanced opportunities this session will benefit nonprofits at all stages.

Another case study to consider:Golightly empowers NTEN's member community. Holly Ross Executive Director says,"Our membership has grown by over 70% by using GoLighly's platform. Our members are more active and require very little added staff time. GoLightly is straight-forward to administer, and easy for users to navigate. What a great next step from generic email discussion lists... and that's just the tip of the iceberg."

While you're there, come by and visit the GoLightly booth.

Check http://www.nten.org/ntc for more conference details or Contact us.

NiUG International to Launch Social Networking Tool for Members

East Stroudsburg, PA – (January 22, 2009) - Today NIUG International announced they have signed a contract with GoLightly, Inc. to launch Social Networking for iMIS, a fully integrated, online community platform for NiUG members. According to NiUG president, Paul Peeples, "we couldn't be more pleased about partnering with GoLightly to bring our members the latest in iMIS Social Networking tools. Members who currently enjoy the benefits of the NiUG Listserve are going to be 'stoked' about this advanced collaboration and communications tool."

Features NiUG members can look forward to include participant created groups and listservs, shared resource libraries, wiki notepads, the ability to find participants with similar interests or concerns, plus personal and group blogs that give members an online voice to express themselves. The group hopes to launch the new social networking site in late May and is right now looking for users who would be willing to serve as an active member on the social networking implementation task force it is developing to assist in the role out and implementation of this new benefit. If you are willing to volunteer your time for this worthy project, please contact Michele Morgan at (866) 301-6484 or go online to www.niug.org and fill out the "Get Connected" online form developed for online submission for those willing to volunteer.

"We are excited about showcasing the new integration and the power of Social Networking for iMIS for all NiUG members to see", says GoLightly president, Sarah GoLightly. "What a great time to be a part of the iMIS user community."

In the fall of 2008, NiUG organized a task force to review three Social Networking tools that integrated with iMIS. After an extensive review and demo trial period, Social Networking for iMIS developed by GoLightly was selected as the tool that best met NiUG's needs. Task Force chairman, Steve Wooten, commented that "the committee was impressed with each of the social networking programs we reviewed. We were amazed at the depth of features these new Web 2.0 software tools offer. They bring a whole new definition to the term networking for associations."

About NiUG International

NiUG International is the largest independent, not-for-profit, volunteer run iMIS user's group. NiUG started as a grass roots, regional effort in the mid-90s. NiUG's core purpose remains to advocate, educate, and connect iMIS users, even as we have grown over the years into an international organization. NiUG holds iMIS user conferences throughout the United States, Canada and Australia each year to educate iMIS users on the functionality and capabilities of the iMIS product. The key to this growth and to the stability of NiUG is the input from our membership base and the leadership of our volunteer board of directors.
To learn more visit www.niug.org.

About GoLightly

GoLightly is a leader in delivering effective and easy-to-use social networking solutions for membership organizations. We provide superior technology and service to ensure that associations are successful with our social networking solutions. GoLightly's services, which include integrated groups, email lists, forums, libraries, blogs, calendars, member directories and wikis, help associations and acquire and retain members, and extend the effectiveness of their conferences and meetings. The GoLightly platform also enables organizations to utilize and manage employees' knowledge more efficiently and securely, and build brand loyalty through customer communities. GoLightly-powered community sites, branded as the client's own, can stand alone or be integrated with an organizations' existing software and database systems.

GoLightly is based in Mill Valley, California, in The San Francisco Bay Area, and offers social networking software and services worldwide. For more information, contact sales@golightly.com

ALEXANDRIA, VA, (August 19, 2008) - Advanced Solutions International (ASI), the leading global provider of web-based solutions for associations and non-profits, today announced a partnership with GoLightly, Inc., a leader in Web 2.0 software, to launch Social Networking for iMIS, a fully integrated, online community platform containing advanced collaboration and communications capabilities. The new solution enables not-for-profit organizations to create online communities, giving members, donors and other constituents the ability to deepen their interactions with fellow participants and the organization itself.

By fostering powerful real-time communications and collaboration with Social Networking for iMIS, organizations can garner and apply constituent feedback, boost participant retention and acquisition, appeal to younger audiences, and extend the value and reach of conferences and meetings. The new tool integrates fully with iMIS, so information within existing databases can be easily retrieved and shared. Through the partnership, existing GoLightly customers can also integrate seamlessly with the iMIS platform.

Social Media Tool Set
Not-for-profits have a driving need to mobilize their constituents and strengthen their organizations. Online communities are proving to be an effective mechanism, providing innovative ways for members, donors and other constituents to connect and work together. A robust suite of Web 2.0 tools to unleash the power of the community, Social Networking for iMIS includes:

• Groups and Listservs - Participants can easily create, categorize and lead workgroups or interest groups, and as well as use group email lists, resource libraries and wiki notepads.
  
  
• Tagging and Tag Clouds - Tagging allows individuals to highlight and search for community content.
  
  
• Social Networking and Network Visibility - Organizations can give users the ability to find participants with similar interests or concerns, and effectively network within the not-for-profit environment.
  
  
• Personal and Group Blogs - The feature provides community participants with an online voice to express themselves, deliver feedback and communicate about relevant issues.
  
  
• Bulletin Boards/Forums - Users can support each other by providing a place for answers to common questions on a wide variety of topics, as well as tapping the knowledge, expertise and ideas of the whole community.
  
  
• Library, including Photos and Videos - Shared libraries enable the community with a space to upload and easily find and download files, links, photos, stories, book reviews, etc. Users can rate library items and browse the latest submissions. Store and make available for download training, informational or other videos relevant to community participants.
  
  

The new solution can be used and administered easily over the web, and also features the ability to brand your community site to look like it's part of your website, advanced search, archived email, a wide variety of configuration capabilities, security, administrative reporting tools and single sign on integration.

About ASI

About GoLightly

GoLightly is a leader in delivering effective and easy-to-use social networking solutions for membership organizations. We provide superior technology and service to ensure that associations are successful with our social networking solutions. GoLightly's services, which include integrated groups, email lists, forums, libraries, blogs, member directories and wikis, help associations and acquire and retain members, and extend the effectiveness of their conferences and meetings. The GoLightly platform also enables organizations to utilize and manage employees' knowledge more efficiently and securely, and build brand loyalty through customer communities. GoLightly-powered community sites, branded as the client's own, can stand alone or be integrated with an organizations' existing software and database systems.

GoLightly is based in Mill Valley, California, in The San Francisco Bay Area, and offers community software and services worldwide. For more information, contact us at sales@golightly.com

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, April 10, 2008 -- GoLightly, Inc., a market leader in delivering effective and easy-to-use Web 2.0 social networking and online community software solutions for membership organizations, is pleased to announce a number of industry-leading organizations addressing healthcare issues have become GoLightly customers. These market leaders have turned to enterprise-level online networks powered by GoLightly, because of the importance of many-to-many connections combined with the privacy needs surrounding healthcare issues.

The National Council on Aging helps older people remain healthy and independent, find jobs, increase access to benefits programs, and discover meaningful ways to continue contributing to society. "We launched the MyRespectability.org continuous learning community to increase the effectiveness of our partner network and committees. Based upon the success of that community, we decided to leverage GoLightly as our internal employee community and plan on launching several more over the next few months. The response has been overwhelmingly positive as we continue to engage our constituents, employees and partners throughout the country." Stuart Spector, Senior Vice President, NCOA.

The Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation serves thousands of families raising children diagnosed with, or at risk for, pediatric bipolar disorder. "Online parent-to-parent support is a key part of our mission to improve the lives of families raising children and teens living with bipolar disorder and related conditions. GoLightly is critical to our ability to provide that support," says Nanci Schiman, CABF.

Other healthcare organizations that have chosen GoLightly include the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD--the professional association run by and for professionals who support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities), and St. Luke's Health Initiative (a public foundation addressing Arizona health futures, community grants, medical assistance, and supporting affiliate organizations).

About GoLightly:

GoLightly is a leader in delivering effective and easy-to-use social networking solutions for membership organizations. We provide superior technology and service to ensure that associations are successful with social networking solutions. GoLightly's services, which include integrated groups, email lists, forums, libraries, blogs, calendars, member directories, and wikis, help associations and acquire and retain members, and extend the effectiveness of their conferences and meetings. The GoLightly platform also enables organizations to utilize and manage employees' knowledge more efficiently and securely, and build brand loyalty through customer communities. GoLightly-powered community sites, branded as the client's own, can stand alone or be integrated with an organizations' existing software and database systems.

GoLightly is based in Mill Valley, California, in The San Francisco Bay Area, and offers social networking software and services worldwide. For more information, visit contact sales@golightly.com