Website Design & Development for Translators Association

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A chapter of the American Translators Association gets a major website revamp.

Who is MATI?

The Midwest Association of Translators and Interpreters (MATI), a chapter of the American Translators Association (ATA), was established in 2003 as a non-profit organization by and for translators and interpreters in the states of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, to promote the recognition and advancement of translation and interpretation as professions.

What was the problem?

MATI wanted to redesign their existing website because it was "atrocious in too many ways to count," said Susie Schweigert, a MATI Board Member. They decided to go with the Wild Apricot platform because of the functionality and flexibility it offers for membership organizations. They also wanted to take control of their website management, which Wild Apricot supports. But, they knew they needed help with the website design and development and looked for a Wild Apricot partner to work with. Webbright was their first pick, with its impressive portfolio of high-quality, professional websites.

"While they [Webbright] are not the cheapest, they looked the most professional," said Christina Green, MATI President. Green has been rebranding MATI since she took over the organization a few years ago. The website was a major marketing piece that needed a lot of attention. Webbright has the team, experience, and processes to make Wild Apricot customization an easy and pleasant experience. "We don't want a ’home-made’ design," Green said.

What did Webbright Offer?

1. Custom Wild Apricot template incorporating MATI’s new logo and branding
2. Membership level setup
3. Wild Apricot database customization (membership fields and contact fields setup)
4. Membership application setup
5. Member directory setup
6. Online payment integration
7. Custom domain name setup
8. Contact/database migration
9. Google Analytics integration
10. Training for MATI’s members

What are the results?

The new, and much improved, MATI website was launched after six weeks of smooth process of design and development. In addition to the design, Webbright re-created the member directory, where site visitors can search for translators and interpreters. The directory provides major value for MATI members as it gives them more visibility through the organization and an online presence to showcase their qualifications.

New features were added to the website, including a new blog, a member forum, a calendar, an online application with integrated credit card payment, and an email communication system.

"The blog will feature articles by local experts in translation and interpretation, and subject matter will include issues pertaining to the field in the form of explorations into language, methodology and technology, book reviews, biographies, notes on presenters and meeting summaries," said MATI Board. The new website should add more value to members, which should translate into more members for MATI.

Testimonial

"Thank you so much Lamees for such a pleasant experience. Working with you and your team has been a treat. Thanks for all the support and the patience. We are truly happy." -Christina Green, MATI President

Before and After Images

Bright Client: Patent Information User Group Inc.

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Background

The Patent Information Users Group Incorporated (PIUG) is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization for individuals having a professional, scientific or technical interest in patent information. The organization currently has about 700 members, and organizes about 3 annual conferences each year.  

Challenge

PIUG was looking to move their website from their existing association management provider into an independent platform that allows them to take control of their website and manage it in-house. PIUG has researched and decided on the Wild Apricot software for their website and membership managment functions. Being a volunteer-run organization, and with hundreds of pages to move, PIUG was looking for help in this process and chose Webbright as their Wild Apricot solution provider.

Solution & Results

Webbright, a Wild Apricot developer and solution provider, helped the Patent Information User Group Inc. (PIUG) move their website to the Wild Apricot platform within 2 months.

With more than 250 pages and 2000 contacts, this project took almost two months and countless hours to move all the pages and maintain the integrity of the website. In addition to moving the site to a new platform while keeping the same look-and-feel, Webbright helped PIUG create a Commercial Provider Directory (CPD): a listing of providers for the PIUG member community. The CPD is a new initiative championed by Tom Wolff, PIUG Board Member and long-time webmaster. Other new features added to the website include (1) a dynamic sponsor banner on the home page, (2) a public member directory, and (3) online event registration. Webbright also provided training and support to PIUG members to help them with their goal of "taking website control in their hands".

Service Listing

Webbright provided the following Wild Apricot services for PIUG:

• Design website template
• Setup custom domain name
• Setup Google search integration
• Setup custom member directories (private and public member directories, commercial provider directory)
• Setup website pages and move about content of about 250 pages
• Setup Wild Apricot database and membership levels
• Import contacts and verify integrity of data
• Setup Google Analytics and Webmaster tools
• Help with online payment integration
• Training and support

PIUG Home Page Before

PIUG Home Page After

Palmetto State Base Camp, Inc.

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Palmetto State Base Camp, Inc. is a non-profit organization that has been providing transitional residence and rehabilitation programs for homeless veterans in Columbia, South Carolina since 1992.  With a mission statement of “Veterans Helping Veterans, PSBCI is entirely composed of volunteers.

Jeff Hanson is the President and Co-Founder of PSBCI who, in addition to working with homeless veterans, also runs his own safety consulting business and is working to complete a Master’s degree, all while being father to two small children.  A veteran of Operations Desert Shield & Storm, Southern Watch, Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, Hanson is passionate about PSBCI and its veterans and committed to the success of the organization. 

Hanson first met Webbright at a fundraising event in February 2008.  During that meeting he expressed a desire to expand public awareness of PSBCI and garner greater support for its initiatives.  Hanson felt that a PSBC website would be the perfect tool to help the organization reach its goals and he made it clear that he wanted to make having a site a priority.

Challenge

After two unsuccessful attempts to create a professional online presence, Palmetto State Base Camp, Inc. remained without a website.  The organization needed an Internet home that would make it easy for potential volunteers and donors to learn about the organization.  Hanson explains, “Our biggest challenge in the past had been trying to find somebody who would take the time to understand the issue and get us a site to suit our needs.”

PSBCI wanted a place to house information about their history and accomplishments and share it with the world.  Information that was recorded on loose paper and newspaper clippings could be collected and organized online.

Most importantly, PSBCI needed to have a place where both long-time contributors and new supporters could easily and safely give to fundraising campaigns. 
Research has shown that most people research a charity online before deciding to make a donation and that a growing number of people are now donating online.  With a website in place, PSBCI would be able to connect with supporters and inspire donations.

Research has shown that most people research a charity online before deciding to make a donation and that a growing number of people are now donating online.  With a website in place, PSBCI would be able to connect with supporters and inspire donations.

Solution

Webbright Consulting provided PSBCI with a full suite of services and created a professional quality website that would meet all of its needs.
We listened to Hanson’s vision and worked closely with him to design the site template, develop site pages and create content.  We then integrated online marketing tools in order to ensure that the PSBCI website would be as effective as possible.
“(Webbright) really took on our project and ran with it,” says Hanson.  “We’ve never had anybody come in with so much enthusiasm and make so much happen so fast.”

Featured Services

Webbright provided Palmetto State Base Camp, Inc. with the following comprehensive services:

	Website Design and Development Webbright began the website development process by working with PSBCI to identify specific goals and target audiences.  PSBCI decided that their primary goal was to have the ability to use their website to gain more visibility for its organization, recruit volunteers and collect donations online. After researching several options for creating PSBCI’s website, including third-party systems, Webbright Consulting decided the best choice would be to build the website from scratch.  By using top web design technologies such as Adobe Dreamweaver CS3, CSS, Spry Accordion Widget, Adobe Photoshop CS3, and CoffeeCup Web Form Builder, we were able to create a unique PSBCI website that met all its goals. To establish the “look and feel” of the site and give visitors visual cues of PSBCI’s mission, we designed a patriotic theme of red, white and blue colors integrated with images of both soldiers and homelessness.
	Domain Registration and Website Hosting Part of its comprehensive Web services, Webbright provided domain name registration and website hosting to PSBCI including email accounts for the organization’s staff.
	Copywriting  Despite a 16-year history, PSBCI did not have a written profile of its organization nor the resources to create one.  Most of its accomplishments were only recorded in newspaper articles. To create site content we interviewed Jeff Hanson, used articles from newspapers, and researched online resources on veterans and homelessness.   Using this information, we were able to develop content for a comprehensive website that can reach targeted audiences and educate online visitors.
	Online Marketing Designing the website and having it live was just phase one.  Webbright understands that having a visually appealing website does not mean people will look at it.  The key is to make sure they can find it!   Webbright developed and implemented an online marketing strategy for PSBCI that included the following: Email Marketing – Email marketing is a very effective way to direct people to a website. In addition, research shows that many charity supporters are interested in receiving emails from organizations they support.  Webbright integrated email signup with the website to capture supports and establish a contact list. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - Search engines (such as Google and Yahoo) are another way for visitors to find a website.  Webbright optimized the site content and established some backlinks to increase PSBC’s visibility in search engines. Social media - This is the old “word-of-mouth” strategy with a modern twist!  Webbright Consulting added a social media button (Add This) that allows site visitors to spread the word about the website through social media channels such as My Space, Del.icio.us, and Digg.
	Google Analytics Integration In order to evaluate the site performance, Webbright integrated Google Analytics with the website to track site traffic, sources, and more.  The statistics available from this tool will allow PSBCI to determine how successful outreach campaigns have been in generating traffic to the site.  A wealth of information can be generated including which keywords are directing traffic to the site, how many visitors are landing on the site and which pages on the site are generating the most interest.  All of this is information that can be utilized in enhancing the site and developing additional methods to reach target audiences.
	Online Donation Enabling One of the most important goals of this project was to simplify the donation process by enabling givers to make online donations with a credit card.  In order for this to work, the online donation process needed to be quick and simple for the donor, and affordable and convenient for PSBC to implement. Webbright Consulting researched different online donation options before recommending Network for Good.   Network for Good is a non-profit company that facilitates the online donation process and has the added service of matching donors and volunteers with charities.  They offer a Basic DonateNow option that is free to setup. Network for Good collects a percentage of the donation to cover credit card fees; they process the transaction and either a check is mailed to the charity or the fund is electronically transferred to its bank. In addition to meeting one of its most important goals, partnering with Network for Good makes a good choice as it will give PSBCI more visibility and connect it with potential donors and volunteers.
	Video Production and Integration Story telling is another great way to connect with site visitors, and video is a great way to tell a story. Webbright partnered with Hobgood Productions to produce a video featuring several PSBCI participants and their stories.  This sub-project required multiple visits to the veterans’ home to plan the video then shoot the interviews.  The end result was a powerful piece that allows those who benefit from PSBCI’s to share their experiences in their own words.  Online visitors are able to immediately understand the importance of PSBCI’s role in the communities it serves and see for themselves how their support for the organization can make a difference.
	Blogging Integration Webbright created a new WordPress blog where PSBC can post their news and accomplishments as well as share links to resources on veterans and homelessness.

Results

The new PSBCI website was an immediate success. It was featured in SCIway (South Carolina Internet Highway) newsletter as one of “September’s Top Ten – Notable SC Websites”. 

With great enthusiasm, Hanson wasted no time in directing people to the site with emails.  “I love being able to send people to the site so they can learn more about the Base Camp and what we do,” he says.

In addition to emails and SCIway, unsolicited visitors began finding their way to the site through search engines in a matter of weeks.  “We had two students from [the University of South Carolina] contact us and express interest in volunteering and the site hadn’t even been up a whole month.”

Now that PSBCI has an online presence and a way to share their mission with the world, Hanson is looking forward to his organization having a long successful future. Webbright is proud to have provided such an important service to such a worthy cause.  By paying close attention to the client’s needs and providing a total web service package, we were able to ensure that Palmetto State Base Camp, Inc. had a high quality, professional website that will be an invaluable tool for many years to come.

Richland Sertoma Club

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How Webbright is Helping AAECE with Its Early Childhood Education Mission

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Introduction

The Arabian Association for Early Childhood Education (AAECE) is a one-of-a-kind, non-profit association connecting parents, professionals and policy makers of early childhood education in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East.

When AAECE first contacted us in the summer of 2010 to help them with a membership and marketing solution for their very young organization, we were thrilled to jump on the opportunity.

“Currently, in the Middle East, everyone is concerned with early childhood work in their own little island, with very little sharing of information and collaboration. We were looking for an online solution that would help us create the link and bring parents, professionals and policy makers together under one umbrella.  But because our business idea is all very new, we didn’t know exactly how we would grow, or what features we would need online,” - Mrs. Samia Kazi, AAECE Founder and Managing Director of Arabian Child Daycare.

Background

Mrs. Kazi and her team knew about Wild Apricot, a membership management and event registration software, and wanted to use it for their association. They needed someone with the technical skills and experience to help them setup and customize Wild Apricot to provide the online solution they needed.

“When Mrs. Kazi first contacted us back in June of 2010, she wanted to create AAECE as the first Emirati organization dedicated to improving early childhood education for all children in the UAE, through consultation, services, and training,” said Lamees Abourahma, Webbright Founder and President.  “I was very impressed with Samia’s vision and very eager to help her achieve this mission through a Wild Apricot website.”

The Solution

We designed a custom website theme that incorporated AAECE unique characteristics, and setup Wild Apricot to provide the functionality they needed. “Webbright was very understanding of our situation, and flexible, and so was the wild apricot application,” said Mrs. Kazi.

We used the Wild Apricot membership management functionality to automate AAECE membership application and renewal processes and enable online payment for members. This usually requires setting up membership levels and membership fields specific for the organization. AAECE wanted their member directory to be private and we were able to achieve this with Wild Apricot’s restricted access feature.

Another process that we automated for AAECE was their Training Network. Mrs. Kazi wanted to share a listing of childhood education providers in the Middle East on her website. Instead of manually collecting and presenting this data on the website, we used Wild Apricot membership management system to capture providers’ information and present them using Wild Apricot member directory.

AAECE wanted a member-only section on the website that included a member forum, job postings, and a library of childhood education resources. We were able to create all these dynamic features for the website using Wild Apricot functions. 

We continue to work with AAECE on improving their website and implementing more features. “We are currently expanding the website based on feedback from our members,” said Mrs. Kazi.  Some new features AAECE likes to add to their website include “an online store where [we] could sell child related journals, publications, etc.,  and the ability for members to store their payment method so they can come back anytime, and pay for other events or purchases with great ease”.

When asked about her favorite features of the Wild Apricot website, Mrs. Kazi said she likes “the easy online registration for the events, quick page editing features, and simple member configurations.”  Our membership solution provided many benefits for AAECE. However, the main issue AAECE has with their website was not being able to accept AED currency with online payments.

Lamees: “Wild Apricot enables online payment by integrating with PayPal and other credit processing services. Unfortunately, PayPal [and all other processing services] does not currently support the AED currency. Our recommendation to AAECE was to accept USD with online payments and offer members the option of paying with AED with manual payments. We hope PayPal will add AED to their list of accepted currencies so AAECE can overcome this limitation.”

We also asked Mrs. Kazi about her experience working with the Webbright team and any thoughts she had regarding her experience with us. She said, “Excellent! They are a trustworthy team and that is hard to find. They are experts at what they do and are dedicated to their work and put in the extra mile to get the job done right. I look forward to more new features from Wild Apricot, and I will definitely continue to work with my Webbright team.”

Conclusion

Webbright is very honored and delighted to be working with Mrs. Kazi and her AAECE team to deliver its mission of providing an early childhood community in the Middle East.

Currently, our team is working on creating an Arabic version of the AAECE’s website using Wild Apricot, and continue helping with additional website updates and improvements.