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- We've been updating the User Group database, and find as many as 30% of the
user groups have vanished... or have they?. Fred
Showker
 Vanishing User
Groups
- The advent of the internet and the online world has changed many things for nonprofit
organizations -- some for the better, and some for worse. It's brought a lot of powerful
capabilities to the fingertips of the officers, and opened a world of resources to
benefit members. It's also caused a few problems, like the one I call the "vanishing
user group."
Once upon a time, organizations relied on brick and mortar addresses
and phone numbers that would not change for years. Most groups even invested in a
PO box so as officers changed, the club's address could remain the same. Not so today
-- in the online world, people change ISPs and email addresses.
While a stable and reliable means of communication is of paramount
importance to an organization's image and credibility -- people these days seem to
have taken to changing addresses without a second's thought.
This became a stark reality when I recently worked to update the records
and contacts of more than 500 registered groups. In my annual membership mailing,
more than 30% of the email addresses came back "No Such User." Worse yet,
I pulled a simple listing of all the group's links to their web sites, and more than
25% of those had gone dead. Vanishing User Groups.
When a vendor or other important contact for your group attempts to
contact you... and the address bounces, then in that person's eyes, the group no
longer exists. Consider very carefully before changing your group's web address or
email address. If the group's site has been spydered by any of the crawling search
engines, those links live on long after the UG is gone. Someone searches -- your
group's name pops up -- but when clicked -- no such address.
Additionally, people seldom change their bookmarks. So, if people have
bookmarked your web site, and a year later discover that link and come to take a
look, you want to be there. And, it's impossible to send everyone a change, because
you really have no idea who has bookmarked the site. Past members might hold those
links for a couple of years.
If your group cannot afford to purchase a domain and maintain a hosted
web site, look into any of the national organizations who will post your page for
free and provide a stable, everlasting address. APCug for PC and Windows groups (APCUG.org),
as well as UGN have offered these kinds of services for years. With the introduction
of the iMac, Apple has offered email and hosting services for all Mac users as well.
Make it a group policy NOT to allow officers to utilize their personal
email addresses as organization addresses. The club should either maintain an ISP
account that includes email addresses, or rely on the group's web site to provide
stable email addresses.
This is not as difficult as it may seem. It's a simple matter to establish
one, two or three addresses @YourGroup.org. The web site host can set this up in
a matter of moments. These 'standing' addresses are always there and never change.
As officers change, merely have the address redirect to the new officer's private
address. We recommend at least one 'generic' address that can be used as the lead.
For instance, "info" or "Welcome@YourGroup.org." Then perhaps
a Membership Director, and/or President address.
Once you've established a stable address, those valuable contacts the
organization has made over the years will be able to find you -- and keep finding
you. You can leave the set-up in online directories, and look-ups. You won't have
to worry if there are long forgotten places where the old addresses should be changed.
You'll be there when people need you, and you won't join the ranks of 'vanishing
user groups.'
.
Fred
Here: want an example?
Remember: The help you get is equal to the help you give.
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