Here's an example:

I'll never forget when a local museum re-opened its exhibit space after a multi-year renovation. The museum got lots of press, including an extensive feature in the New York Times. Unfortunately, when I went to their beautiful new website to plan my visit, I couldn't find hours, admission fees or directions anywhere.

Talk about discouraging a visit! Clearly the museum had worked hard to get press coverage, but didn't think through what questions that coverage would generate to make sure they were addressed by the site.

Beware. This kind of error is common. It's all too frequent to be on a website where vital information such as phone numbers and addresses are not included.

Website ease of use (or "usability" to use the common lexicon) is an absolute must. It's far too easy for a site visitor to move to another site to give or volunteer. And very easy for visitors to leave the Web altogether. So do your best to keep your visitors engaged with your nonprofit's site.

Here are my top four "to-dos" to ensure your website generates the actions you need:

1. Use intuitive/ logical navigation and structure.

Be sure your site:

• Makes content easy to find: Organize it by priority, time, alphanumeric order, or some other logical method.

• Uses "breadcrumbs" to help users determine where they are in the site, where they've been and how to get where they want to be. Approaches include featuring drop-down menus from your site's main menu bar (which features the various sections). Once a user is within a certain section, h/she sees another menu listing all the sub-sections within that section, enabling ease of moving around the site. Another approach is to include the text equivalent
  Effective Printed Materials Make Great Trade Show Handouts
  Of all the things you can give out at your trade show booth, by far the most useful and most direct in terms of communicating your sales message is some kind of printed material.Unfortunately, compared to more imaginative handouts, printed materials can be fairly ordinary -- some would call them boring. But the fact remains that printed materials are almost always the best way to communicate your promotional message.You work hard to make an impression with your trade show booth. And you train your staff to say all the right things. But once your visitors are gone there are really only two things connecting them with your company and your products: your follow-up strategy, and your handouts. Will your handouts make it past the waste basket? Have you made them an integral part of your follow-up strategy?One of your primary goals should be to put a piece of product literature into the hands of your prospects and get them to take it back to the
  d its exhibit space after a multi-year renovation. The museum got lots of press, including an extensive feature in the New York Times. Unfortunately, when I went to their beautiful new website to plan my visit, I couldn't find hours, admission fees or directions anywhere.

  Talk about discouraging a visit! Clearly the museum had worked hard to get press coverage, but didn't think through what questions that coverage would generate to make sure they were addressed by the site.

  Beware. This kind of error is common. It's all too frequent to be on a website where vital information such as phone numbers and addresses are not included.

  Website ease of use (or "usability" to use the common lexicon) is an absolute must. It's far too easy for a site visitor to move to another site to give or volunteer. And very easy for visitors to leave the Web altogether. So do your best to keep your visitors engaged with your nonprofit's site.

  Here are my top four "to-dos" to ensure your website generates the actions you need:

  1. Use intuitive/ logical navigation and structure.

  Be sure your site:

  • Makes content easy to find: Organize it by priority, time, alphanumeric order, or some other logical method.
  • Uses "breadcrumbs" to help users determine where they are in the site, where they've been and how to get where they want to be. Approaches include featuring drop-down menus from your site's main menu bar (which features the various sections). Once a user is within a certain section, h/she sees another menu listing all the sub-sections within that section, enabling ease of moving around the site. Another approach is to include the text equivalent
    How to Suggestive Sell Your Gift Certificates
    Gift Certificates can be a great revenue producer during the entire year, but your purchases will really increase around Birthdays and Holidays especially prior to Christmas. It is a great idea to feature this gift certificate sale right after Thanksgiving.December can be the busiest month of the year if you effectively handle gift certificates. Let me tell you about a good promotion.If you purchase a minimum increment of a $100.00 in gift certificates between Thanksgiving and the first of the year, you will receive a $20.00 “Bonus” Guest Certificate FREE. This twenty dollar bonus is a great way to boost your December sales. Some restrictions apply to the Bonus Guest Certificates. The Bonus Guest Certificates are only good from January 1st until March 31st and cannot be redeemed for cash. This is designed to drive your business on the first three months of the year which are traditionally three slow months. This promotion brings business in
    erate to make sure they were addressed by the site.

    Beware. This kind of error is common. It's all too frequent to be on a website where vital information such as phone numbers and addresses are not included.

    Website ease of use (or "usability" to use the common lexicon) is an absolute must. It's far too easy for a site visitor to move to another site to give or volunteer. And very easy for visitors to leave the Web altogether. So do your best to keep your visitors engaged with your nonprofit's site.

    Here are my top four "to-dos" to ensure your website generates the actions you need:

    1. Use intuitive/ logical navigation and structure.

    Be sure your site:

    • Makes content easy to find: Organize it by priority, time, alphanumeric order, or some other logical method.
    • Uses "breadcrumbs" to help users determine where they are in the site, where they've been and how to get where they want to be. Approaches include featuring drop-down menus from your site's main menu bar (which features the various sections). Once a user is within a certain section, h/she sees another menu listing all the sub-sections within that section, enabling ease of moving around the site. Another approach is to include the text equivalent
      Customer Service Speaker Says Clear Ground Rules Promote Better Relationships
      If there’s one thing that drives me bats, it’s courting a prospect, writing and submitting a proposal, and then not being able to get the person on the phone or to respond to an email in a timely manner.Yes, they’re being rude, but I suppose they think it’s their prerogative; after all they are customers, or we hope they will be. But you have to admit, this is an inefficient way to build a relationship, and it can set the stage for conflicts later on.Once, when I was doing a nationwide training program for an airline, I made my contact agree to accept my calls from the road, no matter what he was doing. In turn, I promised I’d never call without needing his immediate attention to an urgent matter, something that would affect the outcome or success of our work, together.I only think I phoned two or three times, but this agreement worked, beautifully. We built a relationship based on mutual respect and complete accessibility.Why can’t
      ltogether. So do your best to keep your visitors engaged with your nonprofit's site.

      Here are my top four "to-dos" to ensure your website generates the actions you need:

      1. Use intuitive/ logical navigation and structure.

      Be sure your site:

      • Makes content easy to find: Organize it by priority, time, alphanumeric order, or some other logical method.
      • Uses "breadcrumbs" to help users determine where they are in the site, where they've been and how to get where they want to be. Approaches include featuring drop-down menus from your site's main menu bar (which features the various sections). Once a user is within a certain section, h/she sees another menu listing all the sub-sections within that section, enabling ease of moving around the site. Another approach is to include the text equivalent
        Get Hired Fast & Earn More: Top 5 Job Interview Tips
        If you are determined to find a new job, then do it in a manner that will garner you a larger income, more responsibility, better title, or whatever it is you seek in a new job. You can obtain such advantages by organizing your job interviews to focus on why you deserve them and how you can deliver the results sought by the employer. After all, those are the two primary reasons employers offer such amenities. Follow a few simple rules relating to job interviewing and you will begin to prepare yourself and your prospective employers for your career enhancement. It’s really a simple matter of preparing yourself to answer job interview questions in a solutions oriented manner, and present yourself as the person who understands the issues and how to resolve them. In short, how to sell yourself in a job interview.If you can know in advance some of the key questions your job interviewer will likely ask you in an upcoming job interview, you can prepare to answe
        s" to help users determine where they are in the site, where they've been and how to get where they want to be. Approaches include featuring drop-down menus from your site's main menu bar (which features the various sections). Once a user is within a certain section, h/she sees another menu listing all the sub-sections within that section, enabling ease of moving around the site. Another approach is to include the text equivalent on every page (i.e. Home>Get Involved>Volunteer>Sign-Up Form).
      • Has top and side navigation bars that work together.
      • Has no "dead links" that lead users to a dead end with no exit.
      • Includes a technical contact in the event that a user experiences difficulties.
      • A Strong Model:

      Elderhostel's website incorporates all of these elements, which are particularly important for its target audience of seniors. Take a look at:www.elderhostel.org/welcome/home.asp

      2. Keep content short and current.

      In order to reach your users, follow these guidelines.

      • People don't read on screen, they skim. "Chunk" content so it's easy for users to digest the key points.
      • Web copy should be refreshed frequently. Your nonprofit's home page will seem stale if users see the same headlines that were posted two months ago. Give them a reason to return frequently.
      • Write for your audience: Maintain the perspective of each target audience and write to them. Keep their point of view in mind when writing copy. If your target audiences are too divergent to do so, create distinct points of entry or home pages for each group, so that you can communicate in the most effective way.
      • Provide links to additional detail for the user who really wants to know more.
      • A Strong Model:

      Formed around a family collection of rare books and manuscripts, Philadelphia's Rosenbach Museum and Libraries has a lot to say on its site. But the team keeps content pithy and