| Feedback from the Whitemud Equine Learning Centre |
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According to the Google analytics program installed on the new website, the website receives 1000 + visitors during the week and more on the weekends -- eight times the number that used to visit the old site. As I write this case study, there are 118 different users browsing around on the new website. This website is an example of our business package. The website design, build and training costs were under $5000. WECLA is in the preliminary stages of mounting a capital fundraising campaign. In order to promote the first three fundraising events: a Mother’s Day Tea, a Father’s Day Picnic and a Summer Solstice Party, the Centre purchased a full service subscription to www.mediainalberta.ca. On April 29, we distributed the first of the public service announcement to the media. The committee then forwarded this public service announcement to 200 or more of the people on their Outlook email lists. They also sent out a newsletter to their mailing lists. Initial reports are that the tickets are selling well. They also contracted my services to mount an online promotional campaign using social media tools. On Sunday, May 2, 2010, I spent the afternoon with five members of their fundraising committee getting the word out on these events to online communities in Edmonton. Here’s what members of the “Volunteers of Whitemud” fundraising committee reported about their experience on May 4, two days later: I have had success with 4/6 radio/tv stations who will be announcing our event shortly. I want to thank Marilyn for an excellent seminar, well prepared and professional, and her instruction was most useful in obtaining this coverage for our event! Thank you.” ~ Valerie Wilson
Marilyn you did a great job! I don’t think I could have done my share without your advice. Thank you. ~ Elaine Gray
In addition to honing our marketing skills, you demonstrated excellent leadership by trying to keep us on track. I look forward to meeting you again”. ~ Anne Marie
More recently, Diane asked me to incorporate a social media network within the new website so that she could communicate more effectively with the board members and volunteers and they can more effectively communicate with each other. I've been researching and developing this website project for the past couple of weeks. All that remains to be done is to meet with Diane meet next week so she can configure the privacy settings and such the way that they are optimized for the users. This social media network will launch on the new website sometime mid-September 2010. If you'd like to know more about this project visit www.whitemudequine.ca and sign up for their Hoofbeat & Heart Beats enewsletter. You'll be the first to know when their social media network is open for registration. |
The Whitemud Equine Learning Centre, has since sent out six or more issues of the enewsletter, Hoofs and Heartbeats, with each issue improving on the last. They quadruple their subscriber rate every month. They started their enewsletter program with at just under 100 subscribers on their mailing list. They are now well over 600.Feedback from others...
"I have taken numerous workshops with Marilyn over the past three years and have contracted her media release distribution services for the same length of time to great success. This year we also contracted her to rebuild our current website into a content management system so that I, as the Executive Director and only staff member, could update it myself..."
Read more about what Cathy from the Alberta Underwater Council had to say about this experience...
“Thank you Marilyn for helping us with the AAWA website. Starting a new website is a daunting task and can lead to some confusion on where to start and what to do. Thanks to your help we have hit the ground running with the new website. By showing us how to maintain our own website and edit content ourselves, we are able to maintain our site better, faster and for a far lower cost..."Read more about what Mike from the Alberta Amateur Wrestling Association had to say about this experience...
"I would definitely recommend this tutorial to anyone who wants to learn how to publish professional looking electronic newsletters. I really enjoyed the opportunity to work one-on-one with Marilyn. I learned so much about how to design and distribute an enewsletter! Marilyn was able to answer every question I had and walk me through the publishing to distribution process and beyond, step-by-step to make sure I understood." ~ Shannon Werbicki, Central Alberta Manager, Kidsport Alberta
"Whitemud Equine contracted with Marilyn earlier this year to help us rebuild our website and help us create an enewsletter program. The response to our enewsletter has been fantastic and it has grown from 100 subscribers to over 600 in just six months! Writing and publishing the enewsletter has been incredibly easy since Marilyn provided the template and great advice as to regular content and continuity. The website development is also getting great reviews and Marilyn is excellent at providing trouble-shooting and advice. She is also very aware of the latest applications and technologies which have really helped to make our website serve our membership. As a non-profit organization where time and money is always in short supply, I am happy that I can finally maintain the website and the enewsletter in-house. Any changes, news items, etc take just a few minutes and Marilyn is always on the other end of the phone if I need help." ~ Diane David, Administrative Director, Whitemud Equine Learning Centre
"I attended two workshops led by Marilyn Jones: Optimizing Media Releases and Social Media Relations. Marilyn is a dynamic facilitator and instructor who not only knows her subject thoroughly but can communicate it well and understandably no matter what the background and experience of the participant. In addition, Marilyn delivers more than promised and one such gem was hearing about Joomla at the workshop, which inspired me to create my own website using Joomla after hearing Marilyn's story's about its strength, ease of use and suitability. Anyone considering learning more about all of the potential within the world of internet media, social networking and marketing and how to make it work for them should not hesitate to sign up for her workshops." ~ Brian Scott Marketing, Technology & Research Director, Communitas, Edmonton
What makes our website or newsletter publishing services unique?
It's not hard to find someone who can help build your website or design your enewsletter for you. It's harder to find someone who wants to build your website or design your newsletter and then show you how to maintain it or publish it yourself thereafter. There isn't anyone else in Alberta who offers such specialized training. Read more...
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