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'Chiefs' and 'Indians' Management - Time to Change?
I've ummed and ahhed about the title for this topic, not wanting to cause offence. So if I do, I don't mean to - the term "Chiefs and Indians" is a metaphor, not a culture statement, so bear with me, it will become clear.You start at the top with the best paid and end up with the humble worker at the bottom end. In larger organisations this can be eight, ten or more deep!At the bottom you feel 'done to' at the top, you feel the 'doer' - a much more comfortable spot to be. Guess why!Yet it need not be this way. Of course there are always going to levels of authority, but wise organisations can soften this with a level of democracy which enables even those at the very bottom of the chain, the 'indians' in the metaphor, to feel like 'chiefs', in how

ign hard at work.

Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others).

Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur.

Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online.

Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences.

4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations.

Insight: There are now automated systems, that you don't have to maintain (they live in a server, which you access via the web) for operations from website content management and online donation processing to

The Use of Goals - Friend or Foe?
As a society we are achievement driven, recognized for our tangible contributions to the world. The examples of this are everywhere: At school we are praised for doing well at tests and reading to certain levels. At work we are rewarded for achieving specific objectives. On the sporting field our athletes are heralded for their victories. Public organisations are required to share their goals with the world. The penalties for failing to achieve them are collapsing share prices and reduced investment. The message is clear – it is good to achieve.Intrinsic in our achievement driven approach is the use of goals to articulate and define what our achievements are to be. We can all think of our own goals, even if we have not taken the trouble to write them down

There's a disconnect in the nonprofit world. I read countless articles about technology and its powerful applications for the nonprofit sector, but seldom is there coverage of the critical interface between technology and communications strategies. That's a serious gap.

What's happened, in my opinion, is that many of us shy away from technology. By leaving tech decisions to the IT department rather than schooling ourselves on these opportunities, we limit the impact of our communications strategies.

My advice to you is to learn what tech tools can strengthen your nonprofit's communications strategies, and what choices you have. If you have an IT team or consultant, ask them to dig into the details. But get to know the basics yourself. That way you'll make sure you get the right tool, and you'll get the most out of it.

I interviewed nonprofit technology expert and author Michael Stein for his take on tech tips to strengthen your web and email communications impact. Michael, who has worked with Children Now, Groundspring and now as an Internet strategist with the eOrganization.com, had some great ideas:

1. Improve the ways in which you gather personal information and email addresses from stakeholders.

Tip: Don't just ask for email addresses when you ask your audiences to subscribe to your e-news. Gather name, street address, zip code, how they heard about you. Take it one step further to do some quick surveying on issues.

Tip: Think more like a business in terms of figuring out the sources of these leads. You want more of them.

Tip: Ask for an email address when your web users request a PDF download.

Benefit: You'll learn more about how various outreach techniques are working to validate (or not) marketing expenses and impact.

2. Publish plain text as well as HTML format email newsletters.

Insight: Many of your readers are likely to prefer HTML e-newsletters, so publish in both HTML and plain text versions. The format makes it much easier for readers to act. Studies show that HTML format performs much better in terms of click-throughs, forward to friend, etc. (NOTE: Readers, there is conflicting data on this last point.)

Benefit: Better engagement with audiences, by giving them a choice of format and the opportunity to take action with a click.

Caution: Don't forego your text version. Many readers still prefer text.

3. Dive into blog publishing.

Definition: A blog (an abbreviation of weblog) is a website that serves as an online journal, updated very frequently with commentary on one or more topics. Blog authors -- called bloggers --- commonly provide links to related information, with commentary. Because of their low barrier to entry (blogs are easy and cheap to implement), blogs are proliferating in the nonprofit sector.

Insight: The "blogsphere" is becoming huge, with content feeds (RSS readers deliver blog content to interested audiences) growing at a rapid pace. Blogs are a great way to disseminate content in a timely way.

Benefit: Some high-impact ways to put your blog to use for your nonprofit include:

Serializing content, such as daily reports from an oceanographer on an expedition or an advocacy campaign hard at work.
Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others).
Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur.
Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online.
Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences.

4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations.

Effective Meetings - Quick Survey
Here’s an easy quiz to check the health of your meetings.1) Who leads your meetings? a) No one, b) Everyone, c) A facilitator2) What happens to the ideas in your meetings? a) If we had to think of ideas, it would be work, b) We make fun of them, c) A scribe writes them on a chart pad3) Are results obtained in your meetings? a) We eat all the donuts, b) And we drink all of the coffee, c) Yes!4) Do your meetings have an agenda? a) Is that some kind of cabinet?, b) I saw one once in an article, c) Yes!5) Who attends your meetings? a) We have bleachers to hold the spectators, b) The entire staff plus any homeless people in the neighborhood, c) Only those who can contribute6) How long are your meetings? a) I’ll let

ology expert and author Michael Stein for his take on tech tips to strengthen your web and email communications impact. Michael, who has worked with Children Now, Groundspring and now as an Internet strategist with the eOrganization.com, had some great ideas:

1. Improve the ways in which you gather personal information and email addresses from stakeholders.

Tip: Think more like a business in terms of figuring out the sources of these leads. You want more of them.

Tip: Ask for an email address when your web users request a PDF download.

Benefit: You'll learn more about how various outreach techniques are working to validate (or not) marketing expenses and impact.

2. Publish plain text as well as HTML format email newsletters.

Benefit: Better engagement with audiences, by giving them a choice of format and the opportunity to take action with a click.

Caution: Don't forego your text version. Many readers still prefer text.

3. Dive into blog publishing.

Benefit: Some high-impact ways to put your blog to use for your nonprofit include:

Serializing content, such as daily reports from an oceanographer on an expedition or an advocacy campaign hard at work.
Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others).
Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur.
Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online.
Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences.

4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations.

Got Motor Skills?
After generations of error, fifty-years of proof convinces some skeptics.Fact: The faster you read, the better your comprehension.Mrs. Harrison, my 3rd grade teacher, hammered into our numbskulls – If you want to understand what you are reading – always read it slowly.She could only teach us what she knew and had been taught in Teachers College. For one hundred years teachers were trained to get students to slow down for better comprehension.It was intuitive and no one had the nerve to question the dictum – slow-equals-better.In 1952 Evelyn Wood requested university linguistic researchers to test her principle that the faster-you-read, the greater your comprehension; she was hooted down.She proposed that speed reading creat

Benefit: You'll learn more about how various outreach techniques are working to validate (or not) marketing expenses and impact.

2. Publish plain text as well as HTML format email newsletters.

Benefit: Better engagement with audiences, by giving them a choice of format and the opportunity to take action with a click.

Caution: Don't forego your text version. Many readers still prefer text.

3. Dive into blog publishing.

Benefit: Some high-impact ways to put your blog to use for your nonprofit include:

Serializing content, such as daily reports from an oceanographer on an expedition or an advocacy campaign hard at work.
Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others).
Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur.
Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online.
Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences.

4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations.

ISO 9000 FAQs
ISO 9000 is a set of standards internationally accepted by businesses and consumers. It allows organizations to establish and monitor quality management systems. ISO 9000 standards are considered to be generic standards since they can apply to any business, product or service irrespective of the industry. They have been developed and are maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).1. What is the ISO 9000 family?The ISO 9000 family consists of three quality assurance and quality management standards, namely, ISO 9000: 2000, ISO 9001:2000, and ISO 9004:2000. The ISO 9000:2000 and ISO 9004:2000 present guidelines for performance improvement, while the ISO 9001:2000 presents requirements. These standards are implemented by individ

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Benefit: Some high-impact ways to put your blog to use for your nonprofit include:

Serializing content, such as daily reports from an oceanographer on an expedition or an advocacy campaign hard at work.
Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others).
Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur.
Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online.
Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences.

4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations.

Five Trade Show Mistakes to Avoid
In business as in life, never underestimate the importance of being prepared. As the saying goes, you must first plan your work and then work your plan. This is particularly true in trade show exhibiting where trade show display success is largely dependent on proper planning. Without putting the right plan in place, you will encounter a number of what would be easily avoidable blunders. These oversights can cause havoc on your trade show team’s morale as well as your company’s bottom line. In order to avoid these errors, however, you must first know what they are.The five major trade show exhibit mistakes to avoid are:1. Picking the Wrong Show to Exhibit InBy being distracted by an overly hectic work schedule and being short staffed and ov

ign hard at work.

Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others).

Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur.

Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online.

Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences.

4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations.

Consider moving these processes online and off your desktop computer.

Benefit: Easier software interfaces. Faster learning curve. Sometimes your software cost will be higher, but your total cost of operation (since you'll save hours in set up and maintenance) will be lower.

Example: Take a look at Citysoft, an ASP targeted to nonprofits, associations, educational institutions and other socially-responsible organizations. Citysoft offers a menu of tech tools from email marketing to web content development software, and donor and event management.

Depending on the modules you select, your organization can send email newsletters to members and constituents and track the results, create online communities for audience use, provide event registration and much more.

For more information, go to: http://www.citysoft.com/

5. Develop a web search optimization agenda to improve search engine positioning.

Tip: The best way to improve search engine positioning is to get links to your site placed at other web sites where your audiences already are.

Tip: Once you've identified key sites you'd like to be linked from (start with a list of the top 20), start calling or e-mailing. A great way to do this is to find an intern or volunteer to beat the bushes. Link placement isn't skilled work (after you identify the key sites) but it is extremely labor intensive.

Benefit: Improved positioning in search engine results.

Michael, thanks for your clear and practical ideas on how nonprofit marketers can put tech tools to work to strengthen their communications impact.

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Reaction to the decision by The Body Shop to be acquired by a huge cosmetics company defines two corporate activists camps –- pragmatists who see progress by working within the market economy and outraged ideologues who dream of destroying it altogether.

There is a much easier and faster way of generating income online without creating your own product.

Thought about setting up a pension plan for your small business? Consider one of these easy options, says QuickBooks for Dummies author and former tax professor Stephen L. Nelson

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