Author: Tendenci Open Source Software

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Help files roll out

Our current tendenci help files is in the process of being transfered to a new and improved help files module. What does this mean? Question and answer format, easily request a help file, better searching capabilities, new stream-line interface, and the ability to use the module on your own tendenci web site! Here is a screenshot of the new module:

New Tendenci Help Files Module

Some features for administrators:

  • Ability to save a help file as a draft
  • Help files can be marked as a f.a.q, rated, and featured
  • Help files can be placed in multiple topics
  • Requested help files can be easily converted to a help file
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Tendenci Software Updates!


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Testimonials Updates
Testimonials
Our wonderful programmer Eloy has given the testimonials search a face lift! It now uses styling to present your testimonials.
Directories Updates
Directories
You may now put directories within multiple categories. Yippee! This is easily controlled by a site variable, so if you don’t need it you can always use the old way.
Zip Codes Updates
Zip Codes
You can now control the new zip codes search to tailor to your needs. Need to specify which locations of your establishment show up when a zip code is searched? Well now you can with a new site variable! You may also specify the radius of the search with a site variable.

Photos
The "Next" and "Previous" buttons when flipping though a photo album now start from the first image and move to the last. Don’t want to use those buttons? You can always just click the photo and it will move you to the next image.
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Designing newsletters for Outlook 2007

Tendencioutlook2007_newsletter_shad
Have you played around with Outlook 2007 yet?  There are some great features, but also a few changes that make a big difference in how your email works.

Our Creative Director Tim Newton came up with some helpful tips and tricks for designing a newsletter to play friendly in Outlook 2007.  You can read the entire Help File here with great visuals and explanations, but read on for the short and sweet version:

  1. Design your layout without any background colors or images – but creative with border or backgrounds that blend into the layout! (see the newsletter image to the left as an example)
  2. You can use a tiled background in Outlook 2007, but must put it into the body tag and specify the image path like this:

    <style type="text/css" media="screen">
        body {
            margin: 0px;
            padding: 0px;
            color: #666;
            background: #5a200e url("http://www.creativeleak.com/images/nl1/bg_Tile.gif")  } 
    </style>

  3. Background colors can be used in a table or a div, but only if there’s not another table or div inside of it.
  4. Try adding these elements to your email designs but remember, the key to any good looking design is what the content looks like

Too busy to design an Outlook 2007-friendly newsletter?  Contact us today and let us know what our awesome design team can create for your organization!

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User identities to show Online Social Connections

Did you know that from your Tendenci user profile you can add user identities to identify areas of social networks you are connected to?  Encourage your Tendenci users/members to add their identities to display social networks.  This is a great way to see who is socially connected to sites like Flickr, Youtube, Facebook, Digg etc.

After have you added your user identities, there will be a visual display of icons on your user profile of identities you have added and are connected to.

I am pushing to integrate blog identities here also. Check back soon.

User_profile_3

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Thanks for a great Tendenci User Conference!

We had a really great Tendenci User Conference this year – thanks to our amazing clients and partners!  With around 100 attendees, there was a lot of connecting, knowledge sharing and Tendenci feedback going on.

For those who couldn’t make it this year (we missed you), we have uploaded our presentations from both the Tendenci User Conference and the Web Marketing Bootcamp training sessions.  Definitely check them out online!

Also be sure to take a peek at our User Conference photos and Anniversary party photos.  We had a really great time – especially as this was the first time that many of us got to meet clients that we spoke to so regularly.  Can’t wait to see you all next year!

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Read Schipul’s new Search Engine Marketing Blog!

Thesemblog Schipul’s Search Engine Marketing team has just recently launched the brand new ‘The SEM Blog‘ at www.thesemblog.com. 

It’s a great spot for current SEM clients and also for Web site administrators interested in learning handy tips and tricks for succeeding in the search engines.

Expect up-to-date search engine news, useful links and engaging posts on ways to convert online visitors to repeat customers.  You can subscribe to The SEM Blog’s RSS feed here and even talk back to us on the Schipul SEM forum here.

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Learn more about your site traffic with built-in statistics!

Event_summary_2
Knowledge is power – especially on the Web where a good understanding of your site’s traffic patterns can mean the difference between growing your business and staying stagnant.

Tendenci’s built-in statistical reporting utilities enable you to learn what content is the most popular on your site, see how your email distribution lists have grown, how many contacts you have received through your site and much, much more.

Check out these great help files for more information on your Web site’s event logs:

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Monetizing your association’s Web site

Want some ideas on how to help make your Web site work for you?  Check out these revenue generating tips from Ed Schipul’s article:

  1. Membership fees –
    Organizations can increase membership and generate profit from their
    event online registrations and having a healthy organization.
  2. Job listings – Job boards are a proven money maker, with association Web sites like www.ppag.org and www.haf.org
    benefiting financially.  This is a valuable service to provide your
    members as it helps connect companies to good people and brings in
    extra dollars to grow your organization.
  3. Business Directories – Tendenci’s business directory module is another proven money maker, for example Only in Houston’s Creative Directory Listing.
    Some organizations choose to offer this as a member privilege, while
    others open the directory up to any and all interested businesses.
    Either way, it’s a valuable component of your association’s Web site.
  4. Newsletter sponsorships – Newsletter and email sponsorship opportunities, for the right vertical market, can produce great results! 
  5. Courses – Association Web sites like www.pharmacytechnician.org
    charge for continuing education through Tendenci with great success.
    Their pricing model is around $7 per course, or free with membership,
    which also drives membership.
  6. New lead generation
    – People being found on Tendenci sites typically renew their membership
    in that organization. This isn’t able to be directly tracked back to
    Tendenci like Membership Fees, but overall a healthy organization
    brings in more members and makes a profit.
  7. Banner Ads – Banner ad click through rates are rapidly decreasing, but it *is* a valid way to get brand impressions and does drive some traffic while providing revenue to the organization. www.spegcs.org is a good example of this.

How are you making YOUR Web site work for your organization?  Let us know – we love to hear your success stories!