case studies: Mercer Regional Chamber Of Commerce

When Set Now started with the Chamber, their existing web site was not generating a single membership lead. Now, the Chamber's web site is their number 1 resource for generating new membership.

E-business Goal: Through member surveys and informal suggestions, Set Now concluded the web site needed to be a more powerful business resource to help keep members informed, get them involved, save them time and help them make connections to grow their business.

Solution: The new site features an up-to-the-minute directory of every Chamber Member. This online directory is available free to the public, and allows businesses and consumers to connect with members in a wide variety of ways. Members can gain even more exposure by enhancing your directory listing with a logo and company description, or by sponsoring banner ads on the site's most visited pages.

The new site enables all site visitors to add events and Chamber merchandise to their shopping cart, view members who have signed up to serve as speakers for events and company training, take surveys and polls, view Community and Business resources such as Tourism, Real Estate, Business Development, Technology and Education & Workforce Development. Visitors can also search and browse the resources created by the Chamber's business committees, chapters and special interest groups.

An overview of some of the Members-only features:

• A member home page which displays up-to-the-minute information, and gives quick access to register for the latest events, view photos and member discounts.



• The ability to post employment opportunities, announcements, and events
  
  
• Post Member-to-Member discounts and special offers
  
  
• Print a member certificate to provide to fellow members who may need proof of membership in order to provide their membership discount.



• View expanded Member directory information & event attendance lists
  
  
• Automatically get member pricing on all online event registration
  
  
• Receive a reminder email prior to events they have registered for
  
  
• Remember-me features make e-commerce quick and easy
  
  
• Download the latest complete database of Chamber members
  
  
• Create web preferences and view their transaction history online - this includes orders they conducted through the web site and those they faxed or mailed to the Chamber.
  
  
• Modify their personal user information. If they are a main contact for the member company, they have the ability to modify their member profile which gets printed in the Mercer Business Directory.

Whether they're in the office or out at an event, the Chamber staff can now update the web site and access important membership data. Here is an overview of some of the Administrative capabilities for Chamber Staff:

• Manage web site content such as surveys, board member information, committees & chapter information.



• Create and send their email Newsletter which also dynamically displays on the web site and is archived for site visitors.



• Manage member access to the site. They can also view member activity through a sign in log.



• Control member listings such as member benefits, employment opportunities, events, announcements, and members who sign up to be in the speaker’s bureau.



• Create Event guest lists and register people for events that are responding by mail, fax and phone so they have one consolidated list of all attendees.
• Send event reminder emails.



• Manage Products and Sponsorships that are available with specific quantities so the item can not be ordered if it is "sold out".



• Manage E-commerce to track online event registration and product payments as well as enter a credit card transaction that they receive by phone or fax. They also have the option to send an invoice or comp the order entirely. They can view product orders and mark when an order has been fulfilled.



• A FAQ which tells Chamber staff how each part of the system works.

Read the case study of the previous Chamber web site developed in 2001.