Three times during one week in May, I received calls from association executives asking me about the World Wide Web--WWW or "the web." Having a peripheral knowledge on the subject, I decided to do some digging. Today, fewer than five weeks later, I am a total convert to the WWW as the medium of choice for member communications. In more than eight years of automation consulting for the association community, I have not seen a better way for an association to reach it's ever growing pool of members and prospects than by having a "home page" on the web. In the words of The Wall Street Journal, "...the world wide web" is the hottest destination In cyberspace." With a monthly user increase of an astonishing 15 percent, I'm sure that it's about the web, its capabilities, and what it has to offer you, the association executive, as you lead, push, coax, and cajole your society into the 21st century.

What is the web?

This is not an easily answered question. Perhaps instead you should ask "What can the web do for me?" Here's why: According to VARBusiness Magazine, the web is "...a hypertext system for searching, for accessing, and retrieving all sorts of information on the Internet." Doesn't help much, does it?

The web is a multimedia presentation of your products, services and philosophies that is available to anyone on-line...in the world! Most people can connect with a local telephone call through an internet provider (approximately $25 per month), or in a somewhat limited capacity through an on-line service such as America Online, CompuServe, or Prodigy. Now that we've covered that, let's talk about what a "web presence" can do for you. This should be your top concern since, according to that same VARBusiness issue, "...if you don't put your (members) on the web, your competitor will."

How can my association get on the web?

You establish your web presence by developing and maintaining (either in-house or by outsourcing to a web page developer) what is called your home page. Typically, your home page contains your association's logo(s), slogans, trademarks, etc., along with some basic introductory information--the mission or vision statement is very often used. "Behind" that first page, or "linked" to it, you can put just about anything you want your members to have access to. And I mean anything!

How much can I put on my page?

Perhaps the best way for me to answer this question is by asking you to get up and wander around your office. Go tour membership department and pick up some marketing materials and an application. Next, visit your education department and pick up a course syllabus, a class schedule for next year, and a registration form. Stop at your legislative division and gather all available position statements, lobbying letters, and fund-raising request packages. Wander into your library and look around at the information you want to you collect and disseminate to your membership on your specialty area. In fact, take another walk around and look closely at every piece of printed material you have in your office. (Are your arms full yet?) It can all go on your web page!!! Remember web communication is a two-way street--your members can communicate with your staff via e-mail, providing you with instant feedback on your most pressing issues.

How much does it cost?

As with all things related to money, the answer is "it depends." If you establish your own web server, with hardware, software, communication links, etc., you'll need to spend $3,000 to $5,000 (not counting staff overhead required for setup, maintenance, etc.). At the other end of the scale, you can establish a basic home page with a web developer for as little as $500. Add to that approximately $50 per month for a "storage fee" (since you're using someone else's hard drive) and you're up and running on the web.

The World Wide Web offers amazing opportunities to the association executive looking for ways to provide unique products and services to members. The means and methods of using this communication medium are evolving daily and the payoff potential is there if you're willing to invest the resources to explore this exciting new technology. This new technology has a few things I haven't seen before. First, there is an immediate benefit to the membership organization. Second--and perhaps of greater interest to you-- is that it is much more affordable on a tight budget than a new technology, and even a few older technologies. So look around your office, and see just what you want to say about your organization to all those cruising web surfers!

- Jaculin Thompson