June 4-6, 2006

Promotional Products Association International Spring Conference, Atlantic City, NJ

Jeanne returned for a second year to present a range of Internet topics.

March 25, 2006

“Beyond Brochures”– National Tour Association annual conference, Louisville, KY

A look at how tour operators and destination managers use powerful audio and video and Web technologies to bring the travel experience to life for their customers.

January 31, 2006
Presented by ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership
Technology Strategies & Solutions Conference
Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

"Web Strategy: All for One or One for All?"

Most associations don't have the luxury of serving a single, homogenous audience. And with the Internet, it's not just your widely-diverse membership visiting your website, its also your prospects, donors, corporate partners, legislators, media, and even everyday consumers. Do you offer one site for everyone and hope they "find themselves" or do you create and brand a whole separate site for each? This presentation addressed how several associations chose to resolve these questions and what the pros and cons are in choosing one strategy over another.

December 12, 2005
Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

"Benchmarking the Value of Your Web Efforts"

There are many ways you can gather data about your Web activities, but how do you know if your efforts are paying off? Do you have a clear Web strategy in place and are you measuring against those goals? What measurements really matter to your decision-making?

In this session, Ellipsis Partners will call on its 5+ years of experience working with associations and their Internet efforts to draw out the true measures of performance for industry websites. We’ll take a look at various criteria of success and explore ways you can measure your own activities against your goals.

September 22, 2005
Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

"Best Practices (and Cool Techniques) for Online Customer Service"

More and more organizations are using their website to conduct business, perform transactions, and delivers services but , by and large, are still behind the consumer public’s expectations for exemplary service online. This session showcased the tools and practices of exceptional customer service and used many for-profit examples and some nonprofit case studies. There are also some interesting new customer service tools for the Web that were introduced. Participants learned how to gauge users’ expectations to provide more value and deliver a higher quality of service online.

Click here to view the Powerpoint presentation.

May 5, 2005
"Testing the Usability of Your Website"
Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

The best definition we have heard for Web usability is this: “Your web site is usable when people can find what they need, and can understand what they find, in the time they are willing to invest.” How well do you know if people are finding what they need on your site? Is it logical to them? Are they having to worker harder than they need or want to? This session taught how to assess the usability of your site and focus your efforts on enhancements to make it a valuable—and used—tool for your audience. This session included case studies from organizations that have performed various types of usability tests and what they learned that changed how they think about their websites.

March 9, 2005
Defining Your Web Strategy
Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

The adage rings true: “if you don’t know where you are going, just about any road will take you there.” If you’re not sure whether your web efforts are paying off, or if you can’t agree internally about what to do online, or if you feel like you’re just following the latest Web fad, then you don’t have a clear Web strategy. We certainly learned this in our 2004 Benchmarking Study on Members Only Web Efforts where over two-thirds of the respondents indicated that they didn’t have a Web strategy and wished they had!

This popular session --updated for 2005-- provided attendees with a framework for defining a Web strategy for their organizations and charting a course of action that will meet their needs and those of their online market. Participants learned what information they have at their fingertips, and what they need to gather , to make better Web decisions and spend dollars more wisely.

February 4, 2005
Educational Travel Conference
Washington, DC

"Smart Email Marketing"
Just because everyone has access use email, doesn't mean everyone is necessarily using email well. Email is proving to be the real "killer app" for marketing, but you have to understand how it works to make your email marketing efforts count. Led by ETC 2004's Marketing Institute trainer Jeanne Allert, this information-packed session explored best practices in email marketing, including practical tips for making email relevant, focused, and customer-specific. Steve Victor of Yale Alumni presented his own "lessons "learned" about effective email marketing and both led a discussion of message composition, formatting, and other attributes that get results.

Click here to view the presentation.

"Avoiding the SPAM Trap"
Email SPAM is the one lament we all seem to have in common, but we're not just victims. There are things we can do-individually and collectively--to reduce the impact of SPAM on our inboxes. Learn how to do your part to combat SPAM. Share tips for helpful tools and resources. Also learn helpful techniques for making sure your email isn't getting caught in the SPAM trap.

"Using your Website to Gather Customer Intelligence"
Smart websites are not all about "giving;" they are about "getting" as well. In this session, Jeanne Allert and Steve Victor, Associate Director for Education of the Association of Yale Alumni, presented ideas for how to employ various Web tools and tactics to make better use of your site visits and learn more about your site visitors. This session highlighted key customer intelligence you can be getting from your web statistics, but also ways in which you can get your market to "speak to you" through your website. Specific case studies showed how organizations have changed course based on what they learned from their online visitors.

Click here to view the presentation.

January 19, 2005
Coalition for Education Association Publishers Meeting
National Education Association, Washington , DC

"Keeping your Content Fresh"

How do you maintain a steady stream of fresh content on the association's website? How do you navigate the politics of internal departments to get content from them? How do you leverage the association's online community to keep content fresh? Ellipsis Partners' Dina Lewis and Noreen O'Connor, Webmaster from the American Association of Colleges and Universities, presented strategies for keeping content fresh.

January 10-11, 2005
Promotional Products Association International Annual Conference
Las Vegas, Nevada

"Fundamentals of Email and Web Marketing"
Two powerful and economical platforms for marketing today are email and the Web. Jeanne Allert's day-long workshop is specifically geared to marketing and communications staff who aren't "web experts" but need to get a handle on all their options for using these tools effectively. Focused on best practices for email marketing and no-cost or low-cost strategies, this session is packed with examples from commercial, university, association and travel industry web sites, as well as practical advice for what really works.

"Looking Bigger Than You Are"
What are the "big dogs" doing right online and what can we-with more modest budgets and staffing-learn from them? This session takes a look at best practices across all aspects of retail/marketing websites and pulls out the tips and tricks that anyone can do. Learn how to add more polish to your web efforts and appear "bigger" than you are.

Click here to view the presentation.

"Best Practices in Online Customer Support"
An essential part of the sales process and customer relationship management is ensuring that when your customer has a question about your product, you are there and ready with the answer. Unfortunately, customers using the Web to browse and shop are often doing so when your office doors are closed and no one is by the phone. Yet their expectations for your support are often 24/7/365. What can you do? This session provided practical tips on how to meet customers' need for service and help you close more sales.

"Internet Marketing On A Shoestring"
Specifically developed for smaller operations, or those with modest budgets, this session presents a cornucopia of ideas and tactics for using email and Web to further your marketing efforts. Emphasis on "free" or "cheap" is the guiding premise. Learn from a wide range of examples and it's certain you'll walk away with at least one idea you can use.

Click here to view the presentation.

November 16, 2004
National Tour Association Annual Conference
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Best Practices In Online Customer Support"
An essential part of the sales process and customer relationship management is ensuring that when your customer has a question about your program, you are there and ready with the answer. Unfortunately, customers using the Web to browse and shop are often doing so when your office doors are closed and no one is by the phone. Yet their expectations for your support are often 24/7/365. What can you do? This session gave practical tips on how to meet customers’ need for service and help to close more sales.

November 16, 2004
National Tour Association Annual Conference
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

"Internet Marketing on a Shoestring"
Specifically developed for smaller operations, or those with modest budgets, this session presents a cornucopia of ideas and tactics for using email and Web to further your marketing efforts. Emphasis on “free” or “cheap” is the guiding premise. Learn from a wide range of examples and it’s certain you’ll walk away with at least one idea you can use.

November 15, 2004
National Tour Association Annual Conference (CrossSphere)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

"Blogging Along"

Blogging is the Web equivalent of a travelogue, but with a twist: it’s real-time, and it can be a powerful marketing tool for giving your prospective customers a feel for “you are here.” This session presented a case study of one blogger who chronicled his cycling adventure through South America. This example was used to discuss how blogging can be used as part of a marketing strategy. Jeanne Allert will be presenting with Cyclist and Blogger, Steve Allert.

October 19, 2004
Members Only Industry Benchmarking Study

Ellipsis Partners and the Center for Association Leadership offered a presentation of the findings from the Members Only industry benchmarking study. This study examined the prevalence of members only web sections within associations, the business rationale, infrastructure, security parameters, content and services offered, and organizational perspective on how effectively this tool is being used as a member benefit.

October 14, 2004
An Ellipsis Partners Executive Education Seminar
Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

"What's the Use of Usability?"

What works on the Web is a constantly evolving definition. This session helped participants break through the buzz of "usability testing" and learn ways to discover what works best for site visitors. Jeanne Allert and Dina Lewis discussed:

Usage - how your visitors physically interact with the site;
Utility - how your online audience perceives your site as a tool; and
Usefulness - what users want more of/less of, and how you could add value

June 25, 2004
National Education Association State Education Editors Conference Keynote Address
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Sofitel Hotel, Washington, DC

"What We Know Today About Internet Communications"

The communicator's toolkit now includes email, eNewsletters, the Web, and a range of other Internet options. These tools are most effective when used as part of an overall integrated campaign. But how do you determine which tools are right for your campaign, coordinate print publications, Web sites, advertising campaigns, e-mail newsletters, press releases, and direct mail to work together towards a common goal? Jeanne Allert explained how editors, publishers, graphic designers and webmasters can individually bring communication assets and expertise into an integrated campaign.

Click here to view the Powepoint presentation.

(This is a large file and may take some time to download.)

Click here for a faster, HTML version.

May 17, 2004
ASAE Knowledge Network
Audioconference

"The Cost of Making a Good Decision"
This session profiled the methodology of one national association who sought to acquire and implement a sophisticated web content management system. Jeanne Allert and Donna Orem, National Association of Independent Schools, elaborated on timeline, crafting an RFP, and making a selection. Most significantly, this session focused on sharing internal consensus, managing personalities, controlling a (ravenous) vendor community, and ultimately, making a decision. Participantsl walked away with a process template that can be modified for projects and guidelines of questions to ask and speed bumps to watch out for.

April 14, 2004
An Ellipsis Partners Executive Education Seminar
Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

"Essential Steps to a CMS"
A Content Management System (CMS) can significantly improve your web productivity and site management. Getting a CMS selected and implemented, however, can be one of the most (positively) disruptive processes your organization can endure. And to make sure you choose the right CMS, you should have a clear understanding of your organization, content, strategy and resources. Ellipsis Partners has developed guidelines for organizations preparing for a CMS. We discussed important steps like a performing a content audit, building your taxonomy, assessing your workflow, plus provided a template for communicating your requirements in a Request for Proposal (RFP).

March 30, 2004
GWSAE Great Ideas Conference
Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

"Winning Strategies for Using Email Effectively"
Using examples of effective inbound and outbound email, Jeanne Allert and Dina Lewis showed the value of actually having a plan for using this important tool. Attendees walked away with hints to help establish policies and procedures for interoffice, member, and external communications.

February 18, 2004
An Ellipsis Partners Executive Education Seminar
Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

"Defining Your Web Strategy"
In our work with associations, nonprofits and local governments, we consistently find that the most efficient and effective Web efforts are guided by an overall strategy. This free seminar laid out the process and questions for developing a more strategic approach to your Web efforts.

February 6, 2004
18th Annual Educational Travel Conference
Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC

"Effective Internet Marketing"

Two powerful and economical platforms for marketing today are email and the Web. Jeanne Allert's day-long workshop for education travel specialists focused on best practices for email marketing and no-cost or low-cost strategies to employ on web sites to engage your visitors. Packed with examples from commercial, university, association and travel industry web sites, attendees left with new ideas to try with their own programs.

January 8-10, 2004
National Education Association PR Council Annual Conference
Marco Island, FL

"The Web Doctor Is In" Site Analysis Sessions
"What Do We Know About Writing for the Web" Workshop
"Mixing Your Media, Not Your Message" General Session

Jeanne Allert's time with the NEA PR Council delegates ranged from individual consulting sessions to a plenary address. She provided: individual web site critique and feedback sessions, a workshop on how to write effective sites and enewsletters and the closing General Session that showcases integrated communications campaigns.

November 6, 2003
Technology in Your Marketing Toolkit
Direct Marketing Association of Washington Association Day
Arlington, VA

October 16, 2003
Writing the Right RFP
An Ellipsis Partners Executive Series Seminar

July 21, 2003
"Evolving Event Marketing: Reaching Your Audience in 2003 and Beyond"
TS2--The Trade Show About Trade Shows, Washington, DC

July 11, 2003
"How are We Doing...Really?"
National League of Cities State League Conference
Washington, DC

July 10, 2003
"What Your Visitors Are Telling You"
An Ellipsis Partners Executive Series Seminar

May 14, 2003
"A Dialogue for Nonprofit Executives: Your Email Communications Strategy "
An Ellipsis Partners/Beaconfire Seminar

April 10, 2003
What Your Members Want Online
An Ellipsis Partners Executive Series Seminar
Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

March 7, 2003
Essential Tools of the Internet: Using Email and the Web to Support Your Communications Strategy
Fairfax County Conference on Community Based Nonprofit Management, Fairfax, VA

Website Self-Check
Fairfax County Conference on Community Based Nonprofit Management, Fairfax, VA

March 20, 2003
Getting More Out of Your Current Technologies: Leveraging What You Already Have
Center for Association Leadership's Great Ideas Conference, Washington, DC

February 4, 2003
Defining Your Web Strategy
An Ellipsis Partners Executive Series Seminar
Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

February 11, 2003
"Preparing Your Website to Meet Tomorrow’s Needs Today" Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC

January 27, 2003
The Essential Tools of the Internet: Using E-mail and the Web for Effective Communications
Strategic Communications for Associations and Membership-Based Organizations, Arlington, VA

December 10, 2002
Look Before You E-Leap
ASAE Managment & Technology Conference

November 20, 2002
Getting It Right the First Time
Child Advocacy Leadership Institute's Annual Conference

Jeanne Allert conducted a "non-techie" discussion of many of the problems that plague development projects and how to create a more effective start.

October 24 , 2002
Customer Relationship Management for Associations and Nonprofits - Using the Web to Deliver Personalized Member Service
Ellipsis Partners Executive Seminar Series

Presented with Results Direct, and Reggie Henry, GWSAE, at the Center for Association Leadership.

August 7, 2002
Evolving Event Marketing: Reaching Your Audience in 2002 and Beyond
Chicago's Destinations Showcase
Presented by Dina Lewis

August 8, 2002
Rules Rewritten and Rules Unchanged - Impact of the Dot Com Phenomenon On Business
National Summit on Communications Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations, Washington, DC
Presented by Jeanne Allert as the keynote address.

July 16, 2002
Rules Rewritten and Rules Unchanged - Impact of the Dot Com Phenomenon On Business
Direct Marketing Association
Presented by Jeanne Allert as the keynote address

July 11, 2002
Your Integrated Communications Strategy: Using a Wide Range of Tools to Create a Unified Message
Ellipsis Partners presented with Reingold, Inc.on integrating online and real-world marketing efforts.

May 28, 2002
Virtually Being There--Using Web Tools to Provide Technical Support
IIR Help Desk Symposium, Stockholm, Sweden

Her third engagement in Sweden, Jeanne Allert provided the keynote address on how Internet technologies offer a range of opportunities for improving technical support and getting closer to customers.

May 4, 2002
Your Industry on the Web
National League of Cities, Portland, Oregon

Jeanne Allert presented a workshop on strategic thinking about the Internet for elected city officials from over 30 states.

April 25, 2002
Evolving Event Marketing: Reaching Your Audience in 2002 and Beyond - Destinations Showcase
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Jeanne Allert returned to Destination Showcase with her popular program on Internet Marketing for Meeting Professionals.

Comments from this program include:

"Wow! The capabilities are endless and the speaker did a good job summing it up and explaining."

"This was an excellent presentation"

"I received a lot of excellent ideas..."

"Excellent", "Energetic" and "Very professional, knowledgeable and articulate"

April 23 & 24, 2002
eGovernment and CRM
State Leadership Conference, University of Connecticut

Jeanne Allert led a two-day workshop on the features of eGovernment, as well as a discussion of how state governments are serving their constituents using the Web.

February 28, 2002
Looking Over the Fence and Back: Perspectives on Forging Improved Nonprofit and For-profit Partnerships
GWSAE Navigator Series: Washington, DC
Speakers: Jeanne Allert, Joel Albizo, CAE

February 19, 2002
Getting it Right the First Time: Essential Planning for Technology Initiatives
Ellipsis Partners Executive Seminar Series, Washington, DC
Speakers: Jeanne Allert, Dina Lewis and and Susan Branner from Information Concepts.

February 4 - 6, 2002
The Complete Internet Toolkit
ASTD TechKnowledge Conference & Exposition: Truth in E-Learning, Las Vegas, NV

February 7, 2002
Evolving Event Marketing: Reaching Your Audience in 2002 and Beyond
Destinations Showcase, Washington, DC

Technology Assessment & Planning for Nonprofits
Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, Baltimore, MD