Convio Introduces New Personal Outreach Tools, Helps Nonprofits Leverage Online Social Networks to Empower SupportersConvio Widgets and Personal Outreach Pages Help Constituents More Effectively Connect with Organizations, Conduct Ongoing Fundraising and Advocacy CampaignsAUSTIN, TEXAS (November 15, 2006) Convio, Inc. — the leading provider of on-demand software and services that help nonprofits use the Internet for building strong constituent relationships and driving support — today announced new personal outreach tools to help organizations more effectively empower supporters for driving ongoing awareness, support and giving. Convio Widgets work like bumper stickers on the Web, letting organizations tap into the power of online social networking, blogging and more. Additionally, Convio's enhanced personal outreach capabilities provide constituents new ways to extend their individual fundraising and advocacy campaigns beyond events, memorials or tributes. Widgets and Online Social NetworkingOnline social networks (e.g., MySpace.com, LinkedIn.com, Facebook.com, etc.) enable people to connect and interact online around shared interests or causes. Market research firms estimate that social networking sites attract nearly half of all Web users in the United States, with sites like MySpace.com now ranking among the top ten most-visited Web sites on the Internet. Convio Widgets enable individuals to help promote an organization's campaigns or appeals on social networking and online publishing sites. Widgets are small blocks of code with specific branding which nonprofits can make available from their Web sites. Online visitors can easily copy a widget, which looks like a small banner ad, and post it on their own personal pages. Contacts who click on a widget from a social networking site are linked back to an organization's main Web site where they can perform different actions such as donate, register or respond to an advocacy action alert. Nonprofits using Convio Widgets can, for example:
"We're excited to start using Convio Widgets. Online tools like these have the potential to enable a group's most passionate supporters to become even more connected with an organization and conduct proactive outreach," said Jeff Regen, Vice President of Online Marketing & Communications, Defenders of Wildlife. "Since widgets are 'portable' and go anywhere an individual goes in the increasingly popular world of online social networking, they also provide a great opportunity for nonprofits to reach larger audiences, attract new supporters and build larger constituencies." Personal Outreach PagesIn addition to Convio Widgets, the company has launched new personal outreach tools to help organizations utilize supporters for conducting more effective online fundraising and advocacy campaigns. With Convio, nonprofits already have tools which let supporters easily conduct online outreach and create personalized fundraising Web sites for events as well as in honor or memory of friends and relatives. Now, organizations can empower constituents even more by enabling them to create personal pages on an ongoing basis, independent of special events, tributes or memorials. Convio's personal outreach sites let constituents raise money and advocate on behalf of an organization at any time and for numerous causes. For example:
"While the Internet continues to play an increasingly larger role in our lives, as demonstrated by the popularity and explosive growth of online social networks, it is critical that nonprofits continuously implement new strategies and tactics which allow supporters to do more online," said Gene Austin, CEO, Convio, Inc. "With our new personal outreach tools, Convio has taken the lead in helping groups more effectively utilize their constituents to help spread the word about important causes while increasing giving and building ongoing support for their organizations." Convio Widgets will be available in early 2007. For additional information, please view the preliminary fact sheet (PDF, 46K). About ConvioConvio is the leading provider of on-demand software and services to help nonprofits use the Internet strategically to build strong relationships with constituents for driving fundraising, advocacy and other forms of support. Convio has online solutions for fundraising, advocacy, Web content management, event fundraising, ecommerce and email communications. All solutions include the Constituent360™ platform, a sophisticated, online marketing database that centralizes constituent data and integrates with offline databases. Convio has been named to the 2006 Inc. 500 list, recognizing the fastest growing private companies in the nation. The company's clients include American Red Cross, American Diabetes Association, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, AVON Foundation, Easter Seals, Farm Aid, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Trust For Historic Preservation, Ronald McDonald House Charities, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and Thirteen/WNET New York. For more information, please visit www.convio.com. Press contact: |
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