What's it all about?
[September 2009] If you want people to participate in your programmes, include details on your website of what's involved.
It's a dirty world
I walk our two dogs most days around Mt Victoria in Wellington. It's distressing to see discarded fast food wrappers, cigarette butts, paper cups, bottles broken and intact, drink cans, french fries and chicken bones, and all the other detritus that clings to the sides of this beautiful hill.
The Council's clean-up guys do a good job near the rubbish bins, but the spread, frequency and quantity of rubbish defeat even them.
On occasion I pick up some of the bottles but cleaning up Mt Vic could easily be a full-time job and we're out there for a walk.
When I came across a website designed to help clean up New Zealand, I saw a chance to participate in a bigger cleanup.
Help Keep New Zealand Beautiful
The site included a prominent sign-up form encouraging me to get involved. It told me that "Taking part is easy". But it didn't tell me what's involved.
Other areas of the site told me where cleanups take place, that schools and other groups can sign up, that there are sponsors. Every page sported sign-up forms.
What I could not find, anywhere, was what a cleanup is, how it works, what happens, or what I'm committing myself to.
What am I signing up for?
Do I just head out the door one day and pick up rubbish? How long do I spend? Am I committed to doing this every day for the week, every month, every year? Questions fizzed through my brain, but there were no answers to be found on the website.
I made my way to the website for the parent organisation, but found no answers there either. Accordingly I haven't signed up. I'll probably just continue occasionally picking up odd pieces of litter on our walks.
What do you tell visitors about your programmes?
Visit your own website and try to look at it with 'fresh' eyes. Or even better, enlist the help of a neighbour or friend who doesn't know much or anything about your work.
What questions does a new visitor have about your programme? Does your website answer those questions?
Web space is cheap
Printing books and pamphlets can cost hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. You have to choose carefully what to say in printed material. On the web, space is virtually infinite and free. Take as much space as you need to fully inform your visitors about your programmes.
1001 Answers
Find out what people really want to know that may prevent them from signing up with you, then answer those questions on your website.
If you find the 'wrong' people sign up, then tell visitors what characteristics and qualities you're looking for. Give them a quiz to help them self-select.
Use photos, text, diagrams, even video to show people what your programme is and what it does. Allay fears and concerns. Provide information. Explain.
"How our programme works" is a great title for a page on your site.
Panui tips contributed by Miraz Jordan, http://knowit.co.nz