VADP Communications Task Force
Friday, October 21, 2011
Charlottesville & Richmond via Skype
MINUTES
PRESENT: Helena Cobban, Stephanie Saccone, Steve Northup, Matt Sellman,
& Michael Stone.
The meeting began with Matt Sellman giving an update about the conversion
of the VADP data base into the Salsa platform. The conversion is now
complete after several problems with the data transfer. Unfortunately,
customer service had not been good; it would take a week or more for
responses about resolving problems. Matt has found a new technician at
Salsa who has been far more responsive.
So far Matt has sent three e-mail blasts with the Salsa system. The VADP web
site is now linked to the Salsa data base. He hopes to generate an automated
thank you message for online donations. But there are still some questions &
challenges in setting this up.
The next step will be sending a message to VADP supporters for whom we
only have an e-mail address. We will be asking them for their physical
addresses so that we can identify their House & Senate legislative districts. It
will be important to get the language right so that people will respond.
The group then began a conversation about redesigning the VADP web site.
Stephanie Saccone reminded everyone that we had identified several key
audiences for the web site - members & activists, potential members, students
& death penalty info seekers, media, and conservatives.
The first topic was confusion about signing up on the web page. There are
two options. The first is a small box to enter one’s e-mail address for
newsletters. The second is a “join us” button that takes one to a sing up page.
The group decided that we should eliminate the e-mail box and only have a
sign up page. On that page the fields should include name, physical address,
phone, & e-mail. We should explain that we need their address in order to
identify their legislative districts. The following options should also be on the
page - donation, no mail, get more involved, and comment.
The group then discussed the home page design. First we need some kind of
tagline at the top of the page to summarize VADP. One idea was “Educate,
organize, & advocate for abolition.”
Navigation should answer key questions - What is this about? Why does it
matter (e.g., six key reasons to oppose the death penalty)? What can I do?
On the home page itself the group talked about replacing the “recent news”
section with a Facebook page widget (with a link to “read more”). A box with
a welcome message from Director Steve Northup would also be good.
Michael mentioned that the VICPP home page has a box with a photo & brief
testimony from board members & donors explaining why they support the
organization.
The group talked about other home page links that could include news
archive, media, & death penalty voices.
The big navigation links on the home page should include:
HOME ABOUT EDUCATE ORGANIZE ADVOCATE
MEDIA/RESOURCES
Michael will create a mock up of a home page that incorporates these ideas.
He will run it by Stephanie for her feedback. This will be useful for sharing
with the web site designer, Category 4.
Michael reported that we will not know whether VADP will get funds from the
EU grant for the web site redesign and video project until December. Steve
Northup indicated that VADP has enough funds to proceed with the web site
work. The end of year donation request will include an appeal to help pay for
these important projects. He will also be meeting with a potential major
donor soon to ask for a gift to help pay for the web site redesign.
The scope of work statement for the video project has not been finalized
because of other pressing concerns. It is not an immediate priority. It will be
completed & sent to potential bidders once time becomes available.
The next group meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 16" from
12:30 to 2:00pm. People agreed that using Skype was effective and worked
well. So the Charlottesville folk will again meet with the Richmond people via
Skype.
The meeting was then adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Stone
October 28, 2011
