Sunday, January 27, 2008
Suburban Harvest Soft-Launch
When I return from vacation, I'll put out some press releases, send out to a few more people and see if we get any media bites. I also put in the fancy forms.
That's where we're at.
Monday, January 21, 2008
ARG. Forms don't work
That's what I get for hiring an amateur.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
It's up!
Feedback is very welcome. I'm hoping to get the database-driven forms before we go to Utah next Wednesday, but that may be ridiculous.
Interested parties, feel free to test all the links and submit test forms to me so I can see if it is working. Email me or comment here if you do.
When we get back from Utah, if the forms are working properly, I'll send out the press release and you can all feel free to print flyers and give them to your neighbors with heavy trees!
Valerie
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
OK. IT'S MY TURN TO BLOG
- I LIKE TO,
- THE WEB SITE IS ALMOST DONE,
- IT'S FUN
Saturday, January 5, 2008
The Web Site is Almost Ready!
The domains (.org and .com) have been purchased with the first two months of hosting ($30), most of the pages are complete, and I expect the site to be up and running next week. There are two last steps--getting a toll-free number ($30/90 + $4 min a mo) and printing cards and lawn signs ($100).
I'm so happy that web design, programming, marketing materials, press releases and media outreach is free! Hooray for years of challenging, stressful and traumatic professional experiences!
Two issues. Should I get a vanity number (the only one available is 877-FULL-TREE that is easy to remember for $90 or just a plain one for $30? Really, as a marketing person I so want the vanity number, but as I write this I realize I really don't have a choice, I can't be dumping piles of money into this. We really want to keep it simple.
Which brings me to the second issue. To run this as a non-profit project of our for-profit family business, or to make it it's own registered non-profit? I am going with the former for now. It will have overhead, but if the project just has small, local interest, it can just be a fun hobby. Grants, sponsors and donations are still available but to a lesser extent without 501(c)(3) status if it grows much and requires funding to run. Even then, if the project does grow and we keep it as a non-profit project of a for-profit company, if the website is getting good traffic, business sponsors can allocate it to advertising even though it cannot be written off as a charitable deduction.
Oh, I long for the days when Duke (our accountant) was at my beck and call for these things. But the times demand self-sufficiency. So, for the time, we'll just get it out there, see how the interest is, keep meticulous track of our financial ins and outs, and worry about the organization later.
Comments and input are very welcome!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Time's a Wastin'
I'm excited because it looks like the program is much needed and useful. However, if the response is so great it turns into a full time job to simply match donors and volunteers, I'll need to really start worrying about funding the program seriously and not just going about it casually. If the need is there, which it greatly appears to be, we'll do whatever is necessary to make it work.