Sounds like you're ready for change!

You may remember the communications survey that was sent out a couple of months back. No? Well, there was one that just over 600 of our members filled out and we took notes. The feedback we received has been solid gold so without wasting any time, we want to start implementing your ideas right away!

Email
The survey found that 95% of you prefer to be communicated with by email. That is a relief because about 95% of our communications are by email! We found that a majority of the survey applicants always read our Newsletter 45%, MLS login page 36%, and dedicated event emails 48%.

Frequency
Most of you (52%) would like to be emailed once per week. One member suggested: “Once a week. maybe news and bulletins could be combined into one weekly email, unless an important announcement or deadline came up.” Great idea! We heard this more than once - and we are listening!

Respondents suggested that emails sent on a Friday are often overlooked and that emails sent early to mid-week have the best chance of being seen. Also, a majority stated that the communications would be read more if they were shorter in length (47%) and contained a combination of information (news, info, deadlines, bulletins, etc). See what I mean about great ideas?

Topics
A majority of you are very interested information concerning CE classes (75%), 62% are somewhat interested in GHAR events and 51% are very interested in information about technology. One suggested that we provide more printable tools to share like facts, numbers and graphs. Most of you prefer to read summarized information because there just isn’t enough time in the day!

The Result
So, having read through hundreds of comments and suggestions, we are ready to heed your wishes. It appears you would like emails to be short, to the point, and once per week. This plan is already set in motion and will continue to evolve over time as we update our website to accommodate all of these changes. Our current Newsletter (REALsTORy) will be sent once per week, instead of both the eNews and newsletter. The June issue will be the last newsletter as you know it now. The new one will be a combination of everything you need to know - all in one place! Just imagine!

Our email design will ultimately reflect our new website design - easy to navigate and easy to read. Oh, and did we mention that we're working on a new logo, too? Lots of changes coming but from what I've read, you're ready! Do you like these ideas? Do you hate them? Please let me know! Keara Langston (klangston@gharonline.com or call 860.561.1800).

We’re looking for some good advice!

GHAR is redesigning its website from top to bottom. We’ll remove some content, add new content, and change the navigation to make it easier for you to find the information you need.

Here’s your chance to make GHARonline.com a better website for all of our members. Tell us what you would like to see on our new website.

Here’s how you can help us. Join our focus group. We’ll have a short meeting that’ll last about an hour or two to discuss the redesign. You don’t need any web design experience or technical knowledge to take part in our focus group. You even have a chance to win a $50 gas card for giving us your time!

To sign-up for our focus group, please call me (Christian) at 860-561-1800 ext. 232 or send me an email by May 20, 2011.

For the last nine years, the editors at REALTOR® Association Executive magazine have held an annual website contest for real estate associations - like GHAR. They recently announced the winners of the 2011 contest and the reasons behind their choices in the Spring 2011 edition of the magazine.

Following are the winners, one for each association size category:

• the Portage County Association of REALTORS, Ohio in the fewer than 300 members category;
• the Berkshire Association of REALTORS, Mass. in the 301-700 members category;
• the Dulles Area Association of REALTORS, Va. in the 701-2,000 members category;
• the REALTORS Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh in the 2,001-7,000 members category;
• the Houston Association of REALTORS in the more than 7,000 members category.

To put this in perspective, GHAR has approximately 3,500 members. If you look at the websites above, you’ll see how other associations try to disseminate information to their members. It worked for the judges; the 2011-2012 REALTOR AE magazine editorial board and NAR staff, but do these ideas work for you, our members?

Christian Disbrow
Director of Information Technology