Local Council Web Site Program: Endorsements

When serving as our medium sized council's Secretary-Treasurer (and unpaid administrator), I realized the need for an economical and timely method of communicating with our membership. I found the NAEPC website program offered a website presence, an easily editable membership directory, an event calendar, and best of all an email communication tool, all for one annual fee of $800 (Level II). I found the website page templates easy to populate with information and easy to update. Now, five years down the road since we signed up, NAEPC continues to improve and enhance the website appearance and functionality. From added membership information to extended document storage and a photo gallery page, our website gives our council a professional appearance to the public and a great resource to our council members. The NAEPC staff and webmaster is always receptive to suggestions to improve and enhance the functionality.

In addition to our internal use, our council found that the website provides a great opportunity to solicit sponsorships from businesses interested in supporting our organization. Our council receives more than the annual website cost in sponsorship revenue each year, and as a result, expanding our membership's exposure to other businesses.

Gregory E. Sellers, CPA, AEP
Montgomery (AL) Estate Planning Council

My members have used your NAEPC web site for years and in some cases have been able to find council members around the United States that they can use for their clients.

Our own web page is most helpful for updating member information, whether it's me or the member themselves. Our meeting schedules are posted there and speaker documents as well for easy downloading and printing prior to the meeting.

Our web site also has a link to the NAEPC web page so it's convenient to get there to see information regarding web seminars and upcoming conventions, links to organizations such as the American Bar Association, etc.

While we only meet about 8-9 times per year, our members know that information that they may need is available through our web page and the NAEPC web page.

Miriam Funchess
Estate Planning Council of Northeast Florida

I use the NAEPC web service for two estate planning councils. The large council consists of approximately 600 members. The large council uses a Level IV. The web service is useful for membership organization and easy access to the members. The large council also uses the credit card capability. Credit card payments are used for meeting registrations as well as membership renewals. Paying online is more efficient and it is convenient for the members who prefer to pay online. I use the mass e-mail for meeting notices, etc. The web service has been a great asset!

Teresa Moore, Executive Director 
Dallas Estate Planning Council

The NAEPC web site is truly helping the New Orleans Estate Planning Council members get to know each other better and connect. We use almost all of the features offered, but the face book feature of having photos of each member on their contact pages is one of the best. If a member does not provide a photo, I crop faces from group pictures and add them with a message "if you don't like your photo, send me one you like!" I have about 80% now and am working to reach 100%. The newest feature of having a Photo Gallery is the most fun. We have posted pictures from the NAEPC 2007 Conference held in New Orleans where so many of our members were in attendance, but also photos from our 40th Anniversary Celebration in 2005 and past Estate Planning Days. Since there is a place to post pictures, now we will be taking photos at regular meetings as well. Another added feature that our Council is grateful for is the addition of cell phone numbers, because on the occasions we have had to evacuate from hurricanes, we know we can find each other through these phones we now take with us regularly. Being able to get to our web site from any location when we are traveling is critical to many of us.

Leila Schumacher, Executive Director
New Orleans Estate Planning Council

The NAEPC and its staff helped take us into the 21st century without having to spend time learning how to become technologically savvy. Now we do everything through the website. It saves us time, money, and enables us to communicate immediately with all our members, all with the push of one button. I highly recommend NAEPC and its staff when looking for help with your local branch website. They are friendly, knowledgeable, and competent.

Doug Riva, CFP
Bucks County (PA) Estate Planning Council

See complete details about the Local Council Web Site Program.