About the author: Felix Figuereo is the Managing Director & Founder of Nicasio Design and Development. Nicasio Design provides web based solutions for both non-profits. Nicasio is highly proficient in Wild Apricot design and development. Nicasio Design is also a member of the Wild Apricot partner program.
As a member of the Wild Apricot program partner, we feel compelled to share some tips which may be helpful to new Wild Apricot users. Everyone longs for the textbook scenario in which their website is easily and uneventfully converted to Wild Apricot, and launched. The reality, however, is that there is always the potential for a snag. Easily, some subtle often overlooked piece of information or asset tends to put a damper on the anticipated deployment of all that hard work.
We'd like to present the following checklist as a gauge to effectively completing your site conversion and avoid surprises in the end:
Set a goal:
Talk to all stakeholders and be sure you have a well outlined goal for your site's transition. For example, in the case of a conversion from static site to Wild Apricot, try to outline what part of your current site will need to be carried over to your Wild Apricot site. Additionally, see if there are any components of your current site which will no longer be needed. Especially if their functionality are replaced by Wild Apricot.
Assets:
One of the most common delays we have encountered during a project is a customer's innability to secure all the assets for a successful conversion. A good example of this is a organization's logo. Keep in mind that the logo image on your site isn't necessarily usable 'as is' on your new Wild Apricot site. Header images are also a good example. Make sure you have the original artwork in AI or Photoshop format. Ask your designer for the 'layered' file. He'll know what it is you are asking for.
Membership Database:
OK so if I had a Dollar for each time I am asked this question, I could be that closer to retirement. "I have our membership db - will it be easy to upload?" The answer is yes, and no. Provided your membership db matches the Wild Apricot default format, which more than likely it wont, you will have to do a little data management to successfully upload to Wild Apricot. Once more, you will need to customize your Wild Apricot member registration form.
Content:
In terms of content, I am not referring to having content ready for the Wild Apricot site. I think that is a given. Rather, if you aer working with a Wild Apricot design partner, be sure to discuss if the quoted price will include the import of your content or not. Reason? Cost! If you ask your design firm to spend time migrating content - then be prepared to incur the cost associated to it. This should be part of goal setting, but it is often overlooked.
Payment processing:
So you are going to use the power of Wild Apricot to accept donations, event registration, and membership payments online. There are a few choices of payment processors you can use with Wild Apricot; PayPal and Authorize.net. Note that setting up a merchant account, if you do not already have one, can take a few days amd requires some extensive documentation or process. Do not forget to initiate and / or secure your merchant account information sooner rather them later.
Domain Management:
So, your Wild Apricot site is ready. Now what? Oh, let's point DNS and make the domain work. OK. Ah, who manages the site's DNS? Usually this is what I call scramble mode because it causes everyone to scramble to figure out who holds the key. Two thing; 1 - where you registered the domain is not necessarily where the domain's name server settings are managed, and 2 - making the switch is a two part process a) set DNS, and b) set domain up in Wild Apricot domian manager settings.
The above has not been meant to be a comprehensive list of needs, or to do's for your Wild Apricot site development. Nonetheless, if we can help avoid delays and undue heart ache - we are here to help. Let us know if you need us.
Thanks,
Felix Figuereo
Managing Director
Nicasio Design & Development----------------------------------
Office - 912-292-1716
Direct - 912.441.7011
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