Overview:
The National Kitchen and Bath Association is a volunteer trade association representing over 10,000 businesses and professionals in the kitchen and bath industries nationwide. The Chicago chapter of the NKBA, the nation’s largest, had a need for a website that would encourage member recruitment and retention while offering consumers a way to interact with the NKBA brand on a local level.
Challenge:
The Chicago chapter Board of Directors had a basic wish-list for their site including a membership directory, online event registration and chapter news updates. As a volunteer organization whose leadership changes regularly, the Chicago NKBA chapter needed a website that would be easily managed and updated without outside assistance.
Solution:
In-depth interviews with the chapter’s Board members was our first step towards a solution. By understanding the organization’s specific goals, including increased chapter event participation and expanded member networking opportunities, we were able to author core content that would be of long-term interest to chapter members, thus encouraging regular visits to the site.
Because ease-of-use and maintenance was also a client requirement, we chose WordPress as the developmental platform for the site. The ubiquity of Wordpress and its simple, yet powerful content engine was the perfect solution for non-technical, volunteer webmasters.
With an eye towards the future, de-lux.tv also engaged in comprehensive SEO planning when developing the site. The Chicago Mid West chapter of the NKBA has some of the country’s leading designers among its ranks and their knowledge and insight can be put to great SEO advantage by regular postings on the site. This one-of-a-kind content provides a unique opportunity for the chapter to interact with consumers in a way that will naturally drive traffic and generate new business leads.
Results:
Lauded not only by the local NKBA members but also the national organization’s leadership, the Chicago Mid West chapter’s website has become the communication hub for member activities and interaction. As de-lux.tv works with the Board of Directors to maintain a consistent editorial schedule, the site will also attract qualified consumers looking to find information and services for their home improvement projects.