The Publicity Club of New England ("“PubClub") is the region's oldest professional organization for public relations, communications, special events, and marketing professionals.

Since 1969, the Bell Ringer Awards, sponsored by The Publicity Club of New England, have recognized and honored excellence and achievement in the communications and public relations professions. Bell Ringer Awards season is the Pub Club’s busiest, as well as the time of year when the Club is most profitable; financially enabling the Club to maintain a Web site, pay for programs and staff.

Challenge / Goal
PubClub Program attendees should be able to register through the Web site and pay for their attendance, and new members should be able to register through the Web site and pay their annual dues. In addition, the Pub Club’s executive director will need to be able to manage the membership roster, directory, and billing as an administrator of the Web site.

The Web site should offer members up-to-date, comprehensive information and interactive data in a creative and professional manner.

When OrcaPack took the website over, the online members database was an untested mess; member renewal dates were passing without notification or payment. Programs were not getting posted (put on the website) on time, the to-do list was not beginning to be addressed and the PubClub was paying too much.

Publicity Club of New England Home Page

Solution
Orcapack quickly put up a new website design and a new web extranet (secure website) interface for PubClub personnel to track membership, add members and notify members and mailing list subscribers of upcoming programs. Over the following year OrcaPack worked with the Pubclub to plan for the upcoming years development.

Member & Non-Member Program Registration and Payment Screen

Over the last two years we have added a job bank (lists jobs available at member firms), which is updated by members, online Payment Processing for Memberships, Sponsorships, Programs, and Bellringer Award Registration. We have totally automated the Bellringer Entry Process. Entries are taken directly out of the database to produce cover sheets and mailing labels.

Result
The Pubclub membership has grown from 90 members when we started to over 300 members today. They have also added a corporate membership program. The club currently has 23 corporate members paying $1,000+ per year.

Concentrating on creating internet functionality that drives membership, retention, and automation, has allowed the PubClub administrators to concentrate on creating more programs. The Club has between 1 and 3 programs per month and has added a career fair. Programs routinely sell out now where before it was an oddity.

Bellringer Award entries have steadily increased from a little over 100 entries 2 years ago to over 500 entries in 2007 today. The Bellringer Awards Night will be held at Boston Marriott Copley Place in 2007.