Lesson 2

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Friends,

You are deep into the business of making your dream plan a reality. You have planned, revisited essential elements of your plans, revised and refined them. You are building and maintaining your project web pages that validate and reflect the hard work you are doing and your commendable goals. How are you marketing this dream idea to the world of the Internet? How are you getting along with your team? Working with people from other cultures means keeping your mind open and accepting. Are you taking breaks together?

During this next lesson you will devise strategies for spreading the news of your dream beyond the scope of Kidlink.

The activities and discussions below are suggestions. Use these as a guide for completing the program. You may always substitute other activities that are more suitable for your needs.

Marketing your dream to the world...

Examine the content of your web pages.

What is the message that reaches the eyes immediately when viewers read your project web pages? Are you getting your message across successfully? Be sure your content is:

1. Keep language clear and simple. Avoid using terms that might confuse viewers whose language is not the same as yours. Refrain from using slang terms or terms that might not be familiar to potential sponsors.

2. Get right to the point. State your main ideas using only the words that are necessary. Your readers have limited time and unless your point reaches them quickly, they may move on to another website.

3. Create a storyboard to organize ideas and capture the proper sequence of your thoughts. Use an index card per web page and move cards around on a table until you are pleased with the ordering of ideas. Share these storyboards among team members using e-mail attachments or web pages.

4. Support your ideas with solid data if possible when making statements to persuade. Site sources and references for your facts. Your opinions might convince your friends but might not convince potential sponsors or users.

   Document your progress and successes on your web pages throughout your project. Show the world that you are meeting success and that you need more support to continue this success. What documentation will you include on your web page to convince or persuade your viewers that your dream project is deserving of their time, interest and support?

Is your web page design appropriate for targeted viewers?

1. Know your audience. Think about designing pages that are specific to various groups. Would it be in your project's best interest to make separate web pages that target youth, teachers and sponsors? What would be the main focus for each target group? What message do you have for youth? What message do you have for teachers or sponsors? If you have slightly different messages for each of these groups you may want to tailor your web pages accordingly.

2. Appeal visually to your target audiences.
   1. What graphic design would appeal to your peers, make them want to read more about your message and to join your project efforts? No one likes to wait for long loading web pages. Make sure your graphic design is visually pleasing yet loads quickly.

   2. What design structure might teachers find appealing on your web pages? Will you provide links to educational materials that could support classroom lessons? Teachers joining your efforts would appreciate these links.

   3. Are potential and actual sponsors looking for the same information on a project web page as youth and teachers? Perhaps they are looking for evidence that their support is or would be used wisely and for the best interest of many. How will you achieve this goal on your web pages? Will you document how recipients are benefiting from your project and to what degree if possible?

Do your web pages allow for interaction?

Make it possible for your web pages to grow in value over time. Provide places on your web site for users to give feedback and suggest additional resources and information. Decide who will receive the information that arrives from the web page. How will you use this information? How and where will you organize it? If your web pages ask for additional resources who will review the entries and make sure the information is accurate?