Altru User Groups: Chat Sessions Now Offered on Skype

We're always encouraging our Altru users to talk to each other, so we're giving you another resource to make it happen: Skype chats. We started experimenting with these back in March and have had some great conversations among our membership, development, and visitor services group. We've heard you guys would like to talk to similar orgs, similar roles - and on specific topics. So we've created a schedule of chats. You are welcome to any and/or all of them. Come to what interests you. The segments don't cover everyone, so if you work for a science center and think that the children's museum chat would be helpful for you, please come.

May 29 - Everyone (Your chance to check out chat. Everyone is invited. Bring any type questions.)

June 5 - Children's Museums

June 12 - Membership (Contribution-based, Renewal Letters, Member Benefits & Tracking)

June 19 - Art Museums

June 26 - Events (Fundraising Events, Summer Camps)

July 3 - OFF

July 10 - Arboretums, Gardens, & Sculpture Centers

July 17 - Fundraising (Donor Prospects)

July 24 - Daily Sales (Ticketing, Refunds, Reporting)

July 31 - Volunteers (Scheduling, Managing, Reporting)

Aug 7 - Theatres & Performing Arts Centers

Aug 14 - Membership

All chats are on Wednesdays, 1:00 - 2:00 pm ET. The items in parenthesis are the topics that users have requested we chat about. You guys are leading these chats - so come with your questions and your advice. Periodically, we may have an Altru analyst, lead, or consultant on the chat - to speak directly to Altru functionality - but this isn't intended to be a support channel; it's a place to exchange ideas with other organizations.

What you'll need: Skype. That's it. No mic or camera. These are basically IM sessions - like our chat support resource. You'll be typing; not talking. So for those of you who work in a loud office or in a cubicle; these are ideal. Here's a preview of how the chats look:



Just download Skype and add me - Kristen.Gastaldo - as a contact. I'll put you in our Altru group. All you need to do to join a chat is log on, and click that group. There's a call feature, but you don't need it. Just log on and chat!

We hope you guys will find these beneficial. You can send me more topics you'd like covered ... or more groups. Or if Wed doesn't work for you, let me know. We can play with the schedule as well.

Not into chat, but still want to talk? Let me know. We hosted a phone call with our financial crowd and we're open to hosting those for any group that prefers. Just email me or let me know in the community.