Frequently Asked Questions: General
What does The Magnet do for us?
The Magnet is a web-based application that (1) helps run your organization's operations and (2) enhances the value proposition you offer to your members. You'll get a professional-looking website with more functionality than you can shake a mouse at! You'll also have access to a powerful suite of Club management, automation, and reporting tools that will save you hours of admin time, enable more of your officers and volunteers to collaborate together effectively, and allow you to get better results and have more fun running your organization. It's also worth noting that every one of our clients has seen their financial results improve materially after adopting The Magnet.
Specifically, what kinds of tools are there?
An easy-to-use Web Publishing Environment, Event Management Tools, a Membership Management Module, a fully functional eCommerce Module with Logic and Triggers, an Interest Groups Module, and an Online Directory Module.
But wait--that's not all. We also provide a Member Benefits Module, comprehensive Self-Serve Capabilities, an eNewsletter Module, Career Development Tools, and an Auto-Notify Module that takes care of much of your member communication, including membership renewal reminders.
Can The Magnet help me accept payments online?
Yes, our ecommerce fully automates the process of selling memberships, event tickets, and anything else you want to sell. Your transactions are secure, and you can see sales results in real-time.
Can The Magnet help me manage my website?
It's part of what we do for a living. You'll have better and more finely-tuned control over your website than you've ever had. More importantly, we'll help enable you to spread the website management out over as many of your officers and volunteers as you'd like.
Does The Magnet market to my users.
Absolutely not. We are a technology provider. Your users and your data are yours.
Does The Magnet take a piece or percentage of my transactions?
Again, absolutely not. And this ends up being a substantial savings for many of our clients.
Frequently Asked Questions: Technical
What kind of technical knowledge do I need to run a successful online community with The Magnet?
The Magnet is built for businesspeople, not techies. You need to be able to use a computer and have access to the internet. With that, you're ready to begin adding content to your organization's website.
Is The Magnet a pre-packaged piece of software that I purchase?
No, we are a classic ASP (Application Service Provider.) Our entire application is web-based, which carries the following advantages:
a. You don't need a web host; we are your web host.
b. Any administrative function can be done from any computer attached to the internet. Let's say that again: your team members and you can be anywhere as long as you have a computer with an internet connection. From your work desk, from your home, from your vacation home, from a laptop at Starbucks. Anywhere.
c. Custom configuration and software upgrades are done for you remotely and are inexpensive and easy compared to the alternative of doing it all yourself.
d. The only hardware you need is a basic personal computer with an internet connection.
e. Data backup is done for you automatically, and the backup media are held offsite in a secure, controlled environment.
f. You'll have all the system reliability of an Advanced Unix Server.
g. Relatively low cost of entry and an extremely short setup time.
