Dear Nonprofit Professional,

The season for holiday and end-of-year giving campaigns is now in full force, with more nonprofit organizations being creative in how they use the Internet to take relationships to new levels. Topping the list of Convio clients offering socially responsible shopping this holiday season are Seva Foundation, Save the Children, Oxfam America, Defenders of Wildlife and several others.

With our recent launch of Convio Open, clients and partners are lined up to reach and empower the "new constituent" who resides in an expanding world of online social networking communities. More than 40 organizations have signed up to be part of Convio's beta application for Facebook to extend their viral marketing through innovative constituent engagement.

In addition to the increasing use of social media, one of the most popular online engagement strategies this year has been peer-to-peer solutions, which allow an organization's supporters to tap into their own personal networks to raise funds on behalf of the organization. We're pleased to be working with The Salvation Army to easily involve family, friends and colleagues in its online Red Kettle Christmas Campaign, one of the most recognizable charitable outreach efforts in the United States.

With the explosion of social networking sites as an added channel for outreach, keeping track of constituent interactions has become even more challenging. In this month's Guest Column, Leo D'Angelo, Chief Technology Officer of MPower Systems describes how open platforms can make data integration easier and provide organizations the freedom from being locked into an all-in-one solution.

As you look ahead to next year, are you creating the right experience for your constituents? If you're thinking of redesigning your Web site, consider a usability audit to enhance your conversion goals. Convio's Director of Interactive Services Bethany Little explains how this worked for the Autism Society of America, which will launch a new Web site this year.

We hope these articles will inspire you to enhance your outreach and engagement in 2008.

All of us at Convio wish you a happy holiday season and new year.

Regards,

Gene Austin
Chief Executive Officer, Convio

	ASK THE EXPERT: YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED Question: When should we end our end-of-year fundraising campaign? Answer by Patrick Hansen, Senior Interactive Consultant, Convio
	GUEST PERSPECTIVE: PRACTICAL ADVICE FROM OUR VISITING COLUMNIST How Open Tools and Plug-and-Play Solutions Allow You to "Own" Your Future by Leo D'Angelo, CTO, MPower Systems Guest columnist Leo D'Angelo recommends why a loosely coupled integrated solution is greater than the sum of its parts.
	NEW FROM CONVIO Viral Marketing Evolved: Four Tips for Multi-Channel Marketing with Facebook by James Young, Product Manager, Convio; and Tompkins Spann, Senior Market Strategist, Convio Ready to add Facebook? Four tips to achieve real results.
	How a Web Site Usability Audit Can Enhance Your Conversion Goals by Bethany Little, Director of Interactive Services, Convio Does your Web site stack up? Try a User Experience Audit.
	CLIENT RESULTS Convio's On-Demand Solutions and Client Services Help Nonprofits Respond to Wildfires by Laura Brown, Account Manager, Convio
	Tis the Season for Online Fundraising and Socially Responsible Shopping: Seva Foundation Launches New "Gifts of Service™" Web Site by Claudia Zorn, Senior Corporate Communications Manager, Convio