website | National Inventory Certification Association

24 May 2017

Have You Visited The New NICA Website Yet?

We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from members and would like to hear from you. If you haven’t visited the website yet, please do so. Mary Gillen created a site that met all the requests we received from members and the Website Committee. The site is responsive (adjusts to all sizes of devices) and meets the ADA Compliance requirements (Mary will share more about this in a future issue of our newsletter).

While you’re checking out the new website, please review your Directory listing to ensure your contact information and the link to your website are correct. The directory was highest on the list of requested improvements, so we are confident that you’ll be quite pleased with the new look.

Please also review the Certification Page, as we’ve streamlined the processes for applying for the Certified Inventory Specialist (CIS) and the Certified Appraisal Examiner (CAE) designations. The requirements to achieve these certifications are listed on this page as well.

What’s new? All applications are electronic, as we took into consideration that everyone’s schedule is quite busy. You can now apply for your designations via this online form – no need to send an email, request a form, wait for it to be emailed. etc. Additionally, when you have completed your 5 CEU requirement to renew your certification each calendar year, there is an online form for this as well. For all 3 applications, you just click on the button, complete the form, and click Submit. It’s that easy!

20 Mar 2017

Meet Mary Gillen, New Associate Member

We have received many compliments about the new NICA website. Some have stated that it’s clean, easy to navigate, has great information, and a quote that says exactly what we were going for – “I love the positive visuals.”

There is one person to thank for this, and she is our Associate Member, Mary Gillen. Here is why we are so glad to have her as one of our members, ready to create website, marketing, and social media assistance for our members.

Using her more than 20 years of Web development experience to build sites for tech companies, associations, non-profits and small businesses, Mary Gillen blends professional design with measurable business results. The perfect example of her work is to peruse the new NICA website when it launches (she did a fantastic job!). Whether you need a few tweaks or an entirely new website, you will find Mary is extremely talented and professional. From adding a blog page to an existing site to creating a fully searchable directory, your issue becomes her successful project.

Websites, SEO, Copywriting, Content Marketing

Keyword Research – How do your prospects find you on the Web? You can expect shifts in how people search, perhaps due to market conditions or changes in product or service demand. So, if your Web site was optimized for keyword phrases a year ago, it may be time for a keyword phrase “tune-up.”
Copywriting for Both Web & Print – Copywriting is one of the most essential elements of effective online marketing and print business communication. Effective copy sells your services. She has written hundreds of brochures, technical manuals, and Federal government RFP proposals in addition to writing for the Web and producing online marketing copy for commercial and private organizations.
Content Marketing – Every business person serious about marketing his/her business today must publish blog posts, Twitter tweets, Google+ shares & YouTube video content consistently throughout the business week. Why? Search engine optimization. Consistently publishing quality content to your blog, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube accounts is the way to get there. She has developed a Content Marketing Plan that can be used for Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Business-to-Business (B2B) or Business-to-Government (B2G).

For all of your website, content, and social media needs, Mary Gillen can help you reach the next level with your business.

06 Mar 2017

Inventory Association Launches New Website

We are so very excited to announce that the new website is now live! The many hours building, writing, proof-reading, and testing the site have all been worth it!

Applause to Associate Member Mary Gillen for her expertise and patience as we made numerous adjustments to the layout and functions of the website over the course of this project.

As you check out the site, you will notice many small tweaks and well as the major cosmetic makeover. Some major improvements are:

Member directory with search capability

Yep – you read that right! A fully searchable member directory for our inventory services members. A neat, clean, alphabetical listing of each member’s inventory company, along with your name(s) and certifications. To find a home inventory professional in a specific state, just click on the State drop-down menu. For those who prefer to do a search, this can be accomplished by typing a name, phone number, address, or any other contact information in the search box.

This helps prospective clients find you quickly and easily in a variety of ways. Also an advantage for each member, you can just as simply find other professionals when you’re offered a project that would be best to refer it to someone else, due to expertise, location, etc. Awesome!

Online applications to apply for certifications

In the past, when it was time to apply for your certification(s), you had to contact the NICA office to request the form. Upon receipt, you filled it out, scanned it, then emailed it back to the office. These days are gone! With the new website, all you need to do is click a link, complete the online form, and you will be notified when the Education Committee approves it. Voila!

Associate member page

We appreciate our Associate members, and have redesigned their page, too. To learn more about their services and how you can work with them, just hover over the Membership tab and click on the Associate Member drop-down tab. You will see a brief description of the services each Associate member offers. Check ’em out!

Purchase pages

The pages you visit to purchase the courses, Certification exam and eBooks, and to join or renew your membership, are a similar layout to the previous website. However, the icons are cleaner, and, of course, represent our new logo. They are now categorized by product (Courses, Certification Exam, eBooks, Membership) and in alphabetical order. This makes the purchase process easier. Yes!

Testimonials

It’s always great to receive positive feedback, and when it’s from our members, it really means a lot. It tells us that we are doing what we say we do. In addition to showing others what type of organization we are, having a Testimonial section on the Home page is an additional way to promote our members. If you would like to share your thoughts about NICA, the courses, the value of membership, or any other topic, email it, using “Testimonial” as the subject line. We will include it with the others on the Home page. Give a shout-out!

There are many more improvements the new NICA website, and we are anxious for you to visit soon. Same website address. While you’re there, please verify that your directory listing is correct. Please make sure that your profile is complete. If you have changes or additions to your contact information, you can make the edits or if you prefer, just email the updates to the NICA office and we’ll do it for you.

Thanks for your patience as we worked through the former site’s issues during this transition period. We are sure you agree it was worth the wait!