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Customer Spotlight
Men's Health Belly Off! Club Helps Members Take Off Those Extra Holiday Pounds
...and members aren't the only ones getting results!
The holidays are a time to indulge. Office break rooms become a constant source of sugar; co-workers bring in homemade cookies, partners send gift baskets overflowing with goodies. And the parties… a cocktail or two, a slice of pie to finish off a hearty meal… it’s all so hard to resist. It’s no surprise that many of us gain a couple of pounds during the holiday season.
Just in time for those New Year’s resolutions, Rodale launched their latest online community powered by Neighborhood America for Men’s Health, “Belly Off! Club.”
The 8-week program offers members easy meal plans, simple workouts, and tips to help them succeed. But whether it’s to lose weight or stop smoking, a community must truly engage the person in order to change behaviors. You have to give them a reason to participate. They have to feel like they’re getting something out of the experience.
Neighborhood America enables Rodale to build these types of engagement networks -- beyond the social aspect of just making friends and staying connected -- encouraging interaction around the serious mission of building a healthier body through the shared experiences and encouragement of fellow community members. Our technology solution provides the tools to get this done, allowing members to post profiles, pictures, and gain valuable insight through the ability to rank and comment.
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But for Rodale, it’s not just about featuring some cool Web 2.0 technology, keeping their collective fingers crossed, and chancing their investment on the hope people will participate in the community. Rodale takes a very strategic approach to community-building. It's about leveraging social networking in a way that delivers results for the enterprise.
“Belly Off! Club” launched in early January 2008. Within weeks, more than 7,500 profiles were created and continue growing every minute. Besides sustainable Web traffic, each page provides new advertising real estate from which ad revenues are generated.
“Belly Off! Club” follows on the heels of two successful communities previously launched by Men's Health, “Transform” and “Challenge,” also powered by Neighborhood America.
It’s a win, win. While readers trim their belly - Rodale grows their bottom.... bottom-line, that is!
Visit the Men's Health Belly Off! Club.
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Industry Spotlight |
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  No-Holds-Barred Community for Fastest Growing Sport
Not long ago the sport was banned as too vicious for decent society.
A full contact combat sport that includes kicks, knees, submission holds, and takedowns, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) recently implemented additional rules for safety and, since these changes, is becoming one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
According to Sports Illustrated, the Ultimate Fighter reality series on Spike TV often eclipses the ratings of NBA and baseball playoff games among 18-34 males; and the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) 2006 pay-per-view revenues were $223 million, compared to boxing at $177 million on HBO, and $200 million for WWE.
 This unique industry presents a huge growth potential, and Neighborhood America’s latest customer is primed to capitalize on the opportunity to unite fight fans in one community, MMA ReaLife, which is set to launch in the coming months.
Besides providing a place to socialize around mixed martial arts and cage fighting, the online community will be a one-stop-shop for fight news, event information, and licensed MMA apparel.
Neighborhood America is excited to partner with MMA ReaLife, a true innovator who realizes the business value of engaging consumers through an enterprise social network.
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NA Point of View |
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  Citizen Involvement in the Digital Age
by Dan Bevarly, Senior Director of Market Relations and Business Development, and Jeffery G. Ulma, AICP, Planning Director for the Town of Cary
The Digital Age is here.
The way we communicate, share, and connect with others has changed drastically in the past decade. Although you may not know some of your neighbors, you might encounter them online in social networks, forums, and — through one or two degrees of separation — a professional network.
The private sector has been the bellwether of things to come in the
public sector, but municipalities throughout the country are taking action
to connect a new generation of citizens — always attached to a mobile
phone, Internet connection, or an amalgam of the two — to their
government, to spur participation in a way that is more feasible in an overscheduled, digital lifestyle.
The function of a democratic government has not changed much
since its inception. The voice of the people is as important as ever in the
creation of law and the establishment of policy. However, capturing that
voice has become the new challenge. The public forum — in an offline
world — doesn’t have the draw of even ten years ago. Society at large has
shifted to an online world, and public chief information officers and
managers are beginning to use this societal trend to their advantage.
The Groundswell Begins
No longer is a single community meeting in the neighborhood with an “open microphone” enough, and a mandatory public hearing at the end of a process is often viewed with skepticism. Some residents are intimidated by the crowd and don’t express their true opinion or, worse yet, don’t participate at all.
Citizens want — even demand — early, extensive, and convenient access to local government so they can play a part in planning decisions. As the recipients of the feedback, the government staff must decipher hundreds of paper forms, find the best way to sort these numerous comments, and quickly respond to citizen concerns. For these reasons, local governments need modern ways to manage public input.
Community thought leaders at all levels can now seize more opportunities to connect with everyday citizens by leveraging social networking as a tool to foster virtual “town meetings.” Across the nation, governments are opening lines of communication between their offices and the people of their respective states, counties, and municipalities. Using the Web to empower citizens and publish open calls for civic engagement and public comment, local governments are warming to true constituent engagement, but more can be done to harness the true power of the citizen’s voice. Social networking
is no longer an area that the government can ignore. Visionary state and local leaders are adopting these consumer- adopted behaviors at a fast pace, but in ways that make sense at a government or enterprise level.
Many state and local governments are looking at the massive popularity of social networking as a way to encourage citizen involvement. By integrating enterprise social networking into their latest initiatives and implementing
media-rich applications designed to meet the structured requirements of government, municipalities are striving to connect with citizens concerning crucial government functions like zoning, issues management,
and tourist development.
Two uses of online engagement in the public sector come from the Carolinas. In each, the idea of community remains, while the way in which people convene — and share valuable ideas — shifts to the Web.
Learn how the Town of Cary and Spartanburg have been successful using Neighborhood America's technology solution by continuing to read this feature article, published in The Public Manager, Winter Issue.
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Company News |
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 Neighborhood America Co-Founder Set To Accept Recognition as Modern-Day Technology Leader
The Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) describe a modern-day technology leader as a person of color who is shaping the future of engineering, science, and technology through outstanding performance and achievements that merit national recognition.
So it should come as no surprise that Neighborhood America’s executive vice president and CTO David Bankston fits the bill.
On February 15, David will attend a leadership luncheon at the Baltimore Convention Center where the BEYA Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Global Competitiveness Conference will formally acknowledge him with a Certificate of Recognition. The winners will also be profiled in the official conference publication, U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology, a leading global source of technology news and information.
The recognition validates what most of us already know; David is a talented technical professional. David is a pioneer in the software industry, leading the design, development, and execution of one of the first Software as a Service (SaaS) products on the market, the backbone of our company’s solutions.
We congratulate David for his achievements - a reflection upon our company, our employees, and our customers – and wish him continued success as an inspiring role model for others.
Trendsetters to Trendsetters magazine covers David's recognition on page 10.
 Holiday Tradition Evolves, Garners 100% Participation
It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can.
-Sydney Smith
Since our inception in 1999, Neighborhood America has been an active member in the community. The vision and corporate culture that Kim Kobza, president and CEO, established for our company involves a significant commitment to helping others through charitable donations and sponsorships, as well as fundraising.
During previous holiday seasons, we have pooled our resources to contribute clothing, shoes, and toys to deserving families in the area. Last year, we decided to expand our efforts and provide new opportunities for our employees to give back to the community… with an added incentive.
We selected several charities in Lee and Collier counties, where a majority of our corporate employees live, and causes they were interested in, including domestic violence, homelessness, and abandoned pets. We encouraged employees to donate at least $10 to any of these non-profit organizations, and, not surprisingly, found that the majority of them contributed more than the minimum, raising a total of more than one thousand dollars.
And as for the added incentive…
The company chose to reward those who participated in our giving efforts with additional time off during the holidays. Instead of coming into the office for a half-day on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, employees who contributed got the day off to celebrate with family and friends.
Indeed, one of our core values is to encourage everyone in our company to participate in service to others. For us, service is more than an ideal or nice thing to do. It’s a rewarding thing to do – for our communities, our people and our company. Because giving to others is its own reward.
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Conferences and Events |
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  Neighborhood America Inspires Renegade Thinking Among
Global Leaders at THE Conference on Marketing
The tropical, island sounds of a steel drum band filled the ballroom at the Naples Grande Resort & Club in Naples, Florida.
The Florida-style reception, co-hosted by Neighborhood America and THE Conference on Marketing, provided the perfect backdrop for interaction and networking among senior marketing executives.
The Conference on Marketing was a gathering of those who are leading the next revolution in marketing. The three-day event featured presentations by some of the industry’s most sought-after speakers, including Arianna Huffington, Malcolm Gladwell, Seth Godin, and Andrew Zolli.
As a co-sponsor, Neighborhood America’s executive vice president, Dan Miller, chaired the Social Media and Marketing Symposium while director of business development, Steve Ennen, led a session entitled, “The CMO Renegade.”
As the marketing industry seeks certainty in experimental times, Steve’s session was designed to eliminate the ambiguity surrounding social media, share successful strategies that have led to results for Neighborhood America’s customers, and how it’s helped them capitalize on consumer engagement.
 Second Leadership Conference Focuses on Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Paul Greenberg, internationally recognized author of the best-selling book CRM at the Speed of Light, kicked off Neighborhood America’s 2008 Leadership Series with an interactive discussion on strategies that create value through consumer engagement and social networks.
The January 10th conference was held at the LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Florida. Paul is considered one of CRM’s leading authorities on strategy and on the state of the market. He shared with our invited guests reasons why consumers are more demanding, based on the impact of the Web, and how companies are using social media to develop an authentic conversation with consumers that ultimately helps to build their brand.
Following Paul’s presentation, Neighborhood America CEO Kim Kobza engaged attendees in a question and answer session. Participants identified one business objective or challenge that could improve with meaningful engagement with – customers, partners, employees, and other stakeholders. The session got people thinking about the value of enterprise social networks.
The next Leadership Conference is scheduled for March 13, 2008. For more information, contact Gwen Wright at (239) 591-6804, or gwright@neighborhoodamerica.com.
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Reader Satisfaction |
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It is our goal to deliver quality information of value to you. We encourage you to share your thoughts and suggestions on how we can improve our newsletter. Click here
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Newsletters
Customer Spotlight
Men's Health Belly Off! Club Helps Members Take Off Those Extra Holiday Pounds
...and members aren't the only ones getting results!
The holidays are a time to indulge. Office break rooms become a constant source of sugar; co-workers bring in homemade cookies, partners send gift baskets overflowing with goodies. And the parties… a cocktail or two, a slice of pie to finish off a hearty meal… it’s all so hard to resist. It’s no surprise that many of us gain a couple of pounds during the holiday season.
Just in time for those New Year’s resolutions, Rodale launched their latest online community powered by Neighborhood America for Men’s Health, “Belly Off! Club.”
The 8-week program offers members easy meal plans, simple workouts, and tips to help them succeed. But whether it’s to lose weight or stop smoking, a community must truly engage the person in order to change behaviors. You have to give them a reason to participate. They have to feel like they’re getting something out of the experience.
Neighborhood America enables Rodale to build these types of engagement networks -- beyond the social aspect of just making friends and staying connected -- encouraging interaction around the serious mission of building a healthier body through the shared experiences and encouragement of fellow community members. Our technology solution provides the tools to get this done, allowing members to post profiles, pictures, and gain valuable insight through the ability to rank and comment.
But for Rodale, it’s not just about featuring some cool Web 2.0 technology, keeping their collective fingers crossed, and chancing their investment on the hope people will participate in the community. Rodale takes a very strategic approach to community-building. It's about leveraging social networking in a way that delivers results for the enterprise.
“Belly Off! Club” launched in early January 2008. Within weeks, more than 7,500 profiles were created and continue growing every minute. Besides sustainable Web traffic, each page provides new advertising real estate from which ad revenues are generated.
“Belly Off! Club” follows on the heels of two successful communities previously launched by Men's Health, “Transform” and “Challenge,” also powered by Neighborhood America.
It’s a win, win. While readers trim their belly - Rodale grows their bottom.... bottom-line, that is!
Visit the Men's Health Belly Off! Club.
Not long ago the sport was banned as too vicious for decent society.
A full contact combat sport that includes kicks, knees, submission holds, and takedowns, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) recently implemented additional rules for safety and, since these changes, is becoming one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
According to Sports Illustrated, the Ultimate Fighter reality series on Spike TV often eclipses the ratings of NBA and baseball playoff games among 18-34 males; and the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) 2006 pay-per-view revenues were $223 million, compared to boxing at $177 million on HBO, and $200 million for WWE.
Besides providing a place to socialize around mixed martial arts and cage fighting, the online community will be a one-stop-shop for fight news, event information, and licensed MMA apparel.
Neighborhood America is excited to partner with MMA ReaLife, a true innovator who realizes the business value of engaging consumers through an enterprise social network.
by Dan Bevarly, Senior Director of Market Relations and Business Development, and Jeffery G. Ulma, AICP, Planning Director for the Town of Cary
The Digital Age is here.
The way we communicate, share, and connect with others has changed drastically in the past decade. Although you may not know some of your neighbors, you might encounter them online in social networks, forums, and — through one or two degrees of separation — a professional network.
The private sector has been the bellwether of things to come in the public sector, but municipalities throughout the country are taking action to connect a new generation of citizens — always attached to a mobile phone, Internet connection, or an amalgam of the two — to their government, to spur participation in a way that is more feasible in an overscheduled, digital lifestyle.
The function of a democratic government has not changed much since its inception. The voice of the people is as important as ever in the creation of law and the establishment of policy. However, capturing that voice has become the new challenge. The public forum — in an offline
world — doesn’t have the draw of even ten years ago. Society at large has shifted to an online world, and public chief information officers and managers are beginning to use this societal trend to their advantage.
The Groundswell Begins
No longer is a single community meeting in the neighborhood with an “open microphone” enough, and a mandatory public hearing at the end of a process is often viewed with skepticism. Some residents are intimidated by the crowd and don’t express their true opinion or, worse yet, don’t participate at all.
Citizens want — even demand — early, extensive, and convenient access to local government so they can play a part in planning decisions. As the recipients of the feedback, the government staff must decipher hundreds of paper forms, find the best way to sort these numerous comments, and quickly respond to citizen concerns. For these reasons, local governments need modern ways to manage public input.
Community thought leaders at all levels can now seize more opportunities to connect with everyday citizens by leveraging social networking as a tool to foster virtual “town meetings.” Across the nation, governments are opening lines of communication between their offices and the people of their respective states, counties, and municipalities. Using the Web to empower citizens and publish open calls for civic engagement and public comment, local governments are warming to true constituent engagement, but more can be done to harness the true power of the citizen’s voice. Social networking is no longer an area that the government can ignore. Visionary state and local leaders are adopting these consumer- adopted behaviors at a fast pace, but in ways that make sense at a government or enterprise level.
Many state and local governments are looking at the massive popularity of social networking as a way to encourage citizen involvement. By integrating enterprise social networking into their latest initiatives and implementing media-rich applications designed to meet the structured requirements of government, municipalities are striving to connect with citizens concerning crucial government functions like zoning, issues management, and tourist development.
Two uses of online engagement in the public sector come from the Carolinas. In each, the idea of community remains, while the way in which people convene — and share valuable ideas — shifts to the Web.
Learn how the Town of Cary and Spartanburg have been successful using Neighborhood America's technology solution by continuing to read this feature article, published in The Public Manager, Winter Issue.
The Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) describe a modern-day technology leader as a person of color who is shaping the future of engineering, science, and technology through outstanding performance and achievements that merit national recognition.
So it should come as no surprise that Neighborhood America’s executive vice president and CTO David Bankston fits the bill.
On February 15, David will attend a leadership luncheon at the Baltimore Convention Center where the BEYA Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Global Competitiveness Conference will formally acknowledge him with a Certificate of Recognition. The winners will also be profiled in the official conference publication, U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology, a leading global source of technology news and information.
The recognition validates what most of us already know; David is a talented technical professional. David is a pioneer in the software industry, leading the design, development, and execution of one of the first Software as a Service (SaaS) products on the market, the backbone of our company’s solutions.
We congratulate David for his achievements - a reflection upon our company, our employees, and our customers – and wish him continued success as an inspiring role model for others.
Trendsetters to Trendsetters magazine covers David's recognition on page 10.
It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can.
-Sydney Smith
Since our inception in 1999, Neighborhood America has been an active member in the community. The vision and corporate culture that Kim Kobza, president and CEO, established for our company involves a significant commitment to helping others through charitable donations and sponsorships, as well as fundraising.
During previous holiday seasons, we have pooled our resources to contribute clothing, shoes, and toys to deserving families in the area. Last year, we decided to expand our efforts and provide new opportunities for our employees to give back to the community… with an added incentive.
We selected several charities in Lee and Collier counties, where a majority of our corporate employees live, and causes they were interested in, including domestic violence, homelessness, and abandoned pets. We encouraged employees to donate at least $10 to any of these non-profit organizations, and, not surprisingly, found that the majority of them contributed more than the minimum, raising a total of more than one thousand dollars.
And as for the added incentive…
The company chose to reward those who participated in our giving efforts with additional time off during the holidays. Instead of coming into the office for a half-day on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, employees who contributed got the day off to celebrate with family and friends.
Indeed, one of our core values is to encourage everyone in our company to participate in service to others. For us, service is more than an ideal or nice thing to do. It’s a rewarding thing to do – for our communities, our people and our company. Because giving to others is its own reward.
Global Leaders at THE Conference on Marketing
The tropical, island sounds of a steel drum band filled the ballroom at the Naples Grande Resort & Club in Naples, Florida.
The Florida-style reception, co-hosted by Neighborhood America and THE Conference on Marketing, provided the perfect backdrop for interaction and networking among senior marketing executives.
The Conference on Marketing was a gathering of those who are leading the next revolution in marketing. The three-day event featured presentations by some of the industry’s most sought-after speakers, including Arianna Huffington, Malcolm Gladwell, Seth Godin, and Andrew Zolli.
As a co-sponsor, Neighborhood America’s executive vice president, Dan Miller, chaired the Social Media and Marketing Symposium while director of business development, Steve Ennen, led a session entitled, “The CMO Renegade.”
As the marketing industry seeks certainty in experimental times, Steve’s session was designed to eliminate the ambiguity surrounding social media, share successful strategies that have led to results for Neighborhood America’s customers, and how it’s helped them capitalize on consumer engagement.
Paul Greenberg, internationally recognized author of the best-selling book CRM at the Speed of Light, kicked off Neighborhood America’s 2008 Leadership Series with an interactive discussion on strategies that create value through consumer engagement and social networks.
The January 10th conference was held at the LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Florida. Paul is considered one of CRM’s leading authorities on strategy and on the state of the market. He shared with our invited guests reasons why consumers are more demanding, based on the impact of the Web, and how companies are using social media to develop an authentic conversation with consumers that ultimately helps to build their brand.
Following Paul’s presentation, Neighborhood America CEO Kim Kobza engaged attendees in a question and answer session. Participants identified one business objective or challenge that could improve with meaningful engagement with – customers, partners, employees, and other stakeholders. The session got people thinking about the value of enterprise social networks.
The next Leadership Conference is scheduled for March 13, 2008. For more information, contact Gwen Wright at (239) 591-6804, or gwright@neighborhoodamerica.com.
It is our goal to deliver quality information of value to you. We encourage you to share your thoughts and suggestions on how we can improve our newsletter. Click here
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