Southern Ontario Animal Rescue's Jan Paquete sits with James Bond, a dog saved from euthanasia and placed into a family home by the charity.

Jan Paquete has taken lessons from the business world when it comes to operating Southern Ontario Animal Rescue, a small charity that helps abandoned or abused dogs. But many businesses could take a page from Paquete's notebook when it comes to running their websites.

"You start with the idea you are going to save every lost dog that is out there," said Paquete, who is SOAR's founder and president. "Then you learn you can't do that, and instead you look at it like a business, which unfortunately is what you have to do if you are going to be successful."

Paquete said SOAR's website, which she runs out of her home in Brampton, has been the key to that success.

"Everything is done through the internet."

From adoptions and the pet foster home application process to a newsletter to providing people with all kinds of SOAR-related information — all administrative tasks are done over the organization's website.

This type of site is typical of those run by charities, but SOAR's web presence is not just about information. According to Paquete, at least 80 per cent of the organization's donations are obtained through the website — funds that are used for everything from veterinarian care to covering the cost of food, shelter and supplies. And by providing a link to a Pet-Shelter Insurance program, a $25 donation is provided to SOAR for every pet insurance policy sold.

Much of this fundraising success is due to the fact that the site has also been built into a hub for a community of animal lovers. Pet lovers tend to be a passionate group of people, reacting quickly to calls of distress. An abandoned cat or dog may need urgent care, and having an online presence helps.

Paquete also uses the website to support her public relations and marketing activities. On average, SOAR participates in one event per month, including the All About Pets trade show, the local Brampton community fall fair and its own special pre-Christmas fundraiser featuring "Santa Paws." Her website has become the primary way to promote and highlight these activities, keeping her community of regular visitors up to date on events of interest.

Must build communities of regular visitors: expert

Jim Carroll, a futurist on the topics of trends and innovation and author of several books about the internet, has been watching the development of websites since their infancy in the early '90s. He has seen websites evolve from static electronic brochures into dynamic communities of users with similar interests.

Rather than seeing today's websites as mature and unexciting, Carroll believes most have not reached their true potential when it comes to building lucrative communities of regular visitors.

"The web still has a huge impact on your business, if you do it right," he said. "But you can't just put up a billboard of stationary information that never changes. You have to have information that is of value and use to people."

Paquete: tracking hits, making regular updates

Paquete has taken that lesson to heart. First of all, she pays close attention to her website's usage statistics. From the period Jan. 1 to 8, she had 383 visits and 32.1 page hits per visit, which translates into 11,539 hits in a one-week period. This is valuable information to potential sponsors, and it lets her know exactly which information on her site is the most useful to people.

She also updates her newsletter every month, and she publishes lots of testimonials. Since its inception May 2001, SOAR has provided happy homes for 64 animals. Typical on the website are stories of the dramatic rescues of dogs like James Bond, who had been scheduled for euthanasia until SOAR intervened, and was instead placed into a family home.

Longer term, Paquete sees her website as a valuable way to educate the public. "People don't understand dogs," she said.

Typical questions from the site's users include: "What happens to your dog when a baby comes along?" "What about allergies?" "What do you do if you are scared of dogs?" Or "What happens in a multicultural city such as Brampton, where different cultures have different perceptions of dogs?" A website can help deal with those inquiries, said Paquete, who is hoping to put on a series of seminars dealing with these issues.

Get personal, keep info up-to-date

Carroll said all organizations can learn from these kinds of website strategies.

He said a small business might choose to promote itself by publishing testimonials from its best customers or highlighting its activities in community involvement. Or it could include a message from its president — a short, well-written article of 200 or 300 words from the head honcho on any relevant topic or issue can go a long way toward building new relationships with potential customers or partners.

"The key thing is, if you are a small business, you must learn how to share the unique insight, skills or product that you have with the community of people who might be interested in it," Carroll said.

"That means getting personal; having relevant information to share; and committing to, and living up to, keeping information up to date."

Despite the successful website, Paquete admitted at times it has been a struggle to keep SOAR going. She will often dig into her own pocket to pay the bills, covering expenses such as vaccinations or dog food that can come up quickly. But things recently took a turn for the better.

In December 2007, SOAR became a registered charity, complete with articles of incorporation and a requirement to file financial statements. Being a charity status "opens many doors to us," said Paquete. The status means SOAR can now issue tax-deductible receipts for all donations of $10 or greater. It could also pave the way for grants and sponsorships from governments and corporations. Having registered status also gives SOAR more legitimacy in the public's eye, and Paquete has also put in place a board of directors and will be writing a policies-and-procedures book to help new volunteers.

Paquete sees many more new things on the horizon for her organization thanks in large part to the website, and if all continues to go as planned, a growing community of on-line users and volunteers.

Martin Slofstra is a Canadian freelance writer specializing in technology.

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