Mei software.

the dawn of the [e-association.sup.TM]

Associations know their strengths. A strong membership base. Standing and credibility as an authority in their industry A wealth of resources and information developed over years of service and commitment to members.

Today, however, an association's traditional strengths are not enough to remain a relevant and important part of their members' lives. From accessing content necessary for their professions, to buying products and services, to how they spend their leisure time, association members are in a world where time is a highly valued commodity and a range of different sellers of products, services, and content are using the Internet to devise original and effective ways of attracting members' attention and business.

To incorporate the Internet revolution, associations can adopt a new business model. It is a model based on innovative thinking about how the Internet is transforming the daily lives of members and about how an association can effectively use leading-edge technology to be a different kind of an association--an e-Association.

Becoming an e-Association

MEI enables associations to become e-Associations by providing leading-edge technology to create custom, vertical Internet portal sites, which provide relevant content, functionality, and services to a well-defined audience from a single site on the Internet. Unlike the horizontal portal model--which takes an all-things-to-all people approach by providing a wide range of user options and interests much like Yahoo! or America Online-the vertical portal model has a well-defined theme, and provides depth of content for Internet users looking for information organized by professional or personal interests

Associations are ideally positioned to develop a vertical Internet portal site that is recognized as the primary source of products, services, and content for their industry To create a vertical Internet portal, an association needs to build on its existing strengths:

* An existing and loyal membership base that looks to the association as a source of content.

* An industrywide reputation as a provider of highquality and relevant content.

* Experience bringing buyers and sellers together.

* The creation of a vertical Internet portal is a natural extension of the association's traditional role in its industry and has several benefits:

* By increasing Internet site traffic, associations can increase advertising rates.

* With enhanced and easily accessible member services, associations have a powerful tool to maintain member loyalty and improve membership recruitment.

* Membership profile information contained in an association's membership database can be used to forge revenue-generating alliances and partnerships with sellers-alliances and partnerships providing the seller with a pool of likely buyers and providing the buyers with the products, services, and content they want.

* By using the Internet to streamline operations, an association reduces operating costs and increases productivity

Increased traffic, increased membership, increased commerce, and streamlined operations translate easily into increased revenue.

The software solution

But to become an e-Association, you need an Internet software solution that is powerful enough to transform your Internet site into a vertical Internet portal site and flexible enough to enable you to develop and implement the Internet strategies necessary for success.

From extending and enhancing member services, to creating an efficient and secure e-commerce marketplace, to streamlining your association's operations, PortalPlus, the e-Association software solution from MEI, has been designed to provide you the power and flexibility you need.

PortalPlus is platform-independent, integrates seamlessly with your back-office system, and easily integrates with and manages your existing Internet site. With PortalPlus, you can easily leverage your association's strengths to create a powerful, custom, vertical Internet portal.

The PortalPlus applications are organized into four basic groups, although many of the applications can serve as complements to those in other areas. PortalPlus magnet applications provide the flexibility to develop and implement strategies that both enhance member services and increase traffic at your Internet portal site. Distance-learning applications provide members an easy-to-use, convenient, and accessible way to stay up-to-date, network, and benefit from the content your association provides. The e-commerce applications help create a full-feature e-commerce marketplace and marketing and sales tracking system. And the virtual association applications let you manage and organize your Internet site to streamline your association's operations.

Used together, the PortalPlus family of applications is the Internet software solution you need to transform your association into an e-Association. Together, you and MEI can adapt to the rapidly changing technologies of today and anticipate emerging trends to stay current and competitive in the new millennium.

* Association Plus is a registered trademark and e-Association and PortalPlus are trademarks of MEI Software Systems, Inc. Association Plus and PortalPlus software products are copyrighted and all rights reserved by MEI Software Systems, Inc.