Ask a member why they joined your organisation, and most will give a practical answer. CPD hours, a directory listing, access to resources, discounted events. Ask them why they stayed, and the answers get more interesting. They'll talk about people they met, problems they solved, moments where the organisation understood what they were going [...]
Redundancy can feel sudden, unsettling, and deeply personal, but it is not uncommon across the membership and association sector. The reasons may vary in different situations – and it is helpful to understand these but equally you need to concentrate on what you do next. This is a moment to regroup, re‑focus and take [...]
Membership has always been about more than access. Good membership organisations provide support and understanding, no matter where a member is in their professional journey — from first joining through to senior roles and beyond. As members across the country face rising cost-of-living pressures and tricky economic conditions, that support is more important than [...]
Membership organisations are under pressure from every direction with members constantly expect better digital services. Staff need accurate information, smoother processes and leadership teams are asked to deliver more value while managing tight budgets and rising expectations. In many organisations, the challenge is not a lack of effort or ambition. It is that systems, [...]
When membership organisations talk about non-subscription based income opportunities, the conversation often starts in the wrong place. It begins with sponsorship targets, media packs or the pressure to create new income quickly. But the strongest non-subscription based income opportunities rarely begin with inventory. They begin with insight. Every membership body sits on something more [...]
Digital Excellence (2026) -Thursday 7th May 2026 Daniel Bailey is Director of Digital Development and Membership Operations at ECA, the UK’s leading trade association for the electrotechnical services industry, and we are delighted to welcome him as Chair of the Digital Strategy, Data & Growth Stream at Digital Excellence 2026. He works across both ECA's Membership [...]
I keep hearing membership organisations talk about using AI to predict what members need before they even ask. But here's what I've learned: most can't even tell you who their most valuable members are. The Problem Hiding in Plain Sight When I ask organisations about their AI strategy, they light up. When I ask [...]
Digital Excellence (2026) -Thursday 7th May 2026 Kayleigh Mapstone, Executive Director of British Mensa and MemberWise Ambassador (Community), will be a familiar and very welcome face to many within the MemberWise network. Having been actively involved in the community for several years – as a speaker, ambassador and regular delegate – Kayleigh has become [...]
Nobody sets out to run a membership organisation on spreadsheets, manual processes or workarounds. Yet you might find yourself in this position. Picture this: it’s the end of the month on a Tuesday, the team knows which spreadsheet has the right renewal data, who to ask when the numbers don’t add up and how [...]
A research-informed view on how member expectations are evolving Membership organisations are entering 2026 in a period of rapid change. Engagement, retention, and visible value are no longer secondary goals. They are the strongest drivers of sustainable growth. Industry benchmark research continues to highlight how member expectations are evolving and why organisations must rethink [...]
