Marketing and digital for membership organisations
You exist to serve your members. We help you show it, and grow it.
Membership organisations do some of the most important work in their industries: setting standards, training the next generation and giving their sector a voice. But the tools behind that work are often years out of date.
We're a small, senior UK team that has worked inside member bodies from the Gemmological Association of Great Britain to the Open Property Data Association. We rebuild the websites, fix the systems, and run the communications and campaigns that help associations engage members, recruit new ones and grow their influence.
We already speak your language. Renewals, AGMs, CPD, accredited centres, member benefits, the board that wants a report by Friday. We've been in the room for all of it.
- We've untangled the closed CRM that nobody else would touch, and got it talking to the website and Mailchimp.
- We've kept membership payments flowing when the payment provider broke, and had a site back online within hours when a third party took it down.
- We've taken a newsletter from a PDF attachment to campaigns members actually open.
- We've helped fill courses that were struggling, to the point of running a waitlist.
- We've stood up at the AGM and helped shape where the organisation goes next.
No juniors learning on your budget, no account managers passing notes. You get the people doing the work, who care about your members as much as you do.
Sound familiar?
- 01
Member comms that feel stuck in 2010
Newsletters sent as PDF attachments, everyone CC'd, and no idea who's opening what. Your members deserve better, and so do your open rates.
- 02
A website that's hard to love and harder to update
Legacy platforms, out-of-date event pages and a members' area nobody can find. Every update needs a developer, so nothing gets updated.
- 03
Systems that don't talk to each other
A closed CRM, a payment provider that fails at renewal time and data trapped in spreadsheets. Your team spends hours joining the dots by hand.
- 04
Proving value at renewal
Members want to see what they get for their fee. Without clear content, events and results to point to, renewals become harder every year.
- 05
Recruiting the next generation
Growing membership, course numbers or event attendance means reaching people who've never heard of you, and nurturing them until they join.
- 06
A small team with a big remit
Marketing, events, education and policy often sit with a handful of people. You need a partner who can pick things up without hand-holding.
How we help
- 01
Member communications
Email strategy, segmentation and automation that replace PDF attachments with newsletters members actually open, from welcome journeys to renewal reminders.
Reach the buyers you’re after - 02
Websites and member hubs
Modern, accessible WordPress sites your team can update themselves, structured so members and prospects find what they need in a couple of clicks.
Build what’s next - 03
CRM, payments and data
We connect your membership CRM, payments and email so data flows where it's needed, even when the CRM is closed and the documentation is thin.
Build what’s next - 04
Research and thought leadership
Annual reports, sector research and white papers that position you as the voice of your industry, planned, written and designed from scratch.
Land your positioning - 05
Recruitment and lead generation
Register interest forms, paid search and nurture emails that turn curiosity into applications, enrolments and new members.
Reach the buyers you’re after - 06
A brand that fits your standing
Brand refreshes that modernise how you look and sound without losing the heritage and trust your members value.
Land your positioning
What that looks like in practice
~£275k
Course revenue
Traced to the lead forms we built for Gem-A, in ten months
37%
Email open rate
For OPDA's member newsletters, after moving off PDF attachments
+60%
Course uptake
For Gem-A, from struggling to fill courses to a waitlist
+245%
Emails sent
As OPDA's member communications scaled up
+74%
Member satisfaction
With Gem-A's new website and member experience
Membership Organisations: the work
Membership Organisations we’ve worked with
However you like to work, we’ll fit around it.
Whichever you choose: senior people, straight answers, and we teach your team as we go.
- Ongoing
Retainer
An ongoing partner in your corner.
Best forAssociations that want their website, member emails, campaigns and support handled all year round.
- Fixed scope
One-off project
A clear brief and a job done well.
Best forA new website or member hub, a brand refresh or your annual research report.
- Flexible
Consultancy
Our deep expertise, on tap.
Best forA marketing audit, a comms strategy before renewal season or a second opinion for your board.
- Part-time
Fractional
Senior hands when you need them.
Best forAssociations without a marketing lead that need senior hands a few days a month.
Not sure which fits?Book a Meeting
Questions we often get asked
Do you only work with large associations?
No. We work with membership bodies of all sizes, from young industry associations to century-old institutions. What they have in common is a small team with a big remit, which is where we help most.
Can you work with our existing CRM or membership platform?
Usually, yes. We've integrated websites and email with closed, poorly documented CRMs as well as mainstream platforms, and we'll tell you honestly up front if something is better handled another way.
Can you help us move away from PDF newsletters?
Yes. We'll set up proper email campaigns with segmentation, tracking and automation, so you can see who's engaging and send the right content to the right members.
Do you work on a project or retainer basis?
Both. Many membership clients start with a website or report and move to a monthly retainer for ongoing support, hosting, email and campaigns.
Can you present to our board or members?
Yes. We've presented at AGMs and worked with boards and key stakeholders to shape an organisation's marketing and digital direction.
“Working with Darwin was a great experience. Communication was clear and consistent, and we always felt listened to. We’re pleased with the final outcome and continue to work with Darwin today.”
