About this site...

About Us...

This section of our website provides you with all the information you need to understand what the MemberWise Network is and how how it can help and support you in your role as a membership professional.

Our background & a brief introduction
Our mission statement
Our objectives
Our history
Other information...

My name is Richard Gott and I have carried out a number of senior management roles within a wide variety of high profile membership organisations and associations over the past decade. My employers have included:

British Dental Association (BDA) - Marketing Officer

College of Optometrists (COO) - Marketing Manager

Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors (CIEA) - Project Manager (Membership)

Royal College of General Practitioners - Head of Membership Development

I have also worked closely with a number of central government departments and agencies including the Department for Education (DfE), Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) and the National Assessment Agency (NAA).

I have served as a PARN Steering Group member, a Trade Association Forum (TAF) Good Practice Awards and MemCom Awards judge, and an active UK Inter-Professional Working Group (UKIPG) CPD Forum Member.

Good business practice

I believe whole-heartedly in the concept of learning from other organisations (benchmarking) and the idea that we (membership organisations and associations) should constantly strive to increase value for our members and other respective stakeholder groups.

My experience to-date has shown me that exemplary good business practice still takes place in a large number of 'closed internal and external pockets' (i.e. within isolated departments or organisations) with limited or zero dissemination.

Possible reasons:

- Internal cultural issues

- Low levels of general sharing of information/advice internally

- Worry about discovering & highlighting individual/organisational inadequacies
- ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ attitude
- Sector culture

- Geography
- Limited number of organisations/resources facilitating such activity

I believe the dissemination of good practice information and advice should take place on a much wider scale within the sector, both in the UK and throughout the world.

The MemberWise Network was created in an attempt to 'open up' the internal and external pockets and supply membership organisations and associations with high quality practitioner-led good practice information and advice.

We now offer subscribers the following benefits:

Free online information and advice sheets & presentations

Free online professional networking opportunities

Free social events

Discounted entry to our good practice conferences and seminars

Updated membership sector events calendar

Promotional offers at ALL leading events/seminars/conferences within the sector

Product/Supplier Offers and Discounts

We all have to source quality product and service providers to enable our organisations to both function, expand and increase value proposition. With limited budgets at our disposal it is important to spend the money wisely.

I have worked with some brilliant suppliers over the years, and equally I have worked with some 'not so' brilliant suppliers. I believe it is time for the 'good guys' to be promoted to the sector, so on this website you will not only find an exhaustive directory of suppliers but I have gone one step further and have negotiated preferential deals and discounts to help you increase value.

The higher the number of subscibers, the better the deals and discounts and in 2011 we welcomed our 1,000th subscriber.

I hope this resource is of use to you and your organisation, and if you have any constructive feedback or recommendations please feel free to submit them directly to me:

Email: richard.gott@memberwise.org.uk

Tel: 020 7223 2450

Richard Gott

Founder, The MemberWise Network

Our Mission Statement
The MemberWise Network is dedicated to promoting value & good business practice advice to membership organisations and associations in the UK and overseas.

Our Objectives

- Promote good practice information & advice to the membeship sector
- Provide information about reputable product & service providers, and negtiate offers
- Run themed conferences & events linked to good-practice related themes
- Enable membership organisations and association representatives to network online

Thus enabling membership organisations and association to:

- Increased internal efficiency & effectiveness

- Enhanced value proposition to aid recruitment
- Improved membership retention levels
- Increased member/donor recruitment potential

Our History

MemberWise consists of a network of membership organisation professionals that share good practice knowledge and recommendations relating to reputable product/service providers. The network was set-up in March 2007 and has grown exponentially year-on-year.

Proposed activity in 2012

In 2012 we will focus our attention on the critical theme of recruiting and retaining members during challenges. We will kick off in January with a one-off seminar in association with The Guardian (10 Ways to Gain More Members) and a dedicated conference (Recruiting and Retaining Members During Challenging Times) in March.

Later in 2012 we hope to organise more free social events and a web-themed good practice conference. We also hope to welcome our 2,000th subscriber this year.

Overview activity in 2011

In 2011 we reached a milestone and welcomed our 1000th member.

We administed the biennial UKIPG CPD Forum conference, ran a governance-themed conference (that attracted 100 delegates), facilitated two free 'Social' events and in September and launched a new monthly eUpdate that is growing in readership and popularity.

MemberWise Founder, Richard Gott, judged the Trade Association Forum (TAF) Best Practice Awards, MemCom Awards and chaired a number of high profile panel sessions at various high profile conferences. We also welcomed our 1000th subscriber in November and we continuing to gather momentum.

Overview of activity in 2010
In 2010 we welcomed our 700th membership organisation and association subscriber and presented at the 2010 Association Congress. Founder, Richard Gott, was asked to join the Trade Association Forum (TAF) Good Practice Awards judging panel and we held our first event (Getting to Grips with Paperless Direct Debits) that attracted 80 delegates. We relaunched our e-newsletter, MW, and focused good practice advice on online social networking and creating/improving member networks (in association with the Professional Associations Research Network, PARN).

MemberWise will continue to be free-to-access and revenue generated from the supplier directory will continue to funded via supplier referrals.

Overview of activity in 2009

In 2009 we concentrated on disseminating good practice information and advice via a number of function-specific presentations at the 2009 Association Congress, CHASE 2009, MEMBERS 2009 and at the Science Council. These presentations can be found throughout the site and on our Homepage. We welcomed 400 membership organisation subscribers and 70 new sector suppliers.

The MemberWise Concept

This PowerPoint presentation was delivered at the 2008 MEMBERS Exhibition. It outlines the concept, rationale and research behind the concept. Click Here

MemberWise Brochure

This short brochure gives an overview of MemberWise concept and is used to promote the website. Please feel free to copy and distribute to colleagues - The more people we get on board the better! Click Here

Promoting Good Practice

to the Membership Organisation & Association Sector