A live case study and practical blueprint for getting digital change funded, backed and delivered

On paper, BACP was thriving, with growing membership and solid finances. But members felt disconnected, staff were bruised by change at the top, and the technology underneath wasn't fit for purpose. Its leaders faced the question many membership bodies now share: how do we stay relevant, and prove we're worth the fee?

In this fireside conversation, Ben Kay, Chief Experience Officer at the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and Lou Lai, CEO of Manifesto, take you inside BACP's answer: a three-year programme that began as a request for a new website and became a rethink of how it serves 76,000 members and the public.

You'll hear how the case was made to the Board, why the CRM replacement was brought forward mid-programme, how BACP is replacing its annual survey with a measure of how easy it is to deal with on every interaction, and what it means to sell membership as a proposition rather than a fee.

This isn't just another recap of problems you already know; instead you'll leave with a blueprint of five practical moves to use with your own leadership team and Board to effect the change your organisation needs.

To drive sustainable growth, executive teams must reframe marketing from an operational expense into a self-sustaining commercial engine. This practical session challenges leaders to answer this fundamental question: what would your organisation look like if your marketing budget had to generate its own funding?

Join us for a great discussion leading to an actionable framework for aligning marketing efforts directly with bottom-line revenue and member growth. 

Key Takeaways & Session Focus:

• Which audiences are actually worth pursuing?
• How to turn awareness into leads, members, sponsors or customers
• What should CEOs expect from their marketing teams?
• Measuring ROI when the buying cycle is getting longer
• Where AI can reduce cost and increase output
• Where else in the funnel is letting marketing down?

As membership organisations look beyond subscriptions, commercial partnerships offer a vital route to growth - provided they enhance rather than compromise the member experience. 

Drawing on Odyssey’s expertise as a commercial partner to leading professional bodies, alongside key findings and takeaways from our 20th October roundtable, this interactive session explores how top-performing organisations can reframe commercial activity to create genuine member value. 

Discover practical principles for building sustainable revenue while deepening member trust, unlocking the commercial potential which already exists within your organisation and share what works with peers facing the same challenges.

Join HaysMac’s sector finance specialist to explore the VAT considerations behind new income streams, from events and training to sponsorships and commercial partnerships. We’ll look at how different income sources may be treated for VAT purposes, key considerations around VAT recovery and potential exemptions, and how to identify and manage VAT risks when introducing new activities. Helping you make informed decisions that support your organisation’s financial sustainability and charitable or membership objectives.