Supporting Growth And Enhancing Membership Services
“101 has revitalised our online presence, creating a contemporary website that delivers what we wanted for our members – and more!"
Hannah McLaughlin, Essex Care Association
Background
Essex Care Association (ECA) is an independent, voluntary and 'not for profit' organisation that provides support, knowledge and advice to social care providers in Essex, Thurrock and Southend. ECA plays a vital role in representing the interests of its 300-plus members and alerting them to critical issues in legislation, regulation and best practices.
In 2023, Hannah McLaughlin joined ECA as Development Manager and was tasked with driving growth for the Association and enhancing the value of Association membership for their stakeholders. She is also focused on developing commercial partnerships for the mutual benefit of the Association, its members and the partner organisations.
Before the project began, Hannah was already familiar with 101 because of their successful website redevelopment for Care Development East and a recommendation from CDE’s Chief Executive, Christian Bone. In line with best practices, 101 and two other agencies were invited to pitch for ECA's website redesign.
The Association was impressed by 101’s proposal. It was the most responsive to their brief and offered excellent value. They liked 101’s focus on solutions and the team’s comprehensive skillset, which matched their requirements for the project. In addition, 101’s experience supporting other care organisations, including Care Development East, positioned them as a reliable partner. Their understanding of the care sector's unique needs and track record in developing efficient online solutions to streamline membership processes were crucial factors in the decision to select 101.
“101’s responsiveness sets them apart. From the start they went above and beyond, presenting website visuals and logo ideas even before we officially engaged them.”
Hannah McLaughlin, ECA
The Brief
ECA's website required a complete redesign to bring it up to date and reflect the organisation's values. The Association also sought a professional email marketing solution to facilitate effective membership communications.
ECA's website layout was outdated and lacked usability, making navigation and maintenance difficult. It failed to reflect ECA’s caring and professional values and struggled to effectively showcase the Association’s wealth of information and resources. The goal was to create an engaging, user-friendly and future-proof website that would be simple to update and could be easily adapted to the organisation’s evolving needs.
ECA faced challenges with their email marketing. They had been using a combination of a basic Mailchimp service and their regular office email system to send newsletters and ad hoc communications to members. This approach lacked the professional features, detailed reports and support they needed for effective campaigns. They sought a cost-effective, powerful email marketing solution that not only provided advanced analytics but also offered friendly phone support from experts who understood ECA’s requirements.
In addition to choosing 101 for their website and email marketing projects, ECA appointed the agency as their official commercial partner for digital marketing services, recommending them to their 300+ members.
Our Solutions
With 101’s support, ECA’s online presence and email marketing approach have undergone a complete transformation.
“101 truly understands the needs of care organisations and I look forward to working together on future projects. They are a creative, solution-focused agency and as 101 is an official ECA commercial partner, I’m also very happy to recommend them to our 300+ members!"
Hannah McLaughlin, ECA
101 designed and built a vibrant new website which delivers an engaging user experience. As part of the project, we also refreshed ECA’s logo and brand identity, creating a smart, contemporary feel and introducing an eye-catching new colour palette across the site.
The site is now a well-organised and user-friendly showcase for the Association, effectively communicating ECA's member support and services. It is also easy to update and maintain, with a flexible design that allows ECA to modify content as required to keep pace with the organisation’s changing needs.
“101 has transformed our online presence, creating a user-friendly, future-proof website that we can adapt and grow as our needs evolve.”
Hannah McLaughlin, ECA
To meet their need for a more efficient alternative to Mailchimp, ECA switched to 101's Smart Messenger platform. This system not only offers a professional and user-friendly email marketing solution but also comes with unlimited phone support from 101’s Norwich-based team. In addition, it integrates seamlessly with ECA’s website, enhancing its functionality through powerful automated workflows.
The website’s integration with Smart Messenger streamlines processes for both members and the ECA team. New members can now sign up online, triggering automatic welcome pack emails and ensuring secure, UK-based storage of their data for future communications. Website enquiries are also handled through the integration, contributing to a more efficient and measurable marketing approach.
“We appreciate 101’s joined-up approach to both our website and email marketing needs. Smart Messenger isn’t just an email tool. 101 showed us how its advanced workflow automations would integrate with our website to create user-friendly online tools for our stakeholders, like the new membership sign-up system. 101 has provided practical solutions that add value for members while streamlining admin processes and improving cost efficiencies for the association.”
Hannah McLaughlin, ECA
“101 translates outline concepts into practical digital solutions, drawing on their experience working with other membership-based organisations in the care sector. Their support is fantastic and nothing is too much trouble. Having 101’s responsive team at the other end of the phone is immensely reassuring and has been a key factor in our project’s success."
Hannah McLaughlin, Essex Care Association
