When one of the UK’s leading voices in medical research and diagnostics needs to communicate with its members, the platform has to be reliable, professional, and easy to manage. Harris Marketing Solutions was brought in by BIVDA (the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association) to deliver exactly that, a custom WordPress website built specifically to power their weekly member newsletter, backed by full training and ongoing support.
The Brief
BIVDA came to us with a clear need: a dependable digital platform to communicate regularly with their membership base. Initially, the brief was to build a Mailchimp-based solution — but after reviewing the requirements alongside the limitations that came with that approach, we recommended a different direction.
A dedicated WordPress website offered BIVDA significantly more control, flexibility, and long-term value. Once we walked the team through the advantages, the decision was straightforward, and we got to work.
Our Approach
Recommending the Right Platform
Not every client comes to us knowing exactly what they need, and that’s fine. Part of our role is to ask the right questions and recommend the solution that best serves the client, even if it differs from the original brief.
For BIVDA, WordPress offered clear advantages over Mailchimp for their specific use case:
- Full ownership and control of their content and data
- Greater design flexibility to match their professional brand
- A scalable platform that could grow with their needs
- No restrictions on audience size or send limits
Building From Scratch
We built the WordPress website from the ground up, designed and developed to serve as a clean, functional hub for BIVDA’s weekly member newsletter. Every element was built with the end user in mind: intuitive, professional, and easy to navigate for both the BIVDA team managing it and the members receiving communications.
Full-Day CMS Training
A website is only as useful as the team’s ability to run it. We delivered a comprehensive full-day training session, equipping the BIVDA team with everything they needed to manage their WordPress CMS confidently, from publishing and editing content to managing their newsletter workflow independently.
Ongoing Support & Retainer
Our relationship with BIVDA didn’t end at launch. We provide continued support covering:
- Security monitoring and maintenance — keeping the site protected and running smoothly
- General CMS support retainer — on hand for questions, updates, and day-to-day needs
- Further website development — as BIVDA’s requirements grew, we grew with them
- Training for new employees — onboarding new team members as the organisation evolves
Additional Build — BIVDA Board Member Nominee Site
As the relationship developed, we were also contracted to build a separate WordPress website for BIVDA’s Board Member Nominee process, a focused, purpose-built site that streamlined an important part of their governance and membership operations.
The Results
BIVDA had a professional, reliable WordPress platform that gave them a seamless way to communicate with their membership at scale — week in, week out, without friction.
Their team could manage the site independently with confidence, knowing that Harris Marketing Solutions was on hand for anything they needed. The ongoing retainer meant BIVDA always had expert support behind them, and the additional Board Member Nominee site further strengthened their digital infrastructure.
What started as a newsletter solution grew into a full, ongoing digital partnership.
Why WordPress Beats Mailchimp for Membership Organisations
If you’re a membership body, association, or organisation looking to communicate regularly with a large audience, your platform choice matters more than you might think. Mailchimp is a great tool, but for organisations that need full control, branded flexibility, and a scalable long-term solution, a dedicated WordPress website wins every time.
Here’s why:
- No audience or send limits to worry about as your membership grows
- Full design control — your communications look exactly how you want them to
- Own your data — no third-party platform holding your membership list
- One central hub — website, newsletter, and member resources all in one place
Need a WordPress Website or Newsletter Platform Built for Your Organisation?
Whether you’re starting from scratch or outgrowing your current setup, Harris Marketing Solutions can build, train, and support your team every step of the way.
