Membership is by invitation only. There are hundreds of us spread throughout the UK and Europe in over a hundred companies. Over 75% are at Director or Head of level. In the past, members have been drawn from financial services, but now all industry sectors are represented.

As you can probably tell from the website - we're not just another forum, Institute or industry body. We have a lot of fun and we're certainly not boring.

But before you think we're iconoclastic just for the sake of it, take a look at some of our achievements:

• We were the first ever forum for senior decision makers in financial services that's still around. At our Summits we tackle only the critical issues that face the industry in 12-18 months in advance. UK first.
• We were the only comprehensive direct mail benchmarking across most financial service products. We have insight into the effectiveness of direct mail campaigns - these make up the bulk of spend for most fs companies DM spend UK first. In 2007 this is being extended to include all DM channels.
• The tank! Multi Channel Testlab was a world first. (Finalist in the Market Research Awards 2004). It enables companies to very quickly find out the best multi channel communication strategies to apply across their customer segments. It also provides an industry benchmark. We ran the world's first multi-channel direct marketing competition. World first.
• Financial Promotions Action Group - one of the key issues in financial services marketing is maintaining marketing effectiveness in a regulatory environment that consumers find confusing. The group will provide a platform where all firms regulated by the FSA can share experiences, concerns and issues. Then look for workable solutions. And then work in open dialogue with the FSA, whilst maintaining the anonymity of individuals and companies. UK first.
• The Data Action Group is a new industry body. Over 80 companies across all industry sectors have joined. The aim is a highly personal one. It is to help them succeed in their roles. This is done by helping them to raise the business performance of their companies through the more effective use of data. UK first.
• The National Data Prospect Pool for the data industry. This is a £50-100M industry yet there is no method for the industry or individual companies to measure their effectiveness. UK first
• The National Data Quality Best Practice Programme for the data industry. This is the first comprehensive tool for the individual companies to measure their effectiveness, and draw out best practice. Launched in September 2006. UK first.
• The Online Marketing Action Group has a highly personal objective. It is to help them succeed by helping them to raise the business performance of their companies through the more effective use of online marketing. UK first.
• We have started the UK's first Direct Mail and e-mail study across all industry sectors. This looks at the effective use of channel, timing, frequency, creative and technology to uplift the response of either or both media in marketing campaigns. UK first.
• We run the UK's only consumer award in direct mail - tank!/DMA People's Choice Award. No entries are invited - we look at every single mailing that is issued from every industry sector. A large panel of consumers then judges these on a continual basis. Over a quarter of a million judgments on individual creatives are made annually. World first.
• The National E-marketing Benchmark' with the DMA - the most comprehensive benchmark e-marketing performance around looking at all the variables surrounding the success of a campaign - from campaign metrics to deliverability. UK first.
• The National Data CRM Best Practice Programme launched in October 2006. Again, it will isolate on a national level the factors that lead to best CRM implementation and practice. UK first.
• We set up the first service to challenge direct marketing creative controls for the industry - 'the tank! Creative Healthcheck'. Our team is among the best talent in the world and have not lost a split test in 15 years. Drayton Bird and his contacts man it. UK first.
• The National Opt In/Out Best Practice Programme will be launched in October 2006. E-marketing Benchmark with the DMA - the most comprehensive benchmark e-marketing performance around looking at all the variables surrounding the success of a campaign - from campaign metrics to deliverability. UK first.
• BtoB Excel is the first closed client only group for senior people involved in BtoB marketing - essentially the same model as tank! but for the BtoB market. UK first.

All this adds up to not only thought leadership - which anyone can claim to aspire to. But rather thought leadership in action for the benefit of our members - which is rather more difficult to achieve.

Don't take our word for it - see what others say about us