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Case Study: Building a Long-Term GTM Engine

How Arise GTM Laid the Foundations for an 8-Year Digital & GTM Partnership with Solace

What started as a complex website and integration project became the foundation for a long-running GTM engine supporting member growth, platform evolution, and operational scale.

Desktop Mockup Solace

Overview

Solace (The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) is the UK’s leading membership organisation for senior public sector leaders, representing over 1,600 members across the country.

In the initial engagement, Solace needed to modernise a fragmented digital estate that had grown organically over time. Multiple websites, disconnected platforms, and manual processes were limiting their ability to scale member engagement, integrate third-party tools, and evolve digitally.

Arise GTM was engaged to consolidate, integrate, and future-proof Solace’s digital infrastructure. This work became the first building block in what is now an 8+ year GTM and digital transformation partnership.

The Problem

Solace’s digital ecosystem had become increasingly complex:

  • Multiple standalone websites across the organisation
  • No unified content or data structure
  • Third-party systems operating in isolation
  • Manual processes slowing execution
  • Limited flexibility to introduce new digital capabilities

As Solace expanded its programmes, events, and member services, the existing setup made it difficult to integrate new systems or take platforms offline without disruption.

What they needed wasn’t another tactical fix — it was a foundational digital architecture that could evolve.

Solace

The Requirement

Solace required a solution that, critically, had to support long-term growth, not merely solve the immediate problem.

Consolidate multiple websites into a manageable structure

Integrate third-party platforms without compromising stability

Allow future systems to be plugged in and out as needs evolved

Reduce operational friction for internal teams

Create a foundation for future digital products and services

The Strategic Insight

"If the foundations are wrong, every future product, platform,
or campaign becomes harder to deliver"
User_Experience_Design

Rather than treating this as a one-off technical project, Arise GTM approached the work as the first phase of a long-term GTM engine build.

So the focus shifted from “fixing websites” to designing a scalable digital backbone that could support future growth initiatives.

Approach & Strategy

Stage 1: Discovery & System Mapping

  • Conducted a full audit of existing websites and platforms
  • Identified duplication, inefficiencies, and integration constraints
  • Mapped how digital systems supported member engagement and growth
Office Work

Stage 2: Platform Consolidation

  • Simple, guided assessment flow
  • Clear progress tracking
  • Intuitive completion experience aligned with Solace’s existing UX

Stage 3: Third-Party Integration Architecture

  • Integrated Salesforce and other systems into the website ecosystem
  • Ensured data could flow cleanly between platforms
  • Enabled future integrations without re-engineering the core system
Web_Design
AB_Testing

Stage 4: Performance & Scalability

  • Optimised the website infrastructure for speed and reliability
  • Ensured systems could be updated or extended without disruption
  • Built with flexibility to support future digital initiatives

Results

  • Consolidated multiple websites into a unified, manageable platform
  • Successfully integrated third-party systems, including Salesforce
  • Reduced operational complexity for internal teams
  • Created a stable foundation for future digital products
  • Enabled Solace to evolve its digital offering without repeated rebuilds

Most importantly, this work established the technical and strategic foundations that allowed Solace to continue expanding its digital capabilities over the following years.

What This Enabled Next

Because the foundations were right, Solace was able to:

  • Launch new digital initiatives with confidence
  • Introduce advanced platforms, including CPD and assessment tools
  • Continue evolving member services without replatforming
  • Build long-term internal confidence in their digital systems

This initial engagement directly enabled later platform builds — including the custom CPD platform that remains in use today.

Gamification_Learning

"Paul is a natural leader with great communication skills, a sharp mind, and good business sense. His advice is always considered, tailored, and aligned to our needs.”

Victoria Barton-Rosenthal Marketing Manager, Solace

Build GTM Foundations That Scale for Years

If your organisation is struggling with fragmented systems or short-term fixes, we help you design GTM infrastructure that evolves — not breaks.