Running a Marketing Department is a bit like remodeling a kitchen.

Are you DIY dizzy?

Credit unions have a strong DIY (do-it-yourself) ethic. It probably comes from the early days — every credit union started as a home-grown effort. The cigar box in a desk drawer became a shoebox in a closet, then the CU moved into an unused office near the break room, and, well, the rest is history. For…

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every organization needs to build a healthy brand culture within their own walls.

Would you work at your job for free?

This very question was posed to a large group of Southwest Airlines employees who responded by giving their boss a standing ovation. That shows their dedication. Their belief in their boss. Their love of the company. What if you posed the exact same question to the employees at your CU? Over several anonymous surveys (CUCheck)…

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The credit union you imagined is the one you should be working to build right now.

Blow it up and start over

Let’s do a thought experiment. Close your eyes and imagine getting  everyone out safely of the building. Hustle them down the street and issue big bags of popcorn, party hats, confetti, and kazoos. All set? Count backwards from ten and then… Imagine blowing up the credit union. Now imagine how you would build a new credit…

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The point is to break out of the usual thinking about the tiny scraps you can shave off the corners.

The $50 question

It’s easy to think of things to give away (free online banking, free bill pay, free overdraft protection, free checks, lower rates), but it’s a lot harder to add a large amount of value. (It’s even harder to actually ask for money.) So I’d like to propose a simple thought experiment: What could you add…

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As a marketer, I have to wonder how any of this is cost-effective.

Yep, I’m still pregnant

Some database out there still thinks I’m pregnant. Direct mail offers are continuing to pour in for cord blood storage, baby seats, celebrity maternity wear, baby bottles with high-tech nipples, strollers with independent suspension, stretch mark cream, and the very latest in mushy food nutrition delivery technology. I am receiving a free subscription to “Babytalk”…

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your credit union's domain names are valuable brand assets

Squatter’s rights

Have you ever let a domain name registration expire without renewing, only to find it’s been turned into an ad farm? Congratulations — you’ve just found a domain name squatter! Domain name squatters (they prefer the terms “investors” or “domainers”) often grab domain names after they are dropped in hopes that the original owners will want…

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If you're making a list, check it twice.

I’m 68 years old. And I’m pregnant.

Although my mother swears it was 1968, and I have a birth certificate to prove it, a few bits in some database out there stubbornly insist that I’m 68 years old. So nearly every day, I get pitches for hearing aids, almost-unnoticeable incontinence garments, padded bath tubs, sure-fire investment schemes, cemetery plots, discount cremation, great…

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More words don't persuade more, they just get in the way

Five fast ways to punch up copy

1. Tighten it up. Credit union marketers (or maybe it’s just marketers in general) have a particularly hard time knowing when to stop putting words on a page. More words don’t persuade more — they just get in the way of making your point. Edit ruthlessly. 2. Make it human. There’s no need to crack…

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When someone visits your web site, they're usually on a mission.

Quick check: five simple things that must be on your home page

When someone visits your web site, they’re usually on a mission. No one visits a credit union web site for entertainment or to shop for shoes — they’re looking to get something done. Take a quick look at your web site right now and make sure visitors can find what they need instantly. 1. Your…

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