Posts by Brian Wringer
Five modest proposals
The only thing that’s stayed the same for credit unions is that things are changing fast. Sources of fee income are shrinking, expenses are rising, and margins are squeezed tighter than ever. Things are getting Weird with a capital “W”. It’s time to Think the unthinkable and ponder the outrageous. “When the going gets weird, the…
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Dirty words
Over the past several years, more and more credit unions have eliminated certain “dirty words” from their marketing and identity. Words like “member”, “join” and even “credit union” are now taboo in a lot of places, and online account access is almost always called “home banking.” And when was the last time you heard “share…
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Getting married on the first date
Why do credit unions still focus so much on marketing checking accounts to non-members? I mean, I know why — the checking account is still the best indicator of a PFI relationship, and it’s extraordinarily “sticky”. Members with checking are loyal members, or at least they’re stuck with you for a while. I get that.…
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Five ways to be more differenter
Remember those Kraft Macaroni and Cheese commercials a while back, where kids exclaimed “It’s more cheesier”? I cringed every time I heard this phrase, and so did thousands of other writers and English majors. Painful grammar aside, the Kraft marketers have a point. To succeed, you have to amplify the differences. Crank up the cheese…
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Dog Fooding
You’ve probably heard the term “eating your own dog food” before. It means that everyone on your team also needs to be a consumer or user of your product. Whether it’s dog food or checking accounts, “Dog Fooding” is a great way to ensure everyone really understands your product. How many of your accounts and…
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This stuff really annoys me
Instead of looking at the big picture – the country’s economic problems, global warming, and what to get your brother-in-law for Christmas – the folks at Consumer Reports decided to do a survey about what annoys each of us the most. They presented people with a list of 21 items that they were then asked…
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How does your web site measure up?
How do you measure the success of a credit union website, and how do you justify spending money on it? We’ve had some interesting discussions lately on metrics for CU sites, and here are the points raised: One key is to remember that to members, your site is a tool – not an entertainment destination or…
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Think slippery, not sticky
Most websites want users to stick around longer in hopes that they’ll see more ads and/or make a purchase. But on a credit union site, tactics intended to increase page views mostly get in the way. That’s why you need to think slippery, not sticky. To your members, a credit union web site is a tool,…
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Those Crazy Kids
You’ve probably seen a few thousand articles about all the ways the internet and social media are going to change marketing forever. We are certainly facing a fundamental shift in marketing, but it’s not particularly tied to a certain technology — it’s tied more to some profound differences in generations. Database marketing got its start…
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Five Ways to Get a Seat at the Table
A while back, we ran a poll asking credit union marketers “Does Marketing have a voice at your Board and/or Management meetings?” To our surprise, we found that only half of the respondents indicated that they have a role in making policy and decisions. About a third felt that “I’m on the outside looking in.” and 15% chose “I am occasionally…
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