Compared to bricks-and-mortar, websites are incredibly cheap.

5 reasons to fix your “mostly sorta OK-ish” credit union website

If your credit union’s website is a real dumpster fire, then the reasons to upgrade ASAP and pronto are pretty obvious. But what if it’s just… a little lame? Sorta… meh. Just, you know, not awful, but not great. What’s your motivation if it’s not TOO painful? Here’s why now is exactly the right time…

Read More
It's about changing your process, not buying expensive new technology.

The car loan we didn’t get at our credit union

Deposits are climbing and credit unions need to make loans. Mortgages are in high demand, but you need consumer lending to stay in balance. And that means car loans. New, and (mostly) used car loans. So why are credit unions, even large CUs, still throwing away so many car loans? Here’s my real-world, real-life, 100%…

Read More
small CUs have a secret weapon

How small credit unions can start thinking big

Small credit unions have a special set of marketing and brand challenges. Budget and time limitations are pretty obvious, and keeping up with technology is always challenging. If you’re a one-person marketing department, or even a part-time marketer wearing a few other hats, here’s how to start thinking about your growth strategy, marketing, and brand…

Read More
Your message turns into a mealy mishmash of committee-speak.

If you’re targeting everyone, you’re targeting no one.

Of course, every marketer knows “target marketing” is a good idea. After all, it just makes sense; get the right message in front of the right people, and success will rain down. But when it’s time to build a creative brief and develop the message, people seem to get cold feet. “We’re targeting left-handed Moms…

Read More
What if your credit union could make digital moneyeasier and safer?

Free product idea: Digital Life Accounts

Just handing over paper money is sooooo 2010, and it’s honestly just a little icky these days. Like most modern humanoids, I live a more digital life. But it’s a little like speaking multiple languages; everyone needs more than one payment method on hand in order to have the best odds of aligning with another…

Read More
There's a lot of power in understanding.

Speaking the same language

Sam’s superpower is speaking Spanish, but I can’t say I have the same gift. Five years of German classes didn’t leave a lasting impression, and besides, every German I’ve ever met already speaks impeccable English. But his tale did remind me that even if the language is English, there are still a lot of ways…

Read More
working in a mental hospital gives you a lifetime of interesting stories.

The Double Jesus Day

Long ago, and not so far away, I worked in a mental hospital. I was working my way through college, which should give you an idea of how long ago this was. It paid about the same as burger-flipping, but it was infinitely more interesting, and of course I learned a lot of people skills.…

Read More
The sludge you tolerate screams loud and clear

Is your sludge unintentional or intentional?

Sludge in an organization is anything that gets in the way. Sludge creates friction and frustration, slows things down, and makes it harder to get things done. As I’ve said before, the Sludge Monster is a dangerous beast infesting far too many credit unions. Since I’m something of a sludge scholar, I was very interested…

Read More
always remember the real people at the other end.

Data Digging Disappoints. Duh.

Billions of words and dollars have been spilled on the topic of Big Data and Marketing for credit unions and banks. But far too often, the quality of the offers, messaging and creative sent to those exquisitely preened, pruned, selected and targeted lists gets almost no attention. We see this in quite a few marketing…

Read More
Google Search Console gives you data on search performance.

Credit Union Website Analytics: Google Search Console

As I’ve said many times, Credit Union websites are weird. They don’t follow the same sorts of rules as other types of websites, so it can be tough to interpret your data. What’s normal or abnormal? What should your goals be, and where can you make a difference?  Fortunately, we’ve built lots of credit union…

Read More