Posts by Kent Dicken
It’s nothing business, it’s personal
When you come right down to it, businesses have a responsibility to maximize profit for their investors and shareholders. Every decision and every action is based on boosting the bottom line before the competition steals market share. Yes, I know that’s pretty cynical, and sure, a business can be known for doing the right thing…
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Is your CUlture risk averse?
Morgan Spurlock, known for his film “Super Size Me,” spoke at TED and shared everything he had to go through in order to present his movie idea for “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold” to the brands he was trying to get to become sponsors and part of the movie. It was entertaining to watch Spurlock poke…
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Why would anyone join a credit union they have never heard of?
To many credit union CFOs (and CEOs that used to be CFOs), Marketing is just overhead. They don’t understand it, they don’t value it, and it doesn’t connect in their minds with the personnel and facilities it takes to keep branches open. To them, cutting the marketing budget is a quick fix when you need…
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Copyright confusion & trademark tribulations
I thought it might be good to clear up some confusion over the differences between copyrights and trademarks when it comes to marketing. Basically, a copyright covers the expression of an original idea (but not the idea itself), and a trademark is a distinctive sign of identification. The first is automatic upon creation, the second…
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Marketing junkies, cold calls, and business development
I actually took a cold call the other day. Why? Because she was polite, friendly-sounding, and I have empathy for anyone that has to do that as their job. That’s right, I felt sorry for her. But it was how she described her organization that got me to listen. She was calling on behalf of…
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Why Marketing Directors would make great CEOs
My credit union needs a new CEO, since the previous CEO retired. I recently found out this fact because the local paper printed a retraction. Somehow the paper got everything all mixed up, because the CFO also retired, and they thought that the SVP of Finance was taking over for the retiring CEO, when he…
Read MoreAre you fast food marketing?
Today I realized that credit unions may be taking a fast food approach toward their brand and marketing. Do you: Market low cost Not everybody orders off of the dollar menu, and rate shoppers have very little loyalty. Make sure you are attracting the type of member that will use multiple services. Focus on volume…
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Jerry Garcia could teach you a thing or two
The Grateful Dead may not have been the best band musically, instrumentally or lyrically, but they may have been the best touring band ever. They were considered the “pioneering Godfathers of the jam band world” known for songs that went on and on, experimenting and mixing rock, folk, bluegrass, country and various other music genres.…
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I’m tired of “anything goes” – aren’t you?
Derek Jeter was found guilty of overacting when he was supposedly hit by a pitch — which instant replay showed hitting the handle end of the bat instead of his wrist. Later, Jeter claimed he was just doing his job, which was to get on base any way he can. Fans howled and sports commentators…
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Pay-what-you-want banking?
If you were opening a new restaurant, would you consider letting your customers decide what to pay? Panera re-opened a restaurant as a nonprofit in Clayton MO, asking their customers to “pay-what-you-want” for their meals. Cashiers do tell customers a “suggested” price, and there are workers at the door to explain the concept that it is…
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