It may be old school, but that doesn't mean it won't work.

Do you have card-carrying members?

I had to have my son’s car towed recently, and I was certainly happy that I carried my AAA card with me to avoid the tow charge. Then I used it the next week to save a few bucks on a hotel room when traveling. That’s when it hit me. I’m a card-carrying member. Now…

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if marketing doesn't have a seat at the table, you're wasting a lot of talent

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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Marketing is the oil that allows the CU machine to work.

Cutting your marketing budget is dangerous

Budget season certainly seems to be the right time for cutting fat, and unfortunately CFOs always seem to feel that the marketing line needs to lose a few pounds. But cutting your marketing budget will not help you improve your bottom line. In fact, it is likely dangerous. Marketing is the oil that allows the…

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Don't you know you're missing out on big fat profits?

Dear Credit Unions…

Dear Credit Unions, We have to admit, sometimes we don’t know what to make of you. Especially when you look like a bundle of chumps who haven’t been playing the suckers nearly hard enough. Don’t you know you’re missing out on big fat profits? For example: your CU’s Platinum card probably has a perfectly sane rate…

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the internet is full and you probably aren't helping

The Internet is Full

The internet is full. Overflowing. Saturated. At least it ought to be, with all the blogs, tweets, news, videos, music, and pictures of cats. But I suppose as long as they can keep making more hard drives there is always more room for content. So I probably need to rephrase that: Actually, what is full…

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Credit unions have a history of "sticking up for the little guy"

Were the Pilgrims Illegal Immigrants?

  I’ll admit that I had no idea that, until recently, an illegal immigrant could get a taxpayer identification number (but not a social security number), pay taxes, open accounts, and even get a mortgage. And as it turned out, these mortgages performed quite well in financial terms, thanks to conservative lending criteria, fixed rates,…

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once you're carbon neutral (or better), then what?

What’s Beyond Green?

“Green” is just one type of applied ethics that fits right in to the credit union ethos. After all, credit unions don’t consume all that much energy and goods compared to other types of businesses. But once you’re carbon neutral (or better), then what? What’s beyond green? Clear One of the big trends in business is…

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CUs want to do what's right for members but they make more money when they take out lots of loans.

What’s in your CU DNA?

Credit Unions care more about their members’ economic well-being than making a profit. Most CU Marketers would agree that’s an accepted part of the credit union DNA, straight out of the “not-for-profit” designation, and therefore Marketing should promote those products most beneficial for the member. But ask a CFO and you will likely hear a different…

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on the similarities between hospitals and credit unions

4:00 am Vampires

I just spent nearly a week in the hospital. I’m fine now, but let’s just say I wouldn’t wish gallstones and pancreatitis on my worst enemy. With an extreme case of boredom setting in, I started musing on the similarities between hospitals and credit unions. Both are large institutions created to make people’s lives better.…

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