Credit Union Branding
“Meatspace” is a CU superpower
We felt it was very appropriate to revive this article this week, as we are attending the Indiana Credit Union League (ICUL) conference the same day we send you this newsletter. See you there, Indiana Credit Unions! Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen a trend toward doing, well everything, online. There are a lot…
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Do 5-star ratings really mean anything?
Amazon asks you to give a review for every product you buy and every delivery you receive. Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb reviews can influence a movie’s box office almost as soon as it comes out. Uber and Lyft drivers get passed over if they don’t have a 5-star rating, and get upset if you dare…
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How to “do the right thing” without bragging
Credit unions are the perfect example of people banding together to solve a problem, and accomplishing more through cooperation. Since their beginnings in mid-1800s Europe, credit unions have embraced the values of “honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.” Today’s credit unions continue to “give back” to their communities everyday – which is a…
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Will it blend? The only CU fintech question that matters.
Quick, go search for something on your site. Now check online banking. Try opening an account. Set an appointment. Pay a bill. Ask the chatbot a question. Now apply for a loan. Take a look at the last few emails you got from your credit union. Do these systems all look and feel and function…
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3 steps to change what people say about your CU
We know credit unions to be helpful, community-oriented and compassionate. We know they keep their members’ financial interests close to their hearts. But what do people really say about your CU? A lot of people (and I mean A LOT) have largely experienced financial services as punishment, as trauma. And they feel this way for the…
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Making content to attract younger members
Whenever the question of how to reach new, young members comes up, you’ll see recommendations like, “Make relevant, valuable and authentic content that displays your values,” and you have to wonder what the writer thinks it actually means. Now, this is actually good advice, but it can feel incredibly generic. I know this because I’m…
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Enduring brands: What we can learn from Barbie
Get ready to see bubblegum pink everywhere you look this Summer! Margot Robbie is starring in a new live action Barbie movie, and Mattel has already signed licensing deals with over 100 brands. Not only can you dress like her, but you can also dress your dog to match (courtesy of Gap.) You can wear…
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CU Conference Shout-Outs
The “sixth principle” of credit unions is cooperation among cooperatives. And we feel a similar spirit should apply to those of us who serve the credit union movement. Here are just a few quick shout-outs to just a few of the innovative companies and CUSOs we’ve seen at NACUSO in Las Vegas in April, and…
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3 superpowers of the Friendly Neighborhood Credit Union
When you think of ‘credit unions’, you might not immediately think of ‘superheroes.’ It might be difficult to imagine a superhero that would convincingly represent something like a credit union. People tend to be interested in superheroes that defeat supervillains and repel alien invasions, not ones that save people from high interest rates. But why…
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3 ways to earn your members’ trust
There’s an old saying, “May you live in interesting times,” which supposedly refers back to an old curse. If you’ve not heard of it before, the gist is that it’s better to live in a “boring” time of peace and prosperity instead of an “interesting” time of conflict and change. And when it comes to…
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