disruptive thoughts banging around in my head, and I have to let them out

Disruptive thoughts I have to let out

From time to time, I get these strange, disruptive thoughts. Unconventional. Aberrant. But they’re banging around in my head, and I have to let them out… What if overdraft fees were actually reasonable? Overdraft income is down because of opt-in regulations, yet the average overdraft fee is still $29. As marketers, we hate dealing with…

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this fundamental difference in worldview may be why we have such a hard time communicating the credit union difference.

What if an alien biologist landed on your desk?

The other day, I saw a very interesting phrase as I was skimming a series of random business articles: “Business is an ecosystem, not a battlefield.” My first reaction was “Well, duh.” That’s a pretty obvious worldview. A fraction of a second later, I remembered — “oh, yeah… most people don’t see business (or life)…

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It's a good thing I ended up in credit union marketing.

The Marketspeak Menace

–As an advertising copy writer, I’m a failure. I’m incapable of  writing fluff, and I’m not much of a spin doctor. I doubt I’ll ever get rich writing gushy catalog copy or political doubletalk. In short, I just can’t spew marketspeak worth a hoot. It’s a good thing I ended up in credit union marketing. At the…

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it's a very different way of doing business, but credit unions are very different

Maybe transparency is worth a try

You have to wonder — what would happen if you were completely transparent, if you told your members the 100% unadulterated truth for once, and let them draw their own conclusions? Just imagine the following, delivered by a gruff but lovable no-nonsense sort of CEO, like Colonel Potter from MASH: “My fellow credit union members…”…

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An all-purpose hotline to call, for just about any reason, at any time

Give members a direct line

What if there were an all-purpose hotline you could call, for just about any reason, any time? Everyone knows to call 911 in an emergency, but what if it’s not so life-and-death, or you’re just wondering where to park on Thursday? In New York City, you can dial 311 any time day or night to…

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It's time for credit unions to stand for something better.

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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Think the unthinkable and ponder the outrageous.

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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To succeed, you have to amplify the differences.

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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A great way for employees to understand your products from a member's perspective

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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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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