Some ideas for CUs inspired by things that aren’t CUs.

Strategic inspiration to help credit unions mix things up

Have you heard the saying about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? There’s a lot of power in good branding, authentic messaging and a creative loan campaign, but sometimes you should be looking elsewhere for inspiration. You might be surprised at how many fresh new ideas you can find when…

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Show them, transparently, how it all works.

Let’s get unapologetically, radically transparent

No, I don’t mean transparent as in “invisible” or “see-through,” and I certainly don’t mean “difficult-to-find.” The word transparency could refer to a lot of things inside a credit union, but for our purposes we just have to ask one question:  Do people know how a credit union works? We know that people see “credit…

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It might be a good time to think proactive, rather than reactive.

Is it time for Credit Unions to go Virtual?

The labor market has had 20 consecutive months of sustained job growth. The unemployment rate has been hovering around a 50-year low. It’s really no wonder that employers are having to boost hourly and salaried pay just to compete for workers. Credit unions are in the same boat. It’s harder-than-ever to find new, qualified personnel.…

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Get real with financial education, and you’re going to see real results.

We need Financial Education for those not-so-happy times

When members come to your credit union for a mortgage or a car loan, it often feels amazing. Helping someone start a retirement account feels smart and safe. But there are a lot of life events that don’t give us those warm-fuzzies. If you spend any time on the r/personalfinance subreddit, you’ll see a lot…

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Be seen as a resource about money, not simply as a source of it

How credit unions can be much more than loan retailers

Lots of people make bad decisions about their money simply because they were never taught how to make good ones. Which often gets blamed on their parents, since 83% of US adults say that parents are the most responsible for teaching their kids about finances. Yet 40% of parents claim they talk to their kids…

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Mistakes happen, but this industry is built on customer service

Don’t be like an airline

You might not think that an airline has a lot in common with a credit union. But when you think about it, people come to both airlines and CUs because they want to do something else. No one I know rides commercial airlines or takes out loans because they enjoy doing those things. Both airlines…

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So why are credit unions staying quiet about this?

3 reasons why your CU should be promoting sustainability

For an unfortunate number of people, sustainability is just another buzzword. Like “Organic” or “Eco-Friendly,” it’s just a bit of hippie dippy hooey that businesses pay lip-service to for PR reasons. In other words, it’s just a Marketing thing. Well I think that attitude is not just sad, but frustrating. It’s outright bogus and not…

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When I say Abominable, I mean big, hairy, and out of control.

How to keep those winter Marketing Monsters from getting ABOMINABLE

During the winter months, it gets really easy to let things slide as you plan for warmer weather. Unfortunately, those Marketing Monsters aren’t waiting until spring comes to cause you problems. In fact, winter is usually when those problem monsters become Abominable. When I say Abominable, I mean big, hairy, and out of control. While…

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Don’t shy away from hairy, scary topics

Get face-to-face with the Financial Education Monster

This pesky pain-in-the-neck likes to sit in the periphery. The Financial Education monster lurks just out of view, a persistent reminder of a mostly unfulfilled promise you made to your members. And even worse, your members can see the scruffy, generic, little rascal, too.  Here’s how to brush up the Financial Education Monster, give him…

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Here's how to turn this beastie into a bestie

Wrestling the Member Onboarding Monster

This slippery, sly critter is a regular Houdini. Without constant attention and communication, the Member Onboarding Monster slips overboard the instant your back is turned, taking hundreds of members with him. Here’s how to turn this beastie into your member retention bestie, and transform single-service and indirect members into lifelong super-fans: Automate onboarding This one’s…

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