Posts Tagged ‘We Dare You’
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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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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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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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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Dirty words
Over the past several years, more and more credit unions have eliminated certain “dirty words” from their marketing and identity. Words like “member”, “join” and even “credit union” are now taboo in a lot of places, and online account access is almost always called “home banking.” And when was the last time you heard “share…
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Getting married on the first date
Why do credit unions still focus so much on marketing checking accounts to non-members? I mean, I know why — the checking account is still the best indicator of a PFI relationship, and it’s extraordinarily “sticky”. Members with checking are loyal members, or at least they’re stuck with you for a while. I get that.…
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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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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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Culture eats marketing for breakfast
In most companies, brand image is controlled by management, which sets the tone for the corporate culture with a focus on either profits or customers. Amazon.com Founder/CEO Jeff Bezos made news one year for working at one of their fulfillment centers in Kentucky, and has made it a requirement for every employee to spend two days…
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How does your web site measure up?
How do you measure the success of a credit union website, and how do you justify spending money on it? We’ve had some interesting discussions lately on metrics for CU sites, and here are the points raised: One key is to remember that to members, your site is a tool – not an entertainment destination or…
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