Results can be transformative

You’re not allowed to separate digital, branding, and marketing anymore.

It would help if everyone just agreed that digital, branding, and marketing have been merged into one big multi-dimensional entity.

I mean, can you really imagine working on one without connecting it to the others?

In fact, all the components of digital, branding, and marketing are so tightly woven together that any CEO that tries to silo each under different departments and different managers will find it almost impossible to get anything done.

At least, done well.

But CEOs who combine these forces understand the biggest benefit of doing so – when all of these elements are intertwined and working together, they multiply effectiveness.

A website redesign may be the best thing that has ever happened to your branding.

Because your website includes everything about your credit union, a site redesign focuses everyone’s attention on how it looks, how it works, and how its content comes across. Navigation is tweaked to make things easier to find. Descriptions are rewritten to make it easier for viewers (and search engines) to understand. Images are replaced so that they don’t look like stock images (even when they are).

A new website is your opportunity to show people exactly who you are, what you care about, what you offer, and why they should be a part of it.

Which makes it the perfect opportunity to freshen your look.

We’ve always approached website redesigns from a brand perspective, so we are never surprised when our CU clients pause their website redesign in order to polish their branding. Sometimes it’s as simple as updating the color scheme to match the cool new website, or fixing those awful gaps in letter spacing, or adjusting an awkward symbol so that the edges line up where they should. And sometimes CUs decide to do more than a partial polish, opting for more of a total transformation, from new identities to brand marketing strategies.

Either approach adds a bit more time to the process, but the results can be transformative.

And all because everyone started paying close attention to their website, and in the process started paying attention to the brand.

Rebranding can boost membership and marketing.

People choose who and what they pay attention to. They appreciate businesses that seem to “get” them, that understand what they want, when they want it.

That make them feel as if they belong.

By focusing on your brand look and strategy, you provide a chance for potential members to see you in a new light.

New colors and symbols catch the eye, and refined messages catch attention. By transparently communicating what the credit union stands for, telling them how and why you can help, and then following through, you turn casual interest into new members.

New members bring in their friends, and provide even more opportunities for product and member growth.

And Marketing truly needs a fully capable website to help your CU grow.

Your website should be the hub of your marketing – promoting products, maximizing your marketing budget, connecting social with traditional media, and attracting new members as part of your brand strategy.

Fully editable content that increases SEO results. Landing pages with unique URLs, inviting clicks and driving site visits via each component of your marketing campaigns. Secure forms and chat that connects with staff that can immediately help. CRM and/or Analytics tracking results that will help you improve the bottom line of your next campaign.

Give Marketing the capability and support, and you’ll likely be amazed at the results.

Kent Dicken

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