Our friends over at CU*SWAG have entered another video contest but made some good points about credit unions, Toyota and connecting with Gen Y. Toyota has worked to help make the minivan cool through the Swagger Wagon videos.
Politics and branding have been powerful partners ever since Julius Caesar’s tagline “Veni, vide, vici" ("I came, I saw, I conquered” for those of us rusty on our Latin), but how can you put it to work for your credit union?
Continue reading "Engaging Members and Deepening the Brand" »
A lot of credit unions are wrestling with the business case for social media. Others are adventuring out into the social media arena, looking to see what makes best sense for their business strategies.
Filene Research Institute has launched "groundbreaking research regarding the quantifiable impact of social media marketing strategies."
Can you make a commitment of about two hours over the next year to complete one survey per quarter regarding your marketing activities?
"The results of the year-long research will produce a statistically tested way to predict changes in membership and products per member (or, member share) based on social media activities."
"In plain English: If you keep wondering whether social media is just hype or an effective marketing tactic, this is your chance to find out. We want you and many other credit unions to participate because more responses make for better analysis. In return for your participation, we will provide you with the results of the research. Even if you are not using social media, we would like you to participate."
Credit unions have been built around people helping people. Working together is the best way for us to position credit unions forward. Hoping you make the commitment to be part of this timely project!
Marketing To Do List:
☑ Update logo
☑ New, slick, promotional pieces
☑ Marketing campaign approved and ready to launch
But wait, there’s more. When it comes to branding and image, ask yourself:
Branding goes well beyond marketing. As Mark Arnold passionately puts it, “branding is more than just changing a few brochures or the look of a newsletter. Much more. A true comprehensive branding program takes years to develop and impacts the entire organization. Your credit union doesn’t just “do” branding one year and mark it off its “to do” list. Your credit union must “live” the brand every day.”
Mark Arnold is teaching a full day course this summer at Southwest CUNA Management School on Advanced Branding. Limited seats available to help you further explore and expand your knowledge about branding.
Building a Lasting Brand: Advanced Branding for Credit Unions Mark speaks from first-hand experience when he covers:
Having led his credit union through a name change and ongoing branding efforts, Mark provides practical information on what to and not to do with your credit union’s brand.
If you’re looking to develop your team or enhance your skills, plan to spend July 20 (8:30 am - 4:30 pm) on the TCU campus (Lupton-Brown University Union) with Mark and the SCMS Class of 2011. Limited seating available on a day rate. For more details, visit www.scms.coop or contact Janine McBee, SCMS Synergist & Director. You do not have to be an alumnus or have a student currently enrolled to take advantage of the opportunity to attend individual classes.
Mark Arnold, CCUE July 20 (8:30 am – 4:30 pm)
The secret’s out. Southwest CUNA Management School Students have been profiled. The PTP New Media & CU*Swag team caught one of this year’s third year students, Jason Duplant (Neches FCU) on tape. Look and listen closely to get an insiders’ perspective on the value of the school.
Careful analysis of this year’s 1st year enrollees reveals what a typical students looks like:
Who
Students come from credit unions ranging in size from under $1 million to nearly $1 billion. It’s exciting to see mutually beneficial relationships develop when Davy and Goliath are side by side in the classroom.
Students range in age from 23 to 62. Oh the lessons the generations learn from each other when they spend eight days on a college campus for three years. New for 2010 we have a special scholarship, networking, and mentoring C2C initiative for students under the age of 30 by August 1, 2010.
Experience levels cover a wide range.
Years on the Job: 1 to 26, averaging just under 6 years.
Years in Credit Unions: 2 to 31, averaging 11 years
Years in the Financial Services Industry: 2 to 33, averaging just over 13 years.
As for job titles, you name it and we probably have someone enrolled. The school is designed for everyone from management trainees to mid and senior level management to CEOs.
When July 11-21, 2010
Where Classes are held at TCU (Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas)
Students may be coming from as far as Africa. The majority of the students are coming from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
What
Intensive classroom training, world class faculty, unique networking opportunities, and developing a detailed two year strategic business plan for your credit union. Specialists gain an appreciation for how the various pieces of the credit union come together to complete/affect the entire company. Smaller credit unions get the opportunity to dream and think about how to strategically position their credit union forward. All students build a strong network of friends and experts to help them face challenges down the road.
Strategic alumni have been collaborating and brainstorming about providing additional value. As a result of numerous discussions, new opportunities are available for credit union folks to take advantage of what SCMS has to offer.
Day Students: Any league affiliated credit union may attend ½ to a full day, or even a couple of days on a day rate basis - $275 per day, lunch included, on own for accommodations. No homework. Click here for the full schedule.
Full Year Option: CUNA Management School alumni are invited back for a full year experience, living on campus, learning and networking with the class of their choice. This is offered as either entire 1st, 2nd or 3rd year options. Same price as a full time student, though no scholarship opportunities at this point. No homework.
If you, or one of your credit union’s talented up and coming stars, specialists, or seasoned vets are looking for challenges, fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and aha moments, the time to enroll in the school is now!
Contact Janine McBee for further information if interested: jmcbee@scms.coop or tweet @SCMSJanine
Walt Laskos recently published a blog post asking if credit unions are maintaining their edge. This was spurred by a tweet that I had made from someone who follows me on Twitter.
“Listen up Houston CUs RT @adrienne78 I did not feel a warm greeting by more than one CU in my area but bank smiles and knows my name.”
In this financial climate, credit unions have received so much free press on a national level. National media is doing the marketing for the credit union movement and speaking of the “credit union difference.” However, is this transpiring down to a local level? What is happening in our communities? Do our friends, family and community know the "credit union difference" or are credit unions becoming a financial commodity?
I spoke at the University of Houston-Clear Lake last night and about 85% in attendance were credit union members. When I speak, I also advocate for credit unions and like to ask the audience to do some quick focus group recon. The group was in the Gen Y U to Gen Y Pro range (22-30).
We had a brief conversation about their credit union experience and many thought that it was the same thing as a bank or a banking alternative, but in the end, just another financial institution.
In the comments section on Walt's blog, Sarah Snell Cooke noted, "Credit unions are taking all the good publicity and member growth of the last couple of years for granted. Credit unions didn't got out and try to get attention, but basically they got mainstream media attention because they were the last ones standing. This recognition drove members to their doors. It's great that credit unions are trusted, but if they don't 1) treat members right, and 2) work to keep the media spotlight, they'll have had their 15 minutes of fame until the next crisis. Credit unions cannot rest on their laurels and not pick up the PR yoke or that member growth will die off and even reverse."
In regards to treating members right, this is where experience marketing comes into play. What kind of experience does your member have in the branch, on the phone, on your web site, at an ATM or on a mobile device? These are all touch points that provide different levels of engagement and different experiences.
The experience that your credit union provides to members through all the different touch points and channels will help your credit union rise above being seen as just another financial institution and commodity.
Watch the video below that I did with the Michigan Credit Union League as I expand more on these thoughts about how one company took a commodity (coffee beans) and capitalized on the experience delivered.
Fresh faces are on board to join the Southwest CUNA Management School faculty team and challenge students forward:
· Matt Davis (AKA "The Credit Union Warrior") partnered with Filene Research Institute, Matt joins Denise Gabel for the 1 1/2 days of Innovation classes with 2nd & 3rd year students.
· Julie Ferguson, JRF Consulting Services brings a wealth of credit union and business development background to Grad School.
· David Goldsmith, MetaMatrix Consulting Group, Inc., is about to have a book published on strategic planning. He’s the final class for 1st year students, charged with sending them out challenged and future focused.
· Mike Petrone, CFE, CFSA joins us from CUNA Mutual Group (CMG) for the 1st year Risk Management course. In 2002, Mike was honored with the 2nd annual Michael G. Hallinan Risk Management Choice Award.
· Shawn Temple (one of last year’s Award of Excellence recipients), Bossier FCU, joins the team to work with students on the project (a two-year strategic business plan) requirements.
· Amanda Vega, Amanda Vega Consulting brings real world experience to help second year students make strategic decisions related to social media and their credit unions.
For a complete faculty team and course listing, scholarship information (deadline this week), and school application, visit www.scms.coop. Excitement mounts as registrations come in for this year's first year class. To give you an idea of what students looks like: They are coming from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas and possibly Africa. They hold titles ranging from President, Manager, Director, COO, VP, Accounting, Business Services Representative, Branch Manager, to E-Branch Manager and more. The credit union asset sizes range from under $20 million to around $1 billion The students range in age from early 20's to 50's. They have 2 to 28 years service in credit unions, with 2 to 33 years in the financial services industry. Education backgrounds range from Masters Degrees to High School Grads.
Thank you Bossier FCU for enrolling three in the first year class and to numerous credit unions who continue to enroll credit unions year after year!
Thanks go out to ConversationAgent by Valeria Maltoni for a little morning inspiration! Time to put your thinking caps on.
Transparency, authenticity, honesty and passion are commonly thought about and addressed as people navigate a wide variety of social media channels. If they are not being thought about, warning, do not pass go. Please slow down and give these areas serious consideration. You owe it to your customers, employees, board of directors, share or stock holders. What are the norms for your business environment? Your team?
Take a moment to hop on over to a blog referenced by a tweet from @ConversationAge:
Diva Marketing Blog - "Where Does 'Transparency' Fit In The New Social Media Marketing Model?" The post highlights insights from 39 people active in social media.
Questions that raced through my mind:
Should your organization have degrees of transparency?
Is it important for your audience to know who writes copy for your communication channels?
To know who is responding to them?
Do you have content strategy? Communication goals? Are you having conversations and building relationships?
How personal should your social media, public conversations be? As work and personall communication channels blurr, when are you simply yourself and when are you representing your company? Both 24/7/365? Are we ready for that?
What lessons have you learned?
- Building the Business Case for 140 Precious Characters
Checking this morning's tweets, I came across @ConversationAge Twitter, Customer Service and Good Brand Management http://ow.ly/yz2H.
She got my attention and I followed her link. For those of you serious about brand management and customer service, I recommend spending some thought time reading Valeria Maltoni's post. She addresses how those 140 character twitter messages have the potential to directly impact your brand and can function as a customer service tool.
She gives great tools about how to track tweets about your company. Maltoni goes further, nothing that "online monitoring is broader than Twitter", as she mentions additional web monitoring sites.
Keep exploring and learning as online communication channels grow and develop. Join the conversation, develop the relationships, and keep positioning forward!
Tweet on my friends.
Have you ever been wronged by a company? Of course you have. What did you do about it? Complain to them? Write a letter? Tell the BBB? Was the issue rectified and did they ever do anything about it.
One guy was wronged by United Airlines for breaking his guitar and wrote a song about it. It went viral on You Tube and has been seen by over 2,800,000 people.
Watch the video below to see and hear his story...
United Airlines had to put on damage control fast and “a managing director of customer service called Carroll and apologized, going so far as to ask if United could use the video internally to train its people.”
So credit unions, take note, if you tick off your members (even one member) who has the skills, technology and know how, this could be you. The question is, are you prepared how to handle this? How long would it take for you to try to make things right? What would you do? I’m not trying to scare anyone but more of this could happen (maybe just not with this much production).
This is why it’s so important to listen in social media. For some tips on this check out Google Alerts and Twitter Search where you can setup RSS feeds to stay in the know.
Shout back and share your thoughts and ideas about this. Look forward to the conversation.
Note: I know this was first published here and here. This post was written on Friday, July 11th but was scheduled to go out today after some other things like this and this. This just goes to show how fast things like this can travel.
