Credit Union Marketers: Check out the Net.Finance Conference

Looking for fresh marketing ideas? The 2009 Net.Finance Conference has you covered April 20-23 in Las Vegas.

Get tips and advice from a variety of experts with backgrounds in credit unions, banks and everywhere in-between. Here are several reasons why credit union marketers should attend the Net.Finance Conference:

• Learn how to take innovative approaches to retain and acquire members
• Get the know-how to improving brand trust
• Learn the most effective ways to provide a better, stronger member experience
• And...the CU Grow guys will be there, just like at the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference!

Download Kelly_Harper_Presentation for a sample of some of the great ideas from last year's conference.

Also, exclusively for CU Grow readers (credit unions and other financial institutions), receive a 25% discount on the registration price by entering this code: 10547.003XZ966BL.

Click here to register for the Net.Finance Conference today.

For additional information, Download Net.Finance_Press_Release .

Powerful Presentations for Credit Unions

Communication consultant Sharon Swan Smith presented information on techniques and skills that distinguish powerful presentations from ordinary. Watch the video below to hear some thoughts from her as well as some attendees.

Credit Unions and Public Relations

In this session, we were able to get a sneak peak from a panel of media professionals from electronic and print media to learn:

- what the professionals in media consider news or what they consider hype

- what gains their time when you hold an event or send a press advisory, or what fills their discard basket

- what is important to their audience or what simply will not even get their attention

Watch the video below to hear Larry Kamer's, Regional Director for Fleishman-Hillard, thoughts from the session and to learn more. Also, please shout back with your thoughts and ideas on working with the media in times of crisis.

Also, it's important to note what Larry says about organizations in crisis, "Organizations in controversy or crisis succeed when they adhere to the core values that made them distinctive in the first place. Second, that careful preparation for crisis or reputation damage is not a cost but an investment: it makes for stronger, better managed, and more successful organizations."

How are you handling the current credit union situation with members and press? Click here and here for some great resources that have been discussed on our credit union blog.

Credit Union Branding - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Rebranding seems to be our magic eraser, a chance to start over, and make our old stale brands fresh and new in the minds of our members and potential members.   But what really goes on behind the scenes? In this session, a panel of seasoned experts shared their good, bad and ugly experiences in rebranding a credit union.

The Good: Sonya Allen, Marketing Manager, Pelican State CU
In a marketer's world, few things seem to go the way we want; every now and then we get it right.  Sonya shared her experience in developing a strong brand and letting the good times roll (because they don't last long)!

The Bad: Kelley Parks, VP Marketing & Business Development, Call Federal Credit Union
Last year, Call FCU's colorful, fun and clever new image made a big splash.  But behind that shiny new logo was a series of bad experiences filled with heartburn and mistakes Kelley won't soon forget.  She shared the battle-wounds from her difficult journey, and how she learned from them to help her become a better marketer.

The Ugly: Jim Kelly, SVP Marketing, University of Iowa Community CU
The UICCU's 2007 name change attempt was successfully stopped by an opposition group just 4 hours before it was to go live. It was ugly. Jim will discussed what went wrong in the process and how they have rebounded.

Watch the video interview to learn more and hear some of the panel's thoughts and ideas.

More Than Donuts! Credit Union Business Development Tips

Regardless if you are a single SEG or have a Community charter, your Business Development efforts should be much more than just the person who brings the donuts. Kathy Parker and Kelli Beck of North Island Financial Credit Union, shared how their credit union successfully reaches out in a diverse and crowed marketplace.

Check out the post-session video interview below for key thoughts and ideas to help you out. Plus, feel free to shout back with thoughts and ideas of your own.

Are You Building Trust and Reinforcing Relationships?

Jack McAdoo’s comments about communication and accessibility were echoed in a article I just read in Harvard Business Publishing’s Weekly Hotlist: Why Small Companies Will Win in This Economy by Peter Bregman.

Bregman covers advantages smaller organizations have in today’s economy. He paints a picture of a trend in large companies where distrust and concerns are mounting.

Now, imagine you're a client wanting to buy from one of these companies. You call up your client contact to talk about the sale. One of two things will happen:

1. You have a relationship with her and so you talk and get a sense of her insecurity, fear, and distrust.

2. You have no relationship with her because the company is so big and you talk to a different person each time you call.

Either way, you'll probably get the sense that your contact may not be there in the future to fulfill her commitments to you. And that won't make you comfortable committing long-term dollars (or any dollars) to the company?

He goes on to contrast the larger company against a scenario where companies are willing to invest over a million dollars in a smaller, 100 person software development company, Passlogix. In this environment:

Customers and potential clients:

• Know and can access the CEO.

• Know who to contact in the company for additional assistance.

• Get a feeling of trust whether they talk to the CEO or the employees.

We live in a time when trust can vanish in an instant and is hard to regain. Is your team clear about how to build the relationship, make reasonable commitments, and follow through?

Bregman goes on to say - Small is the new big. Sustainable is the new growth. Trust is the new competitive advantage.

What are you doing to inspire confidence in your credit union’s safety and soundness, both to your member owners and your staff?

Are you keeping your staff informed and equipped to respond to members and potential members?

How are you positioning your credit union forward?

Positive Credit Union Press - In the "Real Word"

While we have had some great conversations about communication over the past few days on our credit union blog, and even a great example of dealing with press in a crisis, it's important to look outside and see what is going on in the "real world".

Many thanks to Ryan Shell for tweeting this story (Credit union members: Don’t panic) this morning.  Take a look and note the positive press but more importantly, read through the comment to get a sense of public opinion. Over 41 comments have been made so far at the time of publishing this post.

It is interesting to see the public come to the defense of credit unions and "fighting back" against "John the Banker" aka John Forrest, President of Brainerd Savings & Loan in Brainerd, Minnesota. 

Below is John's original post that caused a flurry of post in defense of credit unions and the public setting the facts straight:

"The real story should be about how credit unions are ripping off the American taxpayer with their tax free status. Credit union have become no more than a bank in drag getting fat on a taxpayer subsidy estimated to be $1.45 Billion in 09 alone. This doesn’t include the state income tax they don’t pay and, if they are a federal credit union, the sales tax they don’t pay. Talk about corporate welfare! The American taxpayer should be outraged."

Posted By John Forrest, Brainerd, Minnesota: March 23, 2009 3:38 pm

When you read the comments, start from the bottom and work your way up to get a better sense of the story and how it has unfolded.

It is through "blog reporting" like this, you can get a sense of what the public truly thinks. Furthermore, you can take this same idea and implement at your credit union to see what your members truly think about a certain topic or issue. 

This shows just another benefit of conversation through social channels to enhance and build relationships.  Furthermore, this post shows the power of advocates for a market coming to the defense of something they believe in.

Shout back below and share your thoughts, ideas and opinions about this positive press for credit unions.

What's Enron Got to Do With It?

With the current market and some corporate credit unions in conservatorship; how do you differentiate your credit union? What message do you send to your members to let them know just because they hear the word “credit union” on the news it doesn't mean yours?

Jack McAdoo, former CEO of Enron FCU, has experience in dealing with the media and negative press in credit union world. Talk about stressful situations; the Enron credit union was inside of the Enron building at the time of the Enron collapse. The morning after the news of Enron filing bankruptcy, there was a line wrapped around the credit union of people ready to pull all their money out. He and his team saved the credit union, which is now Startrust FCU, through an event most credit union CEO's have nightmares about. According to the NCUA, Jack accomplished the impossible. McAdoo guided the credit union through a successful name change, relocation and field of membership expansion — all within a seven-month span. Jack is currently CEO at Beacon FCU in LaPorte, TX. I recently interviewed Jack McAdoo about his experience:

Watch Live - Presidential News Conference

Watch the Presidential News Conference below live on our credit union blog at 7:00PM (CST).  Shout back and share your comments below of what you think.

Invest in the Future by Enrolling in Southwest CUNA Management School

Challenges are here, both in the economy and in the workplace. As we deal with challenges and seek solutions, opportunities often present themselves. Now, more than ever, it's important for us to creatively connect both inside and outside of the credit union movement. Together we can find and capitalize on opportunities. I have just the place for you to connect with professionals dedicated to the future.

To help position your credit union forward and develop leaders, consider enrolling yourself and key management team members in Southwest CUNA Management School (SCMS). The SCMS curriculum has been celebrated for years. The growing list of professional credit union leaders to have emerged from the three-year school continue to shape and develop the credit union movement in innovative and positive ways.

To maximize both your personal and professional ROI for this intense school, students should arrive on campus with a strong determination to focus on:

• Being ready to capitalize on the broad networking opportunities. Students and alumni represent a wide range of credit union expertise.

• Planning to take advantage of the vast expertise offered by faculty. Many bring international experience to the classroom, challenging students with crucial topics. Faculty also encourage students to pursue innovative concepts.

• Arriving prepared to actively participate, incubating ideas and contributing to the overall educational experience by offering their own unique perspectives.

• Being a part of creating and shaping the future of the credit union movement.

When students arrive determined to take advantage of all SCMS has to offer, the rewards both personally and professionally extend well beyond the year of graduation. Shape the future and make a positive change in the credit union by enrolling in SCMS today. Enrollment is limited to the first 50 students. Seats have been going fast. Only 26 1st year student slots remain.

Students and alumni are encouraged to take full advantage of networking options by also utilizing the SCMS groups in LinkedIn and on Facebook.

Watch for information about the SCMS Grad School on July 22. One of this year's sessions will feature a hands-on workshop about how to create various social media forms of communication.

For more informtion give me a shout back!