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What’s Your Post-Labor Day Action Plan?

Monday, August 9th, 2010

It’s that time of year again.  The end of summer is rapidly approaching.

I know that because our local outlet malls are crowded with families doing their school shopping.  The traffic in our resort area this week is at its highest point of the year as the peak week of family vacation time is upon us.

Worst of all, a quick look at the calendar this morning revealed that the Labor Day holiday that marks the unofficial start of fall for many is only four weeks away.

So what does all this mean for your credit union? (more…)

Posted in Business Development, Creative Ideas, Effective Marketing Strategies, Growing Your Credit Union, Leadership Development, Team Building Ideas | No Comments »

VIDEO POST: Growing Your Credit Union–A Contrarian Strategy Worthy of Contemplation

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

It’s no secret that one of the keys to long-term success for credit unions lies in their ability to connect with the next generation of members.  After all, there are more millennials than there were baby boomers.

But there is another demographic reality that may be worthy of consideration that would suggest a contrarian strategy that might work well for some credit unions.

Take a look.

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ACTION ADVICE: Engage your planning team in a discussion about the strategy of delivering more services focused on the aging demographic.  Consider the options that may be available for you to deepen your relationships with this group and create new products and services that meet their evolving needs.  Don’t forget to ask how you can leverage their loyalty to bring in their extended family and friend networks as new members.

It’s Your Turn…What do you think about this idea?  Does it make sense, or would it be a serious mistake for a credit union to consider it?  I look forward to your thoughts…

Posted in Business Development, Connecting with Traditional Members, Effective Marketing Strategies, Growing Your Credit Union, Improving Member Service, Video Posts | 6 Comments »

RECOMMENDED READING: Building Influence, Improving Reputation, & Earning Trust Online

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

One of the inherent challenges credit unions face in connecting with members and building relationships is learning how to effectively leverage technology.  The new world of social media has changed the game for those who participate, but for others it raises more questions than it answers.

In Trust Agents, Chris Brogan and Julien Smith provide a foundation for building an effective online presence in this new world that is worthy of consideration by credit unions seeking to tame this new frontier.  The authors advocate ‘being human’ as a core element of your strategy for becoming a trust agent.  In other words, putting a real face on your online presence that accurately reflects what your credit union stands for. (more…)

Posted in Building Relationships, Business Development, Connecting with Generation Y, Effective Marketing Strategies, Growing Your Credit Union, Improving Communication, Improving Member Service, Leveraging Technology, Recommended Reading | No Comments »

RECOMMENDED READING: Effective Marketing Strategies: Is Your Credit Union Soliciting and Securing Referrals?

Monday, June 28th, 2010

Recently I had the pleasure of reading a new book written by John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing fame.  Jantsch is a master at providing practical advice that can be easily implemented to grow a business; and most of his advice can be readily translated to growing your credit union.

In The Referral Engine, Jantsch outlines a strategy for engaging your customers (members) in marketing your business (credit union) by getting them to refer their family, friends, and colleagues to your business (credit union).

The essence of Jantsch’s message is that when you make referrals a core growth strategy, you think differently and adopt behaviors that lead folks to help you promote your credit union to others who might benefit. (more…)

Posted in Building Relationships, Business Development, Effective Marketing Strategies, Growing Your Credit Union, Recommended Reading | No Comments »

VIDEO POST: 5 Critical Areas for 2010

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Earlier this year I wrote a six-part series of posts defining five critical areas for credit unions to consider in their 2010 strategic planning efforts.

Here’s a quick video outlining the five areas.

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ACTION ADVICE: Consider using this video to stimulate discussion at your upcoming planning session.  What areas would you add?  Which ones would you eliminate? How well is your credit union positioned in each of these areas?  Does your long term plan take these areas into account?  Have you already made progress on some or all of these areas?

It’s Your Turn: Please take a moment and share your insights and experiences with other credit union leaders by posting a comment below…what areas would you add to the list?

Posted in Building Relationships, Business Development, Credit Union Strategy, Effective Marketing Strategies, Increasing Efficiency, Leveraging Technology, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking, Video Posts | No Comments »

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