The Secret for Small Undesirable Credit Unions
We all know many small and mid-sized credit unions find it hard to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to facilitating tech. So, when it comes to talking branding and marketing strategy, quite often those discussions are often lost or buried under a mountain of other priorities. Scratch that. I doubt you actually […]
Pivot Your Credit Union’s Strategy
“You need to pivot!” If you have your coronavirus bingo card, you could check that word off a dozen times, along with “the new normal,” “social distancing” and dozens of other buzzwords that have become popular in strategic planning for credit unions over the last few months. But let’s focus on just this one: pivot. […]
Reboot Don’t Redo
Reboot Don’t Redo Your Credit Union’s Strategic Plan in Response to Coronavirus “How do you know if you’re making the right move?” That was the question Yvon Chouinard was asked several years ago at a conference. His response: “It’s a lot of gut instinct. If you study something to death, if you wait for the […]
Just (Don’t) Say No During COVID Disruptions
NO! It’s one of the first words we learn as children. And for most of us, it’s a word we regularly use as we grow older. In professional settings, “No” has the power to shut down strategic conversations with unfortunate effectiveness. Whether responding to a new idea that challenges the status quo or a suggestion […]
How To Start an Office War While Working Remotely
Give me an example of drama in your workplace, and I bet there’s a 90% chance we can trace that issue back to poor communication—or lack of communication entirely. Last week, I was meeting with a leader who shared an issue she was having with one of her team members. Summarizing her experience, this leader […]
3 ways to help your members (and prevent delinquency) before they know they need it
“There is no greater loan than a sympathetic ear.” – Frank Tyger With many credit unions closing their lobbies and opting for drive-thru transactions and electronic servicing to practice safe social distancing, remember that this is a great opportunity to deepen relationships and increase member loyalty through proactive advising and empathy. Many members are facing […]
Stop Chasing Your Ideal Member
Credit unions have been conditioned to identify their captive audience and market to their ideal member. You’ve probably gone through some sort of exercise to build a consumer profile that classifies your member’s basic demographics to what influences her buying decisions. Perhaps you’ve given your ideal member a name, such as “Carol.” The belief is […]
What Are You Scared Of?
A few years back during a Tim Barry concert, Tim dropped a piece of knowledge on the crowd between songs. He explained that he used to ride cargo trains (illegally) and that time period of his life is an influence for many of his songs. He continued, “I don’t know why I rode trains. I […]
Is Your Credit Union Holding Itself Accountable?
“Where there is no accountability, there will also be no responsibility.” ― Sunday Adelaja Like any great sports team, a credit union team is only as strong as their least engaged teammate. The best teams in history have not had that one, singular all-star player but a collection of teammates who held each other accountable […]
Don’t Let 2020 Be a Year Your Credit Union Regrets
Even though we’re less than halfway through the first quarter of 2020, it’s a good time to start thinking about the opportunities that will present themselves to you throughout the rest of the year. But wait! How can you prepare for opportunities you know nothing about? Pause on that question. We’ll come back to it. […]