Beyond the Surface: Uncovering What You’re Truly Marketing

Olympic athletes train tirelessly to perfect their techniques, especially given the thinnest of margins (sometimes milliseconds) between finish times. The slightest error or oversight can tip the scales from victory to defeat. 

When it comes to consumer marketing, there are many variables in play. While you may not think you need the precision and execution of Katie Ledecky or Simone Biles, marketing success hinges on attention to detail. More specifically, the core of consumer-centricity—a deep understanding of your membership’s needs, desires, and pain points. 

Relevance – Consider whether your message, imagery, and tone resonate with your audience and evokes a meaningful response. Remember, pleasure can certainly enhance one’s quality of life, but meaning offers a deeper and more enduring source of satisfaction, fulfillment, and well-being.

Audience Understanding – Too often we lean into demographics alone—age, gender, income, education, occupation, etc. And if we’re not careful, we can pigeonhole members into set categories. Take things one step further and examine attitudes, values, beliefs, lifestyles, and personality traits. 

Value Proposition – How does the credit union solve the member’s problems or fulfill their desires? Consider a balance of quantifiable benefits – such as time saving or increased efficiency – and qualitative benefits – such as a sense of belonging and social connections. 

Personalization – Personalization is not just about calling members by name. Think about the consumer’s lifecycle and where each stage may be communicated differently. Another element is contextual marketing—engaging users in the right place, at the right time, and with the right message. 

Your credit union’s frontline staff are an extension of your credit union’s marketing. How equipped is your staff at building rapport, anticipating needs, and providing personalized assistance? 

Quick tip: Role-playing exercises and real-life scenarios can help employees develop confidence and competence in handling various member situations. When there is an excellent member experience, have the staff member share their best practices with others. Likewise, recognize and reward your staff for going above and beyond to delight members and exceed their expectations. Whether it is incentive programs, employee recognition awards, or performance-based bonuses, these reinforce a culture of excellence in member service. 

Engage to Win
Supercharge your credit union sales with engagement. Download the Engage to Win worksheet and emerge with a collective understanding and a shared commitment to amplifying your team’s success.