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Tag: Credit union branding

Closing Out 2024: End-of-Year Credit Union Marketing Essentials

A cartoon graphic of a yellow person closing the door on a book titled 2024.

As the year winds down, credit unions have the perfect opportunity to reflect on their marketing efforts and set the foundation for a strong year ahead. The financial industry is constantly evolving and staying competitive means balancing the lessons of 2024 with innovative strategies for 2025. From wrapping up campaigns to planning fresh initiatives, a thoughtful approach can ensure your credit union continues to connect with members, deliver value, and stand out in the crowded marketplace. Let’s dive into how you can wrap up the year with intention and craft a marketing plan that drives success in the new year. 1. Conduct a Year-End Marketing Audit Before you dive into planning for 2025, assess your 2024 efforts: 2. Celebrate Achievements with Members Engage your community by showcasing the impact your credit union had this year: 3. Optimize Digital Channels Ensure your online presence is fresh and functional heading into the new year: 4. Run an End-of-Year Campaign Capture last-minute engagement with targeted campaigns: Preparing Your 2025 Marketing Plan 1. Set Clear Goals for 2025 Establish marketing goals that align with your credit union’s strategic priorities, such as: 2. Deepen Your Member Understanding Refresh your ideal member personas to ensure your campaigns resonate. Incorporate: 3. Prioritize Digital Transformation With digital banking becoming essential, make sure your marketing reflects this shift: 4. Embrace Emerging Marketing Trends Stay ahead by integrating new strategies: 5. Plan a Robust Content Calendar Build a 2025 content calendar that aligns with seasonal priorities, industry events, and member needs. Include: 6. Budget Strategically Review your 2024 spend and allocate resources wisely for 2025. Invest in areas with proven ROI and consider testing new channels or formats to diversify your approach. Final Thoughts: Start 2025 on the Right Foot Wrapping up the year is more than a task—it’s a chance to solidify your credit union’s reputation and build momentum for the future. By reflecting on what worked in 2024 and crafting a thoughtful, member-focused marketing plan for 2025, you’ll be ready to achieve greater success in the new year. Need help creating your 2025 marketing strategy? Let’s collaborate to make your credit union’s goals a reality!

Why Credit Union Branding Matters More Than Ever

Credit unions face a common challenge: a messaging gap.  Many focus on bottom-of-the-funnel tactics. They jump on every new trend, whether it’s digital, social, or PPC (pay-per-click), and promote rates, services, and financial benefits. As an industry, too often we try to cut corners while others are allocating 7% or more of their revenue on marketing. Then, we tell ourselves that marketing doesn’t work. Is that fair? Not really. You’re trying to build a house by decorating the living room before laying the foundation. Without establishing a strong base of awareness and trust, everything else risks collapsing because there’s nothing solid supporting it. You are failing to answer the bigger question: Why should someone choose you over the bank next door? Branding bridges this gap. It moves beyond what you offer to why you exist and whom you serve.  Top-funnel branding builds awareness and emotional connections. Every credit union solves a problem. Is it helping young families buy their first homes? Supporting underserved communities? Empowering local businesses? Satisfying the unique needs of a Select Employer Group?   Your brand promise isn’t just what you do – it’s the benefit you provide and the problem you solve for your members. Without a clear promise, your marketing risks blending into the background noise. Visibility equals profitability. Stop focusing solely on attracting ready-to-buy consumers. That’s like fishing in a puddle when the ocean is right there. Expand your efforts to create awareness and draw in a broader audience. Credit unions often compete on affordability, but you can elevate your brand by focusing on exclusivity. This doesn’t mean turning people away. It’s about crafting a narrative that makes members feel they’re part of something special.Take the First StepA strong brand builds loyalty, attracts the right members, and amplifies word-of-mouth referrals. Start by answering these questions: As Vice President of Brand Experience for Your Marketing Co., Frank Allgood works with credit unions to develop strong leaders, create effective training programs, and build powerful brands. Want to connect? Call 864.326.8740 or email [email protected].

Local SEO for Credit Unions: How to Make Your Credit Union Stand Out

SEO for Credit Unions

How Local SEO Can Boost Your Credit Union’s Visibility Credit unions are pretty special. Unlike big banks, they’re owned and controlled by their members – people connected by something meaningful, like working at the same company, being part of the same industry, attending the same university, or even just living in the same ZIP code. Instead of focusing on maximizing profits for shareholders, credit unions are nonprofit entities that reinvest surplus earnings into better savings rates, lower loan rates, and more favorable fees for their members. Local SEO is crucial for credit unions because it ensures your institution appears prominently when potential members search for financial services in your area. By optimizing for local search, you not only increase your visibility but also build trust and strengthen your presence within the community you serve. But what really sets credit unions apart is their deep commitment to the local community. Many credit unions go above and beyond to support groups that need a financial leg-up, whether it’s young people, the elderly, or women in traditionally patriarchal communities. They provide free financial education and resources to help everyone make the most of their money. Why Local SEO Matters for Credit Unions Local SEO is a game-changer for credit unions. Here’s why: Effective Local SEO Strategies for Credit Unions Claim and Enhance Your Google Business Profile: Start with the basics: fully claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. Ensure your listing is complete with accurate information, high-quality images, and consistent updates. Encourage your satisfied members to share their positive experiences through reviews. Integrate Local Keywords Effectively: Strategically weave local keywords into your website content, meta descriptions, and title tags. Think about the specific terms your community uses when searching for financial services, and ensure they align with your offerings. Produce Hyper-Localized Content: Create blog posts and resources that resonate with local events, news, and community concerns. This approach not only enhances your SEO but also demonstrates your active involvement in the community. Ensure Accurate Listings in Local Directories: Make sure your credit union is consistently listed in relevant local directories. Accurate and uniform information across platforms is crucial for improving your local search rankings. Build Strong Local Backlinks: Collaborate with local businesses and organizations to earn backlinks to your site. This not only boosts your SEO but also strengthens community ties and brand loyalty. Prioritize Mobile Optimization: With the majority of local searches happening on mobile, it’s essential that your website offers a seamless, mobile-friendly experience. Stay Engaged on Social Media: Actively participate on social media by engaging with your local audience. Share updates, spotlight community involvement, and promptly respond to comments and messages to build stronger connections. Implement Schema Markup: Enhance your content’s visibility with schema markup, helping search engines better understand your information. Include details like business hours, address, and member reviews to enrich search results. Emphasize User Experience (UX): A top-notch user experience is key. Ensure your website loads quickly, is easy to navigate, and provides the valuable information your members are looking In the end, local SEO isn’t just about getting to the top of search results – it’s about reinforcing your credit union’s community-focused values. By investing in local SEO, you’re not only boosting your visibility but also strengthening your role as a trusted financial partner in your community. At YMC, we get it – credit unions are all about people helping people. Let’s work together to make sure your credit union gets the local recognition it deserves.

Credit Union Branding in a Down Market

Redwood tree that has fallen in the forest

Is now the right time to rebrand your credit union? Would it be an act of desperation or good busines strategy? The credit union branding team at Your Marketing Co. has some answers.

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Robb Cribb

Marketing Strategist

Initially from the client side of YMC, Robb has taken the plunge into the world of marketing to provide his expertise as your strategist. With years of experience in the financial sector – both credit unions and banks – he says, “I didn’t pick the financial space. It picked me.” But what brings him to YMC is the same motivation that drew him to the credit union industry: making a difference in people’s lives and helping them achieve what they never imagined. Possessing a fighter’s spirit, he lives his life by the words of the Italian Stallion himself, Rocky Balboa, “You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”
 
Whether he’s talking shop over a client dinner or unwinding at the end of the week, Robb enjoys a nice cut of steak and a nicer pour of bourbon to wash it down. A straightforward yet no less refined pairing, this combination perfectly reflects his marketing philosophy that, sometimes, simple is much more impactful.

Sara Breckbill

Social Media Manager

Sara is YMC’s very own Social Media Manager, and she has the experience and know-how to take your social media presence to new heights. Since her first college course on social media marketing, she’s known, “This is something I could do, and be happy doing it!” Her three guiding principles in branding: consistency, relatability, and humor. She knows people remember things that make them laugh or make them feel seen, so it’s no surprise she excels at crafting strategic and engaging social media content. Her advice to young marketers is the same motto she lives her life by: Enjoy the journey! Collaborative and creative, she feels right at home at YMC.
 
In her downtime, Sara enjoys Japanese food, hot or iced coffee, and listening to her favorite singer-songwriters. Some day, she hopes to visit Niagara Falls in person, but in the meantime, she’s happy to enjoy the journey.
Mandy Garman headshot

Mandy Garman

Graphic Designer

Meet Mandy, one of YMC’s in-house Graphic Designer phenoms! Honing her craft from an early age, Mandy constantly strives to innovate design and refine her artistic techniques. An avid believer in “quality over quantity,” she feels right at home with YMC’s focus on details and dedication to providing unique strategies. In fact, her marketing philosophy reflects this drive for excellence and commitment to substantial work, “Brand consistency is key for all marketing materials. Also, I believe less is more in graphic design. White space is your friend, and the logo does not always need to be the main focal point.”

A Nashville native, Mandy is intimately familiar with the profound effects of great art and stellar design. Especially influenced by the city’s music scene, one of her lifelong ambitions – besides trips to Italy and Japan – is to professionally create album covers. When she isn’t practicing her craft, you might catch her out and about enjoying matcha boba tea or at her favorite dining establishment: Mas Tacos. That, or obsessing over her Persian cat, Benny!

Reh Harvey

Vice President of Digital Strategy

Reh Harvey, our Vice President of Digital Strategy, leads with diligence and fervor. Having previously been a member of Team YMC, he is excited to return to such an amazing culture and even more amazing people (his words)! Through his experience in the marketing world, he’s found the key to success is to stay on the cutting edge and to always keep evolving.
 
Although originally drawn to marketing for its lack of math, Reh now finds himself doing more math than he would’ve bargained for. But his self discipline and positive attitude make it easy for him to laugh and take it in stride. Hoping to one day visit Japan and enjoy some premium Sushi, Reh lives life by his creed: Be a good human. Do good work. And above all, just keep going.

Hailey Madej

Graphic Designer

As YMC’s in-house Graphic Designer, Hailey possesses an eye for detail and a drive to innovate. It’s no surprise though since being creative runs in the family! Inspired from an early age by her mom’s work as a Graphic Designer, Hailey is a seasoned expert whose talents bring vitality and accessibility to every project. As a UX/UI designer, she expertly blends the intuitive and the creative for all to enjoy.
 
In addition to the occasional freelance project, Hailey also lends her abilities to supporting art initiatives within her community, such as the Belleville Mural Project. Her favorite aspect of joining the YMC team is the friendly, uplifting culture and breadth of design tasks. When it comes to marketing, she believes in pushing boundaries and maybe breaking some rules to capture her audience’s attention. Her advice to those just starting out? “Always seek quality over quantity.”

Dexter Ochoa

Development Assistant

When it comes to blending logical thinking and creative problem solving, Dexter’s abilities are undeniable! Beginning his career as a Web Developer, he’s no stranger to the wide world of Marketing and Advertising. Calling Biñan City in the Philippines home, Dexter has a burning desire to visit the Alpine peaks and valleys of Switzerland. While that journey may be far off, he is still no stranger to international travel. While visiting Japan, he was able to enjoy his favorite delicacy: Sushi and Sashimi. He also learned unexpected facts about Japanese Yen, specifically that it has special markings for the blind to know its value!

Whether he’s enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning or the occasional Pale Pilsen in the evening, Dexter is eager to work with the talented professionals of YMC, and we’re just as eager to add his talent to the team as well! His marketing words of wisdom? “Be creative, and just do what you want!”

Andrew Wyche

Copywriter

Hailing from the NC state capital (that’s Raleigh if you didn’t know), Andrew is YMC’s Copywriter extraordinaire. That’s why he knows that “The verb form of ‘reconnaissance’ is ‘reconnoiter.’ The former is, strictly speaking, a noun.” Seriously, he knows his words and he’ll use those words to get bold and weird (in a good way) with his copy. Fuelled by a love for pasta, shellfish, a good single malt, or a meal consisting of all three, Andrew navigates life with a motto engraved in his heart: “Choose kindness. Always.” It is this guiding principle that has led him to explore the realm of marketing, driven by a desire to connect with people in meaningful ways. As he continues to chase his dreams, one bucket list item stands out above the rest – a pilgrimage to Scotland. With his heart set on adventure and his pen poised for creativity, Andrew’s journey is far from over.

Alex VanHaasteren

Senior Web Developer

Alex is YMC’s Senior Web Developer and, as the title suggests, she is an absolute pro! While she initially started in graphic design – working long and hard to expertly bring concepts to life – she also felt drawn to technology and applying her natural ability to problem solve. Web Development proved the perfect blend of her creative passion and technical savvy.

When Alex is out with friends – including her YMC colleagues – she’s up for Greek cuisine or some good pulled pork BBQ washed down with Diet Coke. Or an Old Fashioned, if the occasion demands. Someday, she hopes to go to Africa on a safari. Hopefully she’ll see a giraffe in the wild, because – as she’s pointed out – its neck is too short to reach the ground!

When she isn’t jamming out to T-Swift, she’s happy to impart some marketing words of wisdom, “Aim to create something unforgettable.” For day-to-day inspiration, she would remind you of two fundamental truths: You decide your happiness, and Ice cream is its own food group—not just a dessert.

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