03/31/2008

Do members love your brand?

By Nala Henkel

I recently happened upon an article for Nike in which their new campaign for Nike+ was announced. I have an iPod and use Nike+, which is a sensor that fits into the sole of your shoe and transmits signals to your iPod that calculate distance, speed, time remaining and a lot of other cool things.

Seeing the article reminded me of how much I love that product, which reminded me of the feeling I get when I walk or jog (I am a wanna-be athlete—full-scale running is a ways away for me!) And that reminded me of the Nike brand story I share with clients when we work together on developing their credit union brands. It's a great story about finding the essence of what a brand is all about, and why it appeals to its customers.

Not everyone likes Nike, and that's okay. Nike deeply understands their core user group and makes sure they are constantly innovating for them and remaining meaningful to them. Nike has turned satisfied customers into loyal advocates.

CCEC Credit Union in Vancouver B.C. has members that love their credit union so much, they mail CCEC postcards when they go on holidays. Wouldn't it be incredible to have members that loved your brand so much, that it evokes wonderful memories and feelings even when its "out of sight" so to speak?

Jim Collins says in his book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... And Others Don't that good is the enemy of great. Satisfaction is good, but advocacy is great.

Do you have satisfied members, or do you have member advocates?

Subscribe today + RSS + Blog by E-mail + E-newsletter + Follow me on Twitter

---

 

03/29/2008

Podcast 06: Credit Union Innovator Ginny Brady

By Tim McAlpine

Welcome to episode 6 of Credit Union Innovators. My guest is UFirst Federal Credit Union board member Ginny Brady. Located in Plattsburgh, New York, UFirst has the only credit union board-member-authored blog on the Internet.

You can listen by streaming audio here on the blog or you can subscribe to it in iTunes and listen on your iPod.

I met Ginny through the micro-blogging service, Twitter, in mid-2007. She is a passionate, tech-savvy credit union cheerleader who is a bundle of social media energy!  

If you are a credit union professional or a member of a credit union board, do yourself a favour and listen to what Ginny has to say about blogging. In her 15 months of active blogging on the Boardcast, she has gained valuable insights into what makes a successful credit union blog work.

Some links to get to know Ginny even better

+ The Boardcast blog
+ UFirst Federal Credit Union' website
+ Ginny's Flickr Photostream
+ Ginny on Twitter

Fast facts about Ginny

• Height? 5' 2"
• Mac or PC? Mac
• Twitter or Pownce? Twitter
• Tea or Coffee? Coffee in the morning, tea at night
• Favorite ice cream topping? Butterscotch
• Standard or automatic? Standard Honda Hybrid
• Did you vote for the current NY governor? Yes (regrettably)
• What's on your iPod? Podcasts, Beattles and Beethoven

Looking for innovators

If you know a credit union innovator who I should interview, please e-mail me at tmcalpine at currencymarketing dot ca.

My plan is to continue to interview two innovators per month, so I am going to need all the help I can get to fill my podcast roster! For the most part, the innovators I have interviewed to date are involved in the social media and technology space, but I am looking for innovators in all aspects of the credit union movement. Send them my way!

Production notes

+ Interview recorded with Rogue Amoeba's Audio Hijack and Skype
+ Intro recorded with a M-Audio Microtrack II mobile digital recorder
+ Edited in Audacity
+ Hosted on Evoca
+ Podcast RSS Feed through Feedburner
+ Music is A Song for Jake by Oregon Chad licensed through Creative Commons

NOTE: If you are listening on this page and want to post a comment, there is a good chance the CAPTCHA will time out. Make sure to hit the 'Post Comment' button twice. Copy your comment to your clipboard just to be safe. Thanks!

---

 

03/28/2008

Is your mission stuck?

By Nala Henkel

I visited a branch of my credit union recently. They have a nice picture of their board members with the credit union's mission statement underneath. It says 'Offering members exceptional and innovative financial services.' 

Now, I personally know of one innovative thing they offer right off the bat. When my turn came, I went through my transaction waiting for a lull to ask my question. When it happened I asked, as I pointed to the picture on the wall, 'What innovative services do you offer?'

The teller looked at it and then replied 'Oh I don't know. They just made that up.' We had a good laugh and I went my merry way.

It's not a big deal. I got done what I came to do, had a friendly encounter, and a laugh at the end. If someone had been standing outside and asked me to rate my experience on an extremely satisfied to extremely dissatisfied scale, I would say it was close to the former. (Check back in a few days to see why I think member satisfaction is the enemy of a great credit union brand.)

But... let's think "what if."

What if she had responded immediately with "I can tell you three things that are innovative about our credit union." After all, I asked the question, so why not let loose and really own the statement?

Tip to all credit unions:

• Make sure your staff can explain anything you've posted or displayed in the branch in the blink of an eye.

• If staff have a tough time putting it into words, change the words. Odds are your members' eyes are glazing over at the "corporate-speak" anyway.

Do you have a simple yet inspiring mission statement?

Subscribe today + RSS + Blog by E-mail + E-newsletter + Follow me on Twitter

---

 

03/27/2008

Shout out: United Communities' One Member One Vote.

By Tim McAlpine

I stumbled upon Ontario's United Communities Credit Union One Member One Vote microsite for its upcoming AGM.

The site is built on a real simple premise: it showcases potential director bios alongside simple YouTube videos. It is a neat way for members to get to know potential directors prior to the big vote. Each video has been viewed about 50 times, probably higher readership than the required Notice of AGM documents that were sent by mail!

This is a simple and effective use of available social media tools. Nicely done United Communities.

---

 

03/26/2008

Is owning a credit union "franchise" a raw deal?

By Tim McAlpine

This post has been rattling around in my head for years.

The credit union franchise

Credit unions live and die by a double-edge sword. On one hand, being part of the credit union movement means that your credit union is part of the world-wide credit union brand. A largely misunderstood world-wide brand, but a world-wide brand none-the-less.

On the other hand, to succeed locally, your credit union needs to establish its own brand that differentiates it from dozens of bank and credit union competitors.

It's like buying a franchise restaurant but without all the support and brand recognition that you bought into the franchise for. To top it off, the franchise head office gave out another franchise to a store across the street and another franchise to the guy on the corner. Your credit union is largely left to fend for itself.

Your franchise manual has some basic product and service recipes, but much of the information is left to your credit union to figure out on its own.

To further confound the consumer in many regions, collective advertising paints credit unions as interchangeable. Sometimes this collective advertising promotes superior products and services. Sometimes it promotes universal ATM access. Sometimes it promotes the credit union difference through the magic of rap music! Because this collective advertising needs to be generic in nature, sadly it is.

My strong finish to this post (not)

All of my quasi-analysis still leaves this unanswered question for me, and most likely, for your potential members: Is it a collective movement with a collective difference or is it a bunch of independent brands trying to define their own difference in a world where competing against one another is reality?

If I can't figure it out, no wonder consumers are left scratching their heads and unconvinced to switch to your credit union from that bank that they hate.

The smart part of this post, where I offer advice and guidance, is still rattling around in my head, but at least I got some of it out.

Help me rattle the rest out in the comments.

UPDATE: There is no such thing as a credit union franchise. I made this up. I use the word franchise because it describes a popular distribution method of other large global brands. Sorry for the confusion. Like I said, this notion has been rattling around in my head for years.

---

 

03/26/2008

Are you kidding me?!

By Nala Henkel

I was recently in Alberta for business and had to rent a car. Usually I go through Budget, but I was having some connection problems trying to access their website. So I went with the competition.

Everything went smoothly until I had to sign the insurance waiver. I always make insurance arrangements before I travel, and am familiar with the routine of declining the different coverages the rental agency offers. However, I was not prepared for having to initial this: "I decline peace of mind."

What?! I was already facing the prospect of driving an unfamiliar vehicle across unfamiliar geography facing unknown weather conditions. The one thing I HAD peace of mind about was my insurance coverage! I asked the attendant if she was kidding. She gave me a sheepish shrug and admitted, no, they were not kidding. I told her I was initialling it and writing in "Are you kidding?!?" beside it in big letters so that it might prompt reconsideration higher up the corporate ladder.

She thought that sounded like a good idea. Legal documents are not the place to try cute new marketing ploys. This one, in my opinion, amounted to emotional blackmail. If this rental agency wants to promote its insurance coverage, it should do it on the up-and-up. And I'm not kidding!

Subscribe today + RSS + Blog by E-mail + E-newsletter + Follow me on Twitter

---

 

03/25/2008

Currency featured in HOW Magazine!

By Tim McAlpine

Ever since buying the May/June 1991 issue of the design publication, HOW Magazine, I have dreamed of gracing its pages. Well, who knew it would be something as seemingly mundane as our employee Intranet that would allow me to cross that off the list of life goals!

Power Lies Within

See how creative firms are using technology to manage team resources and develop closer client relationships.

Steve is the go-to guy when any of Currency Marketing’s 10 employees forget the preferred way to reorder pressure-sensitive laminate or need the firm’s username and password to access a stock-photo website.

He’s thoughtful, the kind of guy who remembers that Sandy Pitkethly, Currency’s director of client services, prefers chocolate pecan pie instead of cake on her birthday, February 12. He’s also resourceful (he reminds the team that garbage is removed from the premises on Fridays at 9 a.m.), a little nerdy (he knows that each employee’s short-term disability benefit is two-thirds of weekly earnings or $800, whichever is less) and unabashedly eclectic (the best way to cook “turducken”—a chicken stuffed in a duck that’s stuffed in a turkey—is for about nine hours at 225 degrees F).

"Steve is the man who knows everything and has the lowdown on everybody,” says Tim McAlpine, president and chief strategist at Currency Marketing, based in Chilliwack, British Columbia. “He’s a superhero. If you need anything, you turn to Steve."

Actually, you turn him on.

+ Read the rest on our Latest News page

 

---

 

03/24/2008

Podcast 05: Credit Union Innovator Doug True

By Tim McAlpine

Welcome to episode 5 of Credit Union Innovators. My guest is Doug True from FORUM Solutions. Located in Fishers, Indiana, FORUM Solutions is a wholly owned CUSO of FORUM Credit Union. Doug True is a pioneer in lending and credit union product innovation.

I met Doug through the credit union blog-o-sphere in early 2007 and then in person at the FORUM Solutions/Trabian Partnership Symposium in October 2007. He is a passionate credit union advocate, a thought-provoking speaker and an all-around great guy. 

You can listen by streaming audio here on the blog or you can subscribe to it in iTunes and listen on your iPod.

Some links to get to know Doug even better

+ Doug's personal blog
+ FORUM Solutions' website
+ FORUM Credit Union website

I really encourage you to consider attending the 2008 FORUM Solutions/Trabian Partnership Symposium in Fishers on October 1–2, 2008. It is a laid-back get together with a bunch of great speakers. Hopefully I will see you there! This is from Doug's blog:

"We are also excited to continue the tradition known as our Partnership Symposium here at FORUM Solutions. On October 1-2 we will host the event and we have audacious plans for this year’s gathering. Some highlights include the event being hosted by Ron Shevlin who will interact with each of the speakers via a conversation before and after each session. The unveiling of The CU Skeptic—still finalizing plans to have him enter on a wire from the ceiling of the FORUM Conference Center. Conversations will be front and center along with some thought provoking presenters to get the conversations kick started. Please come and join us. Talk to those who attended last year and they will tell you to put it on your calendar." 

Fast facts about Doug

• Why is FORUM always capitalized? Branding
• What do you take in your coffee? Nothing hot, Diet Pepsi instead
• Is Trabian a good tenant? Yes
• What's on your iPod? Audiobooks and new music
• Do you have $500,000 to lend Tim? No
• Married? Yes
• Kids? Two
• What have you got against banks? Nothing, better gig in CU land
• Favorite ice cream flavour? Pineapple
• Height? 6' 0"

Looking for innovators

If you know a credit union innovator who I should interview, please e-mail me at tmcalpine at currencymarketing dot ca.

Production notes

+ Interview recorded with Rogue Amoeba's Audio Hijack and Skype
+ Intro recorded with a M-Audio Microtrack II mobile digital recorder
+ Edited in Audacity
+ Hosted on Evoca
+ Podcast RSS Feed through Feedburner
+ Music is A Song for Jake by Oregon Chad licensed through Creative Commons

UPDATE: I just noticed that this is my 100th post! Wow, time flies.

NOTE: If you are listening on this page and want to post a comment, there is a good chance the CATPCHA will time out. Make sure to hit the 'Post Comment' button twice. Copy your comment to your clipboard just to be safe. Thanks!

---

 

03/19/2008

Partying with the enemy

By Nala Henkel

Okay, maybe "enemy" is harsh. How about "older brother that likes to put us in headlocks from time to time, and when you complain to mom about it, she isn't looking and when she finally looks, he lets you go and she misses it..." You get my drift.

Mid-January a local TD Canada Trust held a grand opening for their newest branch. I received a direct mail piece about their RRSP offering (young boy looking at height measurements charted on a wall) but not a notice about this event. I don't recall seeing an ad in the community newspaper (doesn't mean it wasn't there, just that it wasn't very NOTICEABLE).

They had announced the branch extremely well using a billboard on a main thorough-fare in town, and hoarding signage at the construction site.

The event itself was pretty sedate.

Attaboys:

• Put the iconic "Chair of Comfort" (my term) in the branch for the day
• Full branch staff introduced themselves, were very talkative in a non-intrusive way, and seemed genuinely glad to see me
• They treated my chair photo request seriously and cleared the way for a good photo
• For those of you who believe in them, a good grab bag was given to me AND my 12-year-old daughter: eco-friendly cloth bag, TD magnet piggy bank, cool green pen and sticky note-pad

Missed opportunities:

• No outward facing sign that anything was going on. Not even balloons outside! (The branch is at a high traffic location.)
• Staff giggled about how silly it was that the "Chair of Comfort" had a procedures manual 3 inches thick and its own "handlers". Too bad, I gave them the opportunity to build the myth of the chair and tie the "comfort" promise even more solidly to their brand. They missed it.

Tips for credit unions:

• If your new branch is a relocation, consider a VIP event for existing branch members only and dignitaries (mayor, local MP, local MLA). Members should be rewarded for their support. Contact the dignitaries at least two months in advance to allow the date to work into their schedules. A simple phone call campaign works for this.
• For the public grand opening, focus on introducing your brand to the community in a way that points out your competitive difference. Secondly, make sure to tie a giveaway into an account opening. If you have snacks, keep them simple. But make sure you have a good supply of refreshments (coffee, tea, juice boxes, soda).
• Welcome yourself to the neighbourhood with other business by introducing yourself prior to the events with a small baked basket. One of our clients did this with great success, especially in an outdoor mall area where parking for the grand opening was sure to become cramped.

What has worked for you? Let us know by leaving a comment.

Subscribe today + RSS + Blog by E-mail + E-newsletter + Follow me on Twitter

---

 

03/19/2008

Nala is taking up the Cuckoo blog reins!

By Tim McAlpine

Has anybody out there tried to be the main voice on two separate blogs for an extended period of time? And run a business? And have a family life?

Yeah, it is tough to make it all work.

We launched our Cuckoo Campaigns website last June and included a blog to facilitate news and conversation. I kept pretty active posting through the Summer but then the frequency of posts dwindled through the Fall and ground to a halt after Christmas.

The inactivity is about the change. Nala Henkel, our Vice President, Strategy is taking up the charge and is going to be providing a steady stream of commentary, advice and discussion surrounding the unique challenges that face smaller credit unions.

+ Head over to the Cuckoo blog and encourage Nala with a comment!
+ Subscribe to the RSS feed

---

 

Viewing 1 - 10 of 21      |   Next »

 

BLOG SEARCH

BLOG CATEGORIES

30 Things (24)
A Day In The Life! (56)
Announcements (27)
Awards (7)
BarCampBank (15)
Big Evil Banks (17)
Blogging (22)
Blogs To Read (7)
Board of Directors (2)
Book Reviews (2)
Branding (47)
Challenge Marketing (19)
Collaboration (2)
Community (4)
Conferences (46)
Co-op Advertising (2)
CU Branding 101 (11)
CU Innovators (19)
CU Movement (15)
Cuckoo Campaigns (6)
CUES Podcast (4)
Currency Work (21)
Demographics (3)
Economy (1)
Endorsements (2)
Guest Posts (10)
I Heart CUs (33)
In The News (8)
Innovations (10)
Marketing (80)
Member Acquisition (1)
Member Service (16)
Musings (4)
Naming (3)
New Competitors (2)
Off Topic (3)
Opinion Polls (6)
P2P Lending (4)
Podcasts (26)
Positioning (8)
Press Coverage (2)
Product Dev (10)
Productivity (2)
Public Relations (8)
Ranting (5)
Scary Big Ideas (4)
Segmentation (2)
Service Not Enough (3)
Shout Out! (25)
Small CUs (5)
Social Economy (6)
Social Media (137)
Speaking (40)
Technology (20)
The Truly Weird (4)
Tips: Bad Practices (2)
Tips: Good Practices (3)
User-Generated (31)
Viral Marketing (6)
Web 2.0 (154)
Wet Blanket (1)
Young & Free (78)
Youth Marketing (83)
YouTube Videos (76)

ARCHIVES

August 2010 (3)
July 2010 (2)
June 2010 (2)
May 2010 (2)
April 2010 (3)
March 2010 (2)
February 2010 (7)
January 2010 (5)
December 2009 (5)
November 2009 (6)
October 2009 (7)
September 2009 (27)
August 2009 (5)
July 2009 (3)
June 2009 (3)
May 2009 (6)
April 2009 (8)
March 2009 (6)
February 2009 (7)
January 2009 (6)
December 2008 (11)
November 2008 (17)
October 2008 (11)
September 2008 (25)
August 2008 (20)
July 2008 (18)
June 2008 (18)
May 2008 (18)
April 2008 (21)
March 2008 (21)
February 2008 (14)
January 2008 (11)
December 2007 (7)
November 2007 (6)
October 2007 (6)
September 2007 (7)
August 2007 (9)
July 2007 (12)
June 2007 (11)
May 2007 (7)
April 2007 (3)
March 2007 (3)
January 2007 (1)
December 2006 (3)

OUR WRITERS

Nala Henkel (38)
Tim McAlpine (354)
Colleen Pepper (1)
CU Skeptic (1)

RECENT POSTS

August 31, 2010
Want to attend How Magazine's Mind Your Own Business Conference? I've got a code for you!

August 20, 2010
Lack of young blood runs deeper than membership

August 8, 2010
Young, Free and Super-charged

July 28, 2010
There actually IS meat on bacon!

July 19, 2010
Co-op Vegas?
(2 Comments)