Ask anyone these days what their heritage means to them andyou'll likely hear a tale that recounts their roots as an American;how their family came to this land as immigrants and through hardwork and perseverance were able to eventually savor the sweetnessof success.

Ask others and they might point to their profession; being adoctor, a fireman, a Marine, or a coal miner in a family boasting along lineage of doctors, firemen, Marines and miners.

Whether it's tied to a birthright or a profession that'sembraced from generation to generation, the pride and knowledge weall attribute to our heritage not only defines who we are, it alsoengenders a spirit of pride and loyalty that is definitive andunshakable.

Imagine how the same might then apply to credit unionvolunteers, employees and members. We already see how loyalty canbe expressed, where all family members boast of belonging to thesame credit union or where an employee is the daughter or son of acredit union director or CEO. But what if we can multiply andexpand that loyalty a thousand fold?

When I think about credit unions and the people who make themtick, I find myself wondering what it would be like if we couldignite a spirit of pride, knowledge and passion for our creditunion heritage among everyone who in some way, shape or form isassociated with a credit union. What would that mean for the brandidentity of credit unions and more so, the success of our businessgoals and strategies?

As credit unions finalize their strategic business plans for2013, they may want to include a strategy designed to buildrecognition of their heritage, which I believe will ultimatelyincrease the morale of their staff, their volunteers and yes, eventheir members as well. Building morale — it's well worth theeffort, isn't it? So to help you get started, here's my 3-Step Planon fueling a passion for a credit union's heritage.

Step One: Tell Your Story

How would you expect others to know the values and principlesdefining your cooperative business model without ever communicatingwhat you do for members and others in the community and why it isthat you do it?

Telling your story is not boasting. It's part of the salesprocess, a critical tool for building relationships and achievingyour business goals.

Now, the kind of story-telling I'm referring to is much morethan communicating news about your products and services, branchhours and their locations. I'm referring to stories of service,education and generosity in helping others succeed. Such storiesnot only contribute to a sense of pride among members and staffalike (after all, that's their credit union doing all thesewonderful things!), these stories also generate an aura of socialresponsibility, community engagement and success around your publicimage. It distinguishes your good reputation from others in themarketplace.

I've found that folks like to associate themselves with winners,with those who do “good” by making a difference in the world.Hearing your stories will add to your charisma and also serve as amagnet. It will attract others to you and inspire them to join youin making a difference as well.

Step Two: Tap All Channels to Deliver YourStory

From my earliest days in communications and public relations, Iwas told time and time again that if you want folks to hear yourmessage you have to tell them, tell them again and again. Only thencan you ensure that your message will be heard.

However, being repetitive is not enough. It's essential that youalso tap all media channels to distribute your message. Noteveryone reads the newspaper and not everyone is on Facebook. Someget their news only through television; others, radio. As thecommunicator, the responsibility falls on you to connect with youraudience, where they're at and when they're receptive to receivingyour communication. That means you elevate your chances forconnecting with your audience by tapping all delivery channels,from print to video.

Elevate the role of public relations in yourbusiness model

Too often, credit unions invest so much time and resources inmarketing and marketing communications (advertisements and flierspromoting products and services), that they forget to talk aboutall the other activities that take place in support of theirmembers and the community. These kinds of communications, typicallyreserved to the public relations function, are intended to fosterand distinguish your credit union's good reputation from among allyour competitors.

Think about it. Your reputation and brand is influenced by muchmore than your products and services. So why then is yourreputation and brand governed exclusively by those whose purpose issales — your products, your services and the delivery of thosecommodities?

If your reputation and image in the community is important tothe success of your business, then public relations should not berelegated to a subservient role in marketing. It should have a roleof its own, as a full-time function in support of the salesprocess.

Consider it this way; people are more likely to buy from anorganization or a person they know. The role of public relations isto seed relationships, help folks come to know you so that theyeventually become customers. I see it this way: PR sets the tableand creates the ambiance where marketing then dishes up thecourses.

Step Three: Share Your Story with the NewsMedia

Celebrate your heritage not only in word but in deed as well. Weall express our pride in our ancestral heritage and the professiondefining our career by frequently telling others about ourbackground and what we do. However, it's at those times when wegather for a family reunion, or do what we do professionally —fight a fire, perform a surgery or be deployed as a Marine — thatwe fully experience and revel in our heritage.

The same is true for credit unions. We celebrate our heritageevery time we help a member succeed financially. We celebrate itwhen we gather together as a movement for the GAC, NAFCU's annualconference or our local league conventions. While all of theseoccurrences are newsworthy to us, they fall short in meeting thecriteria necessary for making the evening television news or themorning paper.

Now you might ask, what is the value in achieving such newscoverage? It helps tell our story in ways we can't — communicatingit from a third-person perspective.

Providing a newsletter to members and staff or buyingadvertisements are media that communicate our own words, our story,as we want it conveyed. The value in having others comment on ourstory or provide their own perspective further elevates its valuebecause the words are no longer ours. They now come from anobjective third-party source. That's the inherent value in membertestimonials. They carry much more weight and credence because theycome from the heart of someone who's not on the payroll.

The same applies to the news media, and, this is why havingstaff and members see coverage of your credit union in the newsfuels an excitement about their organization and its heritage.However, to be successful in sharing your story with the newsmedia, certain criteria come into play that will influence yourlevel of success in attracting news coverage.

Audience Demographics — the more youcan structure your story or event to appeal to the broadestaudience possible, the better chance you have at attracting newscoverage.

Human Emotion — you've heard it said,“If it bleeds, it leads.” TV news and most media are captivated bystories that come with some display of human emotions.

Different and Unusual — design yourevent in ways to makes it stand out from all others competing forthe same news attention.

Breaking News, Calendar or Seasonal Events— does your event relate to, let's say, Valentine'sDay, summer vacation or the series of recent earthquakes in theSouthland? Timing is everything, particularly if your event ormessage relates to current news, a holiday or time of year. Get thepicture?

Building awareness of your heritage requires a fulltime effort,dedicated to consistent and continuous communications across allmedia channels, especially the news media. Investing in that effortpromises to produce far-reaching dividends not only for yourbalance sheet but for your staff, volunteers and members alike.It's an investment in building morale, helping others experiencethe credit union spirit in ways that motivate and inspireloyalty.

WaltLaskos is a relationship-building executive and principal ofThe LaskosGroup in Temecula, Calif.