Credit union marketers searching for the best way toreach their members can dig into an overflowing toolbox today,ranging from traditional approaches such as direct mail to newoptions like Twitter and whatever else is currently “in.”

That may sound like good news, but it also presentschallenges.

“Every week there is something new,” said Brandon Diehl,president of Stratix Marketing in ­Tampa, Fla. “Most credit unionmarketers are one-person marketing departments and it’s very difficult to learn allthat. People can become overwhelmed.”

“I tell them there are always ­going to be new media. It’s moreimportant to focus on the ­principles of marketing than the mediumyou’re using. Most credit unions really need to build up their callto action. Get very specific.”

Diehl also believes credit union professionals overestimate howmuch members know about ­financial services. A marketer may thinkmembers should get an auto loan because the credit union ­offersgreat rates. But the member simply needs transportation, and isalert to the features of the new Belchfire or Sipsgas rather thanloan percentages. Diehl suggests credit unions need to refocus onwhat the member wants.

“When we talk about auto loans and home loans and other productswe know all the curves and twists inside and out. But when you say‘overdraft’ to a member, they may just look at you with a blankstare,” Diehl warned.

Another challenge is that f­inancial advisers have been­cautioning people to pay down debt. Many baby boomers closing inon retirement may never resume the spending level they onceenjoyed. Loans? They may tend to pass. At the same time, creditunions are struggling for any kind of revenue they can get.

Thomas “Bo” McDonald, president of Your ­Marketing Co. inGreenville, S.C., said marketing budgets have been cut as creditunion struggle to comply with assessments and regulatory mandates.As the economy has improved over the past couple years, thosebudgets have improved, but they’re lagging behind levels they wereat a few years ago.

At the same time, the ­number of marketing options has­blossomed. The big mistake, McDonald said, is trying to do it all.The result is watering down media buys and trying to dabble in­social media. Enough funds aren’t ­allocated to make animpact.

“I’ve noticed an increase in calls to us recently from creditunions who want to take social media more seriously,” he noted.“There are people who brand themselves as social media experts andI would challenge that. Facebook is changing daily. You’ve got tohave somebody who is following that stuff constantly. It’s tough tokeep up.”

McDonald said all of his firm’s work is with credit unions under$100 million in assets where the marketing person may also bethe CEO or a member of the management team who is handlingmarketing by default.

Having a wide choice of marketing tools is fine, he continued,as long as you know what you’re ­doing. The majority of ­decisionsabout products and services are based on word of mouth. Somemarketing experts say that can be very bad or really good for acredit union, depending on whether it is indeed focused on memberservice and meeting a niche need such as serving the underserved.Using ­traditional or new media, the credit union needs to focus onwhat’s good for the consumer. The member may ask, ‘what’s in it forme?’

In addition, “Always focus on making sure your own house is inorder,” McDonald emphasized. “What does the front line look like?Is the staff engaged? They’re not just a teller. They’re not just aloan officer. They have the power to make a difference in someone’slife. Every member has a story, and you have to take the time tolisten.”

Christina Blackman, marketing manager at $180 million Yolo Federal Credit Union in Woodland, Calif., has seen theimpact of tight budgets. That has meant trying to do a lot withless, being as efficient as possible, and repeatedly showing thereturn on marketing investments.

She has also seen credit unions using a lot less printadvertising and turning more to on-line and mobile options.

“Marketing has changed,” Blackman said. “Technology has createda very different marketplace for us depending on what targetsegment we’re trying to reach. There’s still a place for printadvertisements if you’re trying to reach an older market. We have areally good local publication in Davis that is highly read, so ifwe’re trying to attract a certain specific segment it will workvery well.”

Then there’s a campaign and contest targeted to a younger­audience. One execution, featuring a threatening werewolf,proclaims finances shouldn’t be scary. A member who completes afinancial assessment is entered to win $5,000.

The assessments allow frontline staff to reviewmembers’ accounts and credit history and look for ­opportunities tohelp the member reach a financial goal. It builds on Yolo FCU’s newmission statement: “We help you achieve financial success and buildwealth.”

“We’re in a smaller market than many larger credit unions socommunity involvement is a big part of our public relations andadvertising,” Blackman said. “People share information more readilythan ever before. When we ask members how they learned about us,usually it’s from somebody they know – a family member, friend orco-worker.”

Sometimes, a marketing opportunity that can reach across new andtraditional media actually walks into a credit union. Case inpoint – Lake Michigan Credit Union’s new campaign with HGTV host­Carter Oosterhouse.

It just so happens that Oosterhouse, known for ­cable TVprograms on home renovation and design, is from western ­Michiganand is a member of the credit union. He visited the LMCU mortgageoffice in Traverse City to arrange a home loan. Sandra Jelinski,LMCU president/CEO and an HGTV fan, heard about the transaction andsuggested Oosterhouse would make a good LMCU spokesman.

Oosterhouse was very receptive, and the credit union worked withhim and his agent to arrange the details. This is the first timethe credit union has used a celebrity spokesperson and Don Bratt,vice president, discovered there are ­indeed a lot of details.

“His schedule is very busy,” Bratt noted. “It takes a lot oftime and due diligence to select an individual that has the samevalues as the credit union and shares the same attitude towardmember service. That way you’re working in tandem.”

The campaign, which broke March 1, will stretch across multiplemedia including television, radio, print, outdoor, point of sale,Internet, social networks and ­member communications. The $2.7billion credit union, headquartered in Grand Rapids, now servesMichigan’s entire Lower Peninsula.

The launch included a $25,000 Home Marketing Giveaway which hadalready drawn 16,000 entries by mid-March. Entries can be made onthe credit union website or at LMCU branches. Entrants can increasetheir odds when friends enter through a Facebook link.

“Anyone can enter, members and nonmembers alike,” Brattexplained. “The sweepstakes will run until April 30 with a singledrawing May 17. The winner will get not only a $25,000 cash prizebut also advice from Carter about design ideas and eco-friendlybuilding tips.”