ORLANDO, Fla. — Credit union marketing and branding needs to get with the times.
Paul Lucas, a marketing and branding consultant, told CU Business Practices Conference attendees to quiz their staff on the three values of the credit union and three benefits of their products and their features. "If your people don't know that, you don't have a brand," he stated.
Next, he recommended, get rid of the photos of shiny, happy people in your marketing and use art and graphics to demonstrate the value the credit union provides. Lucas also said credit unions should attack their competition and pick them apart.
Strong brands share common attributes. They use good visuals and portray a personality. "A brand without personality is absolutely useless," Lucas declared. The most effective brands also emphasize delivery and convenience rather than the products and services, which are commodities. These brands also stand on consistency with reliable, personalized service.

CU Head Hunters Sing 'If I Were a Rich Man'

ORLANDO, Fla. — Credit unions' No. 1 problem with recruiting star talent is pay and benefits.
While Kerry Fulton of O'Rourke, Mitchell & Associates stressed the importance of paying attention to salary surveys, she also highlighted the importance of looking internally for succession planning. Those already on staff are more likely to have their values in line with the credit union's and, on an even more practical note, it's easier and cheaper to promote rather than recruit. The senior management team should take an interest in employee development and provide opportunities and mentoring.
But when going outside, be sure to back the effort with the marketing tools to get the best and the brightest. Classifieds won't cut it because the emerging leaders aren't looking; they're happy where they are. Now, credit unions have to sell themselves to the candidate as well as the reverse. Fulton also advised to keep in mind that the best candidates may not fit within the performance parameters on paper and sometimes the optimum fit is the square peg for the round hole.