While many people are barely starting to think about holiday details and getting winter clothes out of storage, credit union marketers seem to have a firm grip on their plans for the fourth quarter. They're keenly aware they'll need to cut through the barrage of advertising hitting all media as the quarter rolls along. The good news is they indicate their budgeting is tracking according to plan.

Amber Danford, SVP of marketing and business development at the $796 million Texas Trust Credit Union in Mansfield, said the fourth quarter will focus heavily on online account openings, which have been available on the cooperative's website but haven't been fully promoted.

Danford said she plans on using a mixture of traditional and digital media, and working to build identity in new markets. In October, Texas Trust will be involved in community festivals that are popular in the areas served by the credit union.

One factor that will perhaps boost the use of digital media is the credit union is now a sponsor of the University of Texas at Arlington's Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. That agreement gives the credit union promotional rights through the university's athletic programs.Danford said Texas Trust will also market a college checking account and a variety of UT Arlington branded debit cards that will provide a cash reward to the university, plus financial tools and resources to support the UT Arlington Student Money Management Center, which educates students about money, savings and credit.

Alice Melzer, marketing director at the $31 million in Port Washington Federal Credit Union in Port Washington, N.Y., said the fourth quarter will pretty much match the first in terms of how the financial institution will get the word out. The strongest marketing attribute has been word of mouth, however, Port Washington also puts out a small amount of print media and then deploys a follow-up.

“In December, for example, I may send out a holiday card. In May, I visited many, many real estate agents, so I am now following that up with very selective email,” she explained.

In the fourth quarter, Port Washington will market personal loans as well as youth accounts for students returning to school. There will also be a focus on holiday accounts.

Read more: SkyOne pushes auto loans and credit cards …

SkyOne FCU The $420 million SkyOne Federal Credit Union in Hawthorne, Calif., will push auto loans and credit cards, as it did in the first quarter, said Astrid Rives, chief marketing officer.

“Those are flagship products, so we're trying to attract new members to those products as well as existing members who currently don't have them with us,” Rives said, adding SkyOne is also focusing on its checking program to increase engagement through the use of debit cards.

“So, we're working on some promotions to entice members who actually have a checking account but may only do one or two transactions a month,” Rives said. “We'll have incentives based on how many times they use their debit card.”

The credit union is shifting away a bit from print, but still wants to reach members who like to touch and hold a promotion, she said. At the same time, SkyOne is using a lot more online marketing including email, its website and social media, which has cut postage costs significantly.

“We've allocated a few more dollars for the end of the year, so we're actually looking pretty good right now,” Rives said. “We're on target with our marketing budget and have what we need for the rest of the year.”

Rives figured SkyOne probably uses more electronic media than other nearby credit unions because members, who work in a variety of aviation-related jobs throughout the nation, are very mobile.

“It's really about cutting through the clutter,” she said about Q4. “I know it's kind of a cliché, but it is true. So we're taking a hard look at our messaging and our design, and trying to make it stand out a little more than the credit union next door.”

Read more: Xceed goes after the unbanked …

The $970 million Xceed Financial Credit Union in El Segundo, Calif., will continue to rely heavily on targeted marketing in Q4, said Paris Chevalier, vice president of marketing and communications. The credit union concentrates on communicating with members electronically, obtaining e-mail addresses and sending highly targeted messages. Remote deposit, she added, has also really taken off. There's also an effort to make sure direct mail is headed for the right audience.

“We're really working at putting more money back in members' pockets,” Chevalier explained. “I think almost any member would be receptive to improving their financial situation.”

There will be a major focus in Q4 on working with Xceed's SEGs to reach potential members who may be unbanked, she said. The credit union did a study on what members would pay if they used a check-cashing service versus what Xceed offered and found they could save $50 to $75 a month.

Much of the Q4 marketing at the $1.35 billion Gesa Credit Union in Richland, Wash., will tout a revamped credit card program with a rewards feature, said Brian Griffith, assistant vice president of marketing. Twenty percent of the membership has the cards and they should be attractive to people anticipating holiday spending,

As one of the larger financial institutions in the state, Gesa probably has a wider advertising reach than others: “We all kind of watch each other and mix it up a little bit.”

Instant Insights /

Year-End Promos Aim to Cut Through Holiday Barrage

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