Spokane, Wash. – At the start of his breakout session during theNorthwest Credit Union Association's MAXX Convention Tuesday,CUNA Mutual Group Vice President of Credit Union SystemRelations Gerry Singleton asked attendees to take the piece ofpaper and pen in front of them, and close their eyes. He theninstructed them to draw a detailed scene including a house, treeand bird's nest, while moving from one side of the page to theother.

The disorganized, jumbled drawings that resulted served as areminder, he said, of the importance of having a plan. Hadattendees known what they would be drawing and in what order, theirpictures would have turned out clearer.

Singleton followed by presenting a useful plan for the creditunion leaders – how to attract non-engaged credit union members andnon-credit union member consumers. These consumers fall into threekey opportunity segments: Those who are credit union members, butsay it's not their primary financial institution; those who have acredit union product, but don't consider themselves credit unionmembers; and true non-members.

The key, he said, is learning about their needs and “meetingthem with the right message where they are.” For example, based onresearch conducted by CUNA Mutual Group, nearly half of millennialswho use a credit union joined due to a recommendation from a familymember or friend, so referral programs could come in handy.“Referral programs work if they're executed properly,” he said.

Singleton noted among members of the three opportunity segments,according to the research, the four top things that would motivatethem to switch financial institutions are a better interest rate ona savings account or investment product, a financial incentive foropening an account, a better interest rate on a loan and access tofree financial counseling/planning services such as workshops. Infact, a significant portion of consumers from the three opportunitysegments, including 56% of those with an annual household income ofless than $35,000, do not have a savings account at all.Additionally, consumers from these segments are more likely to carefor aging parents, CUNA Mutual Group found, giving credit unionsopportunities to meet financial needs that arise from providingelder care.

Giving credit union leaders some final food for thought,Singleton said when asked what their ideal banking relationshipwould look like, consumers from the three opportunity segmentsagreed it should look like a relationship with “a family member whohas my best interests at heart.”

The MAXX Convention kicked off Monday in Spokane and runsthrough Wednesday. Around 500 professionals from credit unions inOregon, Washington, and – for the first time this year – Idaho, arein attendance.