In the credit union world, we like to think our message is enough, because it is compelling. We tell people we’re different – more personal, invested in our members and community-oriented. On top of all that, we serve our members with products they truly need, at great rates and lower fees. Our marketing teams craft successful campaigns that speak to values like trust, security and ownership. But here’s the truth: Great marketing alone isn’t enough.
This isn’t “Field of Dreams.” Just because you build a beautiful campaign, or offer the perfect product, doesn’t mean people will come, stay or return.
Your credit union could post the cleverest video, design the most eye-catching social media promotion or sponsor a perfectly targeted community event. These things attract attention. But if the member experience doesn’t match what you promised, they won’t stick around. In fact, they may leave more disappointed than if they had never engaged at all.
According to a Salesforce study, 88% of consumers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services, but only 30% believe financial institutions meet that bar.
Marketing and Experience Are Inseparable
When people talk about brand alignment, they may think about logo consistency or messaging. But the deeper truth is that your brand lives in what members feel. That means your member experience is your brand. It was Maya Angelou who wisely said, "People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel."
We’ve observed this pattern in mystery shops we conduct for credit unions all over the country: Bold, people-first marketing campaigns that fall flat at the front line. The marketing says, “We treat you like family,” but when the member walks into the branch, they feel like a number or just another transaction.
Why the disconnect? Because many credit unions treat marketing and member experience as separate efforts, when they are closely intertwined.
Your Employees ARE the Brand
According to Laura Loy, chief experience officer at On The Mark Strategies and a former credit union vice president of marketing, “Marketing brings people in the door, but ultimately, it’s our employees that determine whether members choose to stay. Employees are the ones having everyday interactions with members, showing that they care and providing solutions. Even those behind the scenes are making sure loans get approved and systems are running smoothly. That’s why every employee, from teller to IT staff, must see themselves as a marketer.”
That doesn’t mean they need to memorize a campaign tagline or your logo’s RBG color code. It means they need to understand and embody your brand promise and deliver it every single time. When they do, members get a cohesive, authentic experience no matter who they talk to, what branch they visit or what channel they use.
Here are three practical ways you can better align your member experience with your marketing:
1. Train Your Staff With Intentionality
Too often, staff are trained on generic customer service scripts or compliance checklists. While those things matter, they don’t connect employees to your why. Instead, make sure staff training is tailored to your organizational purpose, member journey and unique culture. When we work with credit unions to journey map the member experience and operationalize it, all employees come away with a common understanding of what the member experience should look like. Then regular staff training around the member experience ensures everyone is fully equipped to deliver on that promise.
For example, if your marketing promotes “providing solutions,” every member interaction (and coworker interaction, for that matter) should emphasize the skills required to provide those solutions – things like asking open-ended questions, active listening and discovering needs.
2. Engage Employees in the Brand
Employees won’t live your brand or your marketing messages just because they’re posted in the break room or on a T-shirt. They need to understand the why behind it and how the role they play matters in shaping the member experience. This applies equally to “back office,” or “member-impacting,” staff as it does to member-facing roles. The person who manages your digital loan system, for example, impacts member experience just as much as the loan officer. If the online application is clunky or unclear, it reflects poorly on your brand.
Find ways to engage your employees in the brand by connecting what they do with helping the credit union achieve excellent member service. According to a Gallup study, employees who can link their goals to the organization’s goals are 3.5 times more likely to be engaged at work. However, only 44% of employees can see this connection. When staff relate to and believe in the brand, they’ll live it. And when they live it, members will feel it.
3. Create Consistent Accountability
If you want a truly aligned brand and consistent member experience, you must hold all employees accountable to the same set of standards. Make them simple and make them clear. Your employees won’t succeed if they’re not clear on what success looks like. That means building in regular touchpoints to review the member experience, identify friction and reinforce expectations. Every department, not just marketing, should ask: “Are we delivering what we promise?”
For example, if your marketing says, “We serve from the heart,” but your collections department issues warnings and demands without exploring options or displaying empathy, that’s a credibility gap. The same is true if your tellers deliver a warm welcome, but members experience long wait times and inconsistent service from your call center.
Close the Gap, Solidify Your Brand
The most successful credit unions don’t just sell a message. They live it. They empower employees at every level to understand, embrace and deliver on the brand promise. They close the gap between what’s said and what’s experienced, and in doing so, they build member trust, loyalty and an outstanding experience members can count on every time.
So yes, marketing brings them in. But it’s experience that keeps them coming back. When both work together, that’s where your credit union’s real growth occurs.
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