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CU Marketing Best Practices and Using PR Tactics to Your Advantage 2011 AC&E Friday June 17 1:30 pm

What will we accomplish today?

• Make new contacts with credit unions • Talk openly about best practices • • • •

What is working?

How to implement new ideas?

State of your marketing budget 2012 and beyond

• Get practical media advice • Bring up discussion topics at any time!

CU MARKETING BEST PRACTICES

CU Marketing Best Practices • State of your marketing department and budget • How many of your CEOs are looking for an ROI from marketing?

• How do you report successes to management?

• Are you pressured to show your worth?

• How open is your CU to new ideas?

CU Marketing Roundtable Let’s talk ideas • What is working for you this year?

• • • • •

Less fees?

Free checking?

Specific products?

Local institution?

Community oriented?

• Is the ease of switching financial institutions in your message?

• How does an idea germinate at your CU? • Do you have to “fight” for ideas?

• How long does it take for an idea to go from idea to production?

CU Marketing Roundtable Let’s talk ideas • Things you must do: • • • • •

Have a strategic plan for the year Involve other departments in brainstorming Think long term Seize opportunities Ask for help – peers, the League or online

• Strategic Planning ideas • Effective even if CU doesn’t require you have one • Lay out the year and what you hope to accomplish in all areas of your department. Very good help for new employees • Place Key Performance Measures to show what you have accomplished and areas where you need more work

CU Marketing Roundtable What’s next?

• What are you looking at for 2012?

• • • • •

Mobile banking Digital wallet Greater social media presence Online community More community involvement

• Do you have a brand?

• Discover your brand • Market your brand • Live your brand

PR OPPORTUNITIES AND TACTICS

Maximizing Media Opportunities • Credit union media opportunities are limitless right now • Bank fee stories continue to make headlines across the country - in a negative light for banks • For three years we’ve been saying our opportunities have never been better – we need to act • For many the question is – how?

Three Keys to Gain more Media Opportunities 1. Build a relationship with your local media • Let them know you can be a resource for them • Be available when they need a source • Invite reporters to events

2. Don’t just slap a press release together • Less is more – send only pertinent “news” • Show how you are different and helping members

3. Make media relations a part of your external strategy • Stay in contact and feed them information • Identify members you have helped with loan modifications, improving their credit score or business lending and pitch stories of how you are helping during this economy

Things to Remember about Media Relations • Media outlets are stretched thin and need as much content as possible • Every media inquiry is an opportunity • Use media calls to educate reporters on what a credit union is, issues facing members and how you’re helping members • Turn a negative media call into a positive by having a good story for them for next time • Anything you do is better than doing nothing!

Questions?

LSCU Communications Contacts Mike Bridges, VP, Marketing and Communications mike.bridges@lscu.coop, 866.231.0545 ext. 1022 Amy Jowers, Director of Information Services amy.jowers@lscu.coop, ext. 1020 Joseph Davis, Communications Coordinator joseph.davis@lscu.coop, ext. 1014