3 simple steps to a flourishing adoption marketing program

Your credit union spends a lot of time and energy making sure your website and online banking presences are integrated and updated with the latest solutions your fintech partners can offer. After all, your primary goal is providing members with the best experience possible.

But that’s just the first step to developing a powerful online experience for you and your members. Once you’ve integrated your digital solutions, it’s time to introduce the new product and its potential to your members.

Everyone understands the benefits of great loan rates — that’s why they’re front and center on your new website — but showcasing or demonstrating the benefits of your new digital solution requires a different approach.

The Importance of Adoption Marketing

Adoption marketing is a powerful tool for marketers and it’s especially helpful when you’re launching a new online service or product. It’s the best way to get your members to experience and adopt a new way of working with you.

And the best thing is, you’re not selling them anything – you’re actually giving them something that should make their lives easier and deepen the relationship between them and you.

What you’re asking them to adopt are all benefits for them – even the fact that the better you know them, the better you can understand their needs and better target offers to them.

As a financial institution, it’s extremely helpful to partner with fintechs that can provide adoption marketing support. You are not only hoping they can provide a platform and services that will be valuable to your members, but they should also be able to help you get those members excited about using their product. Look to them for resources like scenarios and case studies to help you create a successful adoption marketing strategy.

You need an open, trustworthy relationship with your fintech partners, because if they’re not offering you help to attract your members to your site, then you’re going to be learning how to do this on your own. And that’s not really offering you the value that a fintech partner should provide.

Your digital solutions are meant to reinforce your position of advocacy. When you empower members to be financially successful, your credit union is a partner in their success. And every part of the team needs their hands on the rope and pulling in the same direction.

Create a successful adoption marketing program by following 3 simple steps.

Awareness

Start by developing messages that illustrate how well you understand your members’ unique challenges, and how your digital solution directly addresses their needs by reducing friction in their financial life. This sets you apart from other FIs. Work with your fintech partner to find messages that will resonate with your members.

Create a plan for all your marketing channels, including social images and copy, website messages, emails, in-branch merchandising, lobby monitor videos, and even print pieces like postcards or statement stuffers. Your fintech partners should be able to help with graphics and copy that you can adapt.

Cross-sell your digital services by showing how they’re related. For example, your savings account page is the perfect place to insert a link to learn more about your personal financial management (PFM) solution. Demonstrate the value of your digital solutions by illustrating the direct results of using them. For example, a message in your PFM directed at members with outside auto loans — offering better loan rates — conveys that you understand their financial life and can bring useful, insightful offers to save them money.

Motivation

Develop a blend of benefits and education about your new platform. Plan how front-line staff will show an online demo for members, and how you can include demos as part of your community financial literacy events. Your fintech partner should be able to provide a set of benefits and educational materials like videos, as well as web and social media content for outreach.

Train your staff to become champions of your digital platform. Look for staff training resources and scenarios from your fintech partners that you can tailor to your credit union’s needs. You need to show that your most powerful tool – your people – are providing a new tech tool that adds value to their entire experience; it’s not a replacement, but an enhancement.

Present a blend of benefits along with easy steps for them to get started. Provide links from online banking, social, or emails that lead users to a web page offering video and step-by-step instructions.

Engagement

Engagement is the fuel that keeps your digital solutions running. Consistency is key.

Plan a year-round education and promotional strategy that highlights the unique reasons for members to explore your new online tools. Choose a specific feature or benefit of your digital platform each quarter, and focus your messages on that topic to keep your members educated and motivated.

Use each opportunity to promote the benefits of your digital banking experience by reminding your members that all of these solutions help them be more financially empowered and successful.

On your own, and in collaboration with your fintech partners, create member-focused marketing resources that demonstrate your credit union’s unique value proposition, so you can successfully build a flourishing adoption marketing program.

If you want more information on how adoption marketing programs can work, please feel free to contact me.

Trae Turner

Trae Turner

As Marketing Director at Geezeo, Trae Turner (@creativetrae on Twitter, turner.trae on Instagram) oversees adoption marketing for Geezeo clients as well as manages Geezeo's daily marketing projects, including driving ... Web: https://geezeo.com Details