Best (brand) day of my life

In 2012, the rock band American Authors released the hit song Best Day of My Life. A catchy tune with fun lyrics, the song popped up in television commercials, movie trailers, video games and even as a Maltese election anthem (yes, Malta does more than falcons and cute dogs!).  

The song starts off with the following:

I had a dream so big and loud

I jumped so high I touched the clouds

… and goes on to point out this is gonna be the best day of my life.

How great would it be if we approached taking care of our credit union brand with this kind of positivity? That every day, regardless of challenges you might be facing, you’re going to contribute to the best brand day of your life?

If you haven’t already read the book Fish: A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results, grab a copy. While not a terribly long read, the book does present a series of compelling inspirational messages when it comes to our work lives. Set against the backdrop of Seattle’s world-famous Pike Place Fish Market, the book details the learning relationship between an area bank executive and her friend, a fishmonger at the market. The bank executive is downtrodden, crushed by a combination of personal setbacks and a depressing, dreary and altogether unpleasant work environment.

Lonnie, the fish market character, shares the following message: “We can bring a moody attitude and have a depressing day [to work]. We can bring a grouchy attitude and irritate our coworkers and customers. Or we can bring a sunny, playful, cheerful attitude and have a great day. We can choose the kind of we will have. … In fact, we get so excited about our choices that we also chose to be world-famous.”

How cool is that? Even if your job is slinging smelly, slimy fish all day in front of tourists, if you do it with the right attitude, you can create a place (and build a brand culture) which consumers will come to call “world-famous,” all on their own.

The lyrics in the song and the message from the book plug directly into your credit union brand. The brand enables your credit union to grow and establish its own unique identity in the crowded financial services marketplace (plugging this into the example above, the Pike Place market is just one of scores of fish markets in the greater Seattle area — but it’s the one people think about and talk about more than any other). For it to work, however, every employee must be fully devoted to not just living but loving the brand. This takes energy, training and, above all, commitment.

Think about it in terms of time. Odds are, you spend eight to ten hours a day (and perhaps more) working. It just makes sense that you work in and contribute to an environment in which you are happy. Compellingly, a recent study indicates people that report being happy at work are more satisfied with their jobs, perform better than their peers and are physically healthier. Embracing your credit union brand like every day is the best brand day of your life can make this happen for you.

I’m not going to mislead you and say this is going to be easy. We all have bad days, challenging situations and difficult seasons in life. However, by approaching every day like it’s going to be the best brand day of your life and working with a positive brand attitude that makes your credit union look, sound and feel world-famous, you can better bridge those dark waters.

I’m a frequent Chick-fil-A customer and love their food and brand culture. I’m willing to bet not every employee was having a great day when he or she said “my pleasure” in response to something from me. But they say it. Every day, every time. That’s building a positive and memorable brand around which employees can unite and consumers can relate.

Again, the same formula for branding success in this example also applies to your credit union. Living and loving the brand means we live up to what it calls upon us to do, every day, regardless of the situation. Not always easy, but definitely worth the time and effort, both personally and professionally.

Dare to have a brand day that “is so big and loud you jump so high and touch the clouds.” No matter what your position at the credit union, live your brand every day like it’s world-famous. Dig deep to rally your coworkers and members around your brand elements. And most importantly, bring love to what you do. You’ll be surprised how positively your fellow employees and members respond to this kind of awesome and catchy positivity.
Go ahead — have the best brand day of your life (and if you need a little help, cue Best Day of My Life when you’re headed to work).