Breaking brand habits

“So in the majority of other things, we address circumstances not in accordance with the right assumptions, but mostly by following wretched habit.”
– Musonius Rufus, Roman Philosopher

Habit. Routine. The way we do things. The way we’ve always done things. It’s all too easy to fall into what the author above referred to as wretched habit. Sometimes routine is a good thing. But when it comes to the brand at your bank or credit union, doing something habitually may come at a price, especially when you’re doing it “just because we’ve always done things that way.”

For example, if you’re running a used car loan promotion every April simply because you’ve always run a used car loan promotion every April, it might bear reconsideration. Similarly, if something as mundane as your dress code (let’s say coat and tie) no longer matches the look and attitude of your consumer base, you need to think about it.

Most powerfully, if you haven’t taken a good, hard look at your brand and the experience consumers go through when interacting with your bank or credit union in a while, it’s time. Getting into bad brand habits is detrimental to your financial institution. You may be interacting with consumers in a way that doesn’t help grow and maintain your brand.

 

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