5 ways to get a seat at the table
by: Brian Wringer
A while back, we ran a poll asking credit union marketers “Does marketing have a voice at your board and/or management meetings?”
To our surprise, we found that only half of the respondents indicated that they have a role in making policy and decisions. About a third felt that “I’m on the outside looking in” and 15% chose “I am occasionally allowed to contribute.”
Frankly, that’s an awful lot of wasted talent. If marketing is not already directly involved in setting rates, developing products, and determining policies, or you’re not allowed to attend Board meetings, that’s a problem. You’re the representative of the credit union’s brand, and your role in decision-making is (or should be) vital.
So if you’re one of those talented credit union marketers “on the outside looking in,” what can you do about it?
- Keep your mind on the money. Some of marketing’s most important and unique roles are somewhat intangible — branding, service, and culture — but in order to find respect you first have to show your value in cold hard cash. Track everything, and set goals and track results in some way even for activities without a direct ROI. Marketing sometimes looks like voodoo to numbers people, so show them the connection.