Get personal with your lending marketing

by. Karim Habib

Personal, one-on-one service is a cornerstone of the credit union brand. But not enough credit unions extend the personal touch into their lending marketing. Mass marketing, such as media ads, treats all members the same.

Get personal with your lending marketing—it’s the best way to know you’re offering members what they really need, especially in a changing technological environment with social media and mobile banking.

A great tool for establishing a direct link is the “financial check-in.” Every credit union defines its own version of a financial check-in, depending on its member profile and its staff’s capabilities.

Keys to a Successful Check-In Program

Credit unions with successful financial check-in programs, however, tend to do most of these things:

Pursue the primary goal of learning, not selling.

Yes, you should be offering a benefit in return for a sale as part of your check-in. But the underlying purpose of contacting members is to find out what they need that your credit union can provide. This isn’t a simple task. You must respect your members’ time and privacy. For example, asking point-blank questions about marital/family status isn’t always possible or advisable.

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