Sell the vision first

Selling the vision first before talking nuts and bolts with new members or employees is an often-heard sentiment in many organizations. But what are the real practical outcomes of taking the time to get the vision passed along clearly up front? Often, your credit union employees will be so excited to start talking about the logistics of how they can help a new member because the employee is already excited and passionate. What is the return on investment for pausing at the beginning of a new relationship to make sure that a new member understands the vision of your credit union?

Larry Montgomery, Director of Member Development at Christian Community Credit Union, often tells new employees, “If you get new members excited about the vision of our credit union then the rest is easy.”

What is Larry referring to? Here are three reasons why it is important to make sure members know the vision of your credit union:

1. The sign-up goes smoother – Having a bump every now and then in the sign up process becomes easier to handle when the member is excited about the vision of the credit union and knows the advantages that they are gaining over banks.

2. The new member will refer more – When a member is taught why they should be passionate about the credit union they are joining it will be easier for them to explain that passion to others and spur them to action.

3. Vision is a sticky service – The new member will have increased loyalty and incentive to stay with your relationship. Banking in and of itself is a commodity, the vision of your credit union is an incredibly unique service and your members need to understand that.

What are your thoughts? Why else is it important to share the vision of your credit union, share your answers with me on Twitter at @brainharrington.