Be careful of the words you use in your marketing. Your members may have no idea what you’re trying to say! Recently a study done by of America found that 36% of first-time homebuyers wouldn’t open a HELOC because they didn’t understand what the product is. And even those who did understand what a HELOC is were foggy on what it could be used for.

So how can you cut through the marketing clutter? Here are a few simple steps we follow when writing marketing messages for our clients:

1. Focus on solutions. This is what people are really looking for. And when there’s demand, half of your marketing job is done. Products and services that have a high demand get noticed early and often. Give your target market what they want or what they’re interested in looking at. Offer something that shouts “I’m a problem solver” or “I’m a solution” quickly, and your you’ll be a few steps ahead of your competition who are still advertising their “great rates and great service.”

2. Aim at your target market. Marketing that doesn’t hit your intended target is nothing more than waste (as in “junk email”). When you do hit your target market with relevant content it’s classified as interesting, effective and very efficient. Give your target market something that interests them. If you’re a senior citizen interested in classical music, a direct-mail piece about the newest music releases for the latest rock-and-roll bands won’t do the job — you’re not part of the rock-and-roll music target market. Similarly, trying to reach Millennials with a direct mail piece about how easy your approval process is even though it makes them come into your branch is laughable.

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