We've all heard the exaggerated tales of that supposed big catch that got away. Now we want to hear your credit union marketing tales of success and woe!
In 100 words or less, send us an e-mail titled "Fishing for Marketing Ideas" to educate@mcul.org. Share your most successful outcomes, biggest flops or silliest idea ever! Send along the story of those marketing ideas that never made it off your desk or the idea you wish you had left there.
We'll post some of your stories right here, so be sure to check back. Everyone who sends a submission will be entered into a random drawing for an exciting prize to be announced at the Marketing Conference lunch on Thursday, March 13. (No purchase necessary to enter a submission; you must be an employee of a Michigan credit union to enter.)
The Marketers Say ...
"The corniest, but one of the more memorable marketing campaigns, for members and staff alike, was our ketchup promotion. Frankenmuth Credit Union purchased hundreds of smaller bottles of ketchup for every one of our staffs desks, teller windows and drive thru. Next to the bottles of ketchup was the sign “We’ll Help You Ketchup and Combine Your Other High Priced Credit Cards.” We had more members asking questions about this Credit Card promotion then any other promotion we did before just because they couldn’t figure out why we would have ketchup laying around at the Credit Union. The bonus was that we also got a good number of balance transfers done because it broke the ice and got the staff talking about our products. I still have staff and members that comment from time to time about “the ketchup” and what happened to it all." (JB, Frankenmuth)
"The Loan Mgr. and I put together an “Exclusive” TEN-Day used car sale last January with a very small used car lot. The brightly colored promotional material featured a full 1% reduction from normal rates, a free 3-month/3,000 mile warranty, a free 1-year AAA membership, a batch of free oil changes, a batch of free car washes, and no payments until mid-March. We did the whole promotion using a color handout, some 11X17 lobby posters, a newsletter article and a promotional web page. We all agreed: No Radio, TV or Newspapers so as not to jeopardize indirect finance. Final tally: 10 deals in 10 days with minimal expense." (DC, Kalamazoo)
"Inspiration for great marketing ideas can come from anywhere! I once built a marketing campaign on an idea I gleaned from a Norman Rockwell painting. A rumor gets started by one person relaying a story by phone to another and another and another until it’s heard again by the individual who started it. It was a lot of fun. I’m always on the look out for creative “plays on words”, interesting color combinations and theme ideas to work into marketing projects." (JC, Plymouth)
