NAFCU Journal July August 2021

46 THE NAFCU JOURNAL July–August 2021 BEYOND THE POSTCARD By Courtney Fulmer C all it revision, adaptation, pivot- ing—whatever terminology you choose. The last year and a half has required all of it on multiple levels. Even prior to the pandemic, credit unions were no strangers to the need for ingenuity in communicating with staff, members and potential mem- bers. The question has always been, “Are we relevant?” How do we rise above the everyday dim to incite action? We are all marketers whether we intend to be, from the t-shirts we wear to the apps we use. At SECNY, we strive to promote financial responsibility through education and weave this mission throughout our efforts including: Engaging Members On “Their Time” “Their time” means being present not only at point of sale, but at point of attention. How could we reach busy parents? By arranging activities for the Scout meeting. Volunteering for the local playground cleanup. Attending locker nights at school. Partnering with locally-rooted businesses or organizations to combine efforts. What about students? Getting them directly involved in credit union activ- ities is a priority. SECNY’s young adult account programs were created as the result of a chamber of commerce high school internship guided by SECNY employees. Quality focus groups and curriculum collaboration led to suc- cessful launches of our Save2Learn and Save2Earn accounts offering structure and rewards designed exclusively for and by students. Making it a Habit to be Social When life slowed to a crawl last year, canceled events and reduction in branch traffic presented unforeseen challenges. Social media became even more essen- tial to find that human connection we so craved. Aiming for custom content, marketing teamed up with branch staff to create a weekly segment called “Pro-Tip Tuesdays” in which a select credit union service or feature is highlighted and either pre- sented via video or a custom graphic is created. Reviews are consistent: Members, non-members and staff alike look forward to the show and those few minutes of expertise each week! Being All About Our People Employees are your most valuable mar- keters and training is a necessary part of any marketing plan. Custom learning tracks within the SECNY University pro- gram are staff-curated, blending policy and procedure with creative develop- ment tools. SECNY hosts graduation ceremonies (cap and diploma included!), provides rewards and maintains a Wall of MANAGEMENT INSIGHT