ATHENS, Ga.–A new white paper has been released that discusses how credit unions can effectively use content marketing to attract and retain members.
Published by the Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS), the paper was authored by a team of third-year students in the SE CUNA Management School program. Completion of the written project and an oral presentation of the research report is a prerequisite for graduation from the program. This team of students received recognition at the 2017 SE CUNA Management School graduation ceremonies last month for their exceptional work on both the written paper and their oral presentation.
“Businesses send consumers thousands of pieces of marketing every day, most of which is not relevant or valuable to the consumer at that point in time,” SRCUS said in a statement. “What makes content marketing so intriguing, especially for credit unions, is that allows your audience to control what type of content they consume and when, which drives customer/member interaction.”
The team behind the report included Ashley Bean of Class Act FCU in Louisville, Ky.; Candace Fyffe Stanley of Ashland CU in Ashland, Ky.; Hailie Patterson of Michigan One Community CU in Ionia, Mich., and Theresa Wolff of Greater New Orleans FCU.
In the report, “The Not So Secret Ingredient to Marketing Success,” the authors explain that good content marketing makes a consumer stop, read, think and then behave differently. The key to creating that initial interaction is the offering of relevant and valuable content with the intention of changing or enhancing member behavior. “Basically, it’s the art of communicating with the member without selling; instead of pitching your products or services, it’s delivering information that makes the member more intelligent,” according to the SRCUS.
In addition to providing a thorough overview of content marketing and how to create content marketing opportunities, the paper also discusses the challenges and opportunities created by content marketing, as well as recommendations and solutions for credit unions to consider. The authors posit that, if planned and executed properly, content marketing can help credit unions earn more money and grow membership, define their brand, foster trust, and inspire referrals. But they caution that credit unions considering utilizing content marketing to understand that there is not a “one size fits all” approach to content marketing. Just as strategic plans are different for every credit union, so too, are content marketing strategies. Credit Unions must understand organizational goals and invest some time developing a plan customized to their unique organizational focus to ensure success.
To access a complimentary copy of the white paper, go to www.srcus.org/management-school/student-white-papers/