Video Update From The 1 Credit Union Conference

Watch this quick hello from Aaron as well as check out all the latest happenings from The 1 Credit Union Conference in Vegas as well as from The Crashers.

Live Stream From Las Vegas: The 1 Credit Union Conference

Don't fret if you were not able to make it to Vegas for The 1 Credit Union Conference. The CU Grow team is on the ground and will be bringing you interviews like always plus a little more this time.  In addition, you can follow along via the live Twitter stream below.

MSCUA Annual Meeting - Tim Harrington Interview #2

Tim Harrington delivered the keynote address at the 2010 Mississippi Credit Union Association's Annual Meeting. Because of his knowledge, wit and unpretentious delivery, Tim is a much sought after speaker in the credit union movement. Tim has made presentations for many national credit union organizations and NCUA, as well as for the credit union leagues in forty five states. In addition, Tim is on the faculty of the CUNA "CU Finance for Non-Financial Managers and Volunteers" School. Check out the video below to see Aaron Mireles (on twitter: @ACM1985) of the CUGROW team chat with Tim. 

MSCUA Annual Meeting - Brian Flynn Interview

Brian Flynn, guest speaker at the 2010 Mississippi Credit Union Association's Annual Meeting  presented the breakout session titled "Many CU CEO's are Retiring in the nest 5-7 years, Are you Ready?" Brian is the National Sales Manager, Executive Benefits for CUNA Mutual Group, a company that specializes in the design, implementation, financing and ongoing administrative support of supplemental executive benefit programs specifically tailored to credit unions. Check out the interview with Brian below and give us a shout back on ways that your credit union is preparing for the future.

CUAC Annual Meeting 2010 - Shelly Vils Interview

While at the Credit Union Association of Colorado's Annual Meeting, the CU GROW Team caught up with Shelly Vils after her session on "Lending to Gen Y: Preparing for the Passing of the Torch."  Shelly is the Senior Manager of Credit Union Training at the CUNA Mutual Group. She is responsible for delivering facilitation and coaching expertise as well as design and development tools in order for Credit Union Training Learning Consultants to execute at the highest possible level for their Credit Union Customers. Her team provides training and education to Credit Union staff all over the country. Check out our interview with Shelly below and give us a shout on how your CU is lending to Gen-Yers!

CUNA MBDC - Brief Summary of Dennis Graham Session

At the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference, the CU GROW team sat in on a session with Dennis Graham entitled "Strike While the Iron is Cold."  Check out the video with Sarah Lay (On Twitter: mrsjlay) as she gives a brief summary his session on cold calling. 

CUNA MBDC - Brent Lawrence Interview

While at the 2010 CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference, we caught up with Brent Lawrence following his session on "Small Business Lending."  Brent is the Marketing and Public Relations Vice President at Deseret First Credit Union in the Greater Salt Lake City Area.  Check out our interview with Brent below and give us a shout back on ways your credit union is expanding your lending department.

CUNA MBDC - Day 2 General Session Recap

While at the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference, we caught up with Gigi Hyland after her general session on regulatory changes. Gigi is a Board Member of the NCUA and has dedicated much of her career to being an attorney and advocate for the credit union world. Check out our interview with Gigi below and give us a shout back with regard to your credit union's approach to the latest regulations.

CUNA MBDC - Young and Free Music Video Contest Recap

While the CU GROW team attended the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference, we caught up with the some of the contestants from the Young and Free HQ "Lookin' Like a Fool with Your Money in a Bank" video contest.  Check out the video below and make sure you give us a shout back!

CUNA MBDC - David Reske Interview

David Reske (on Twitter: davidreske), is the Founder and President of Nowspeed Marketing. Internet Marketing Veteran with significant experience in SEO, PPC, Social Media, Web Analytics.  At the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference the CU GROW team caught up with David after his session on "Social Media: What Gets Measured, Gets Funded."  Check out the video below and give us a shout on ways your credit union is using social media to reach your members.

CUNA MBDC - Tim McAlpine Interview

Tim McAlpine is a passionate credit union advocate who believes that credit unions and the credit union movement need to work harder to prove that there is a difference and that it matters.  Tim (on Twitter: currencytim) is the owner of Currency Marketing, who developed the program Young and Free.  The CU GROW team caught up with Tim at the 2010 CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference after his session on the Young and Free program.  Check out the video below and shout back with ways your credit union is working to reach GenYers.

CUNA MBDC 2010 - Day 2 Recap

Check out the video below from Day 2 at the 2010 CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference from the CU GROW team.  Don't forget to give us a shout back!

CUNA MBDC 2010 - Trevor Hendrickson Interview

While at the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference the CU GROW team caught up with Trevor Hendrickson for a quick interview.  Trevor just wrapped up a session on the "Effectiveness of Websites."  "Build it and they will come” may be the stuff Hollywood legends are made of, but not traffic driving, loyalty building, sales generating websites. Your website has the potential to increase the effectiveness of all your marketing efforts if you simply commit to the total integration of the Web into your marketing strategy.  Trevor (on Twitter: thendrickson) is the Founder & Owner of theWEBcentric.com.  Check out the interview with Trevor below and shout back on ways your CU is working to increase the effectiveness of your website. 

2010 CMBDC Conference - Credit Union Social Media Conversations

While at the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference in D.C., the CU GROW team caught up with Christopher Morris, Manager of Communications & Web Resources for the CUNA Council.  Christopher is responsible for the Councils' online presence, including all seven council websites, social networking site (CUNA Councils Connect), and other communication tools.Chris lead a discussion session on social media.  Check out the video below and give us a shout on how your CU is using social media to reach your members.

CUAC 2010 - CUNA Mutual Group

A big shout out to the CUNA Mutual Group for sponsoring the CU GROW Team at the Credit Union Association of Colorado's Annual Meeting! Below is a quick interview with CUNA Mutual group, so make sure you give us a shout back!

Day 1 Recap: 2010 CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference

Watch the video below from Day 1 at the 2010 CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference in Washington, DC.  Click here to follow along with the live stream.

Live: 2010 CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference

Follow along and join the conversation below with @jrwlay @mrjlay @nidajaz @acm1985 @mrsjlay

Tell your friends and co-workers to join and follow along as well to grow through innovation, communication and collaboration.

Video - CUNA Marketing Conference Promo

Crash the GAC - Gigi Hyland & Gary Kohn Interview

Gigi Hyland was sworn in as a Board member of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) on November 18, 2005 for a six-year term. Prior to joining the NCUA Board, Ms. Hyland’s career spanned fourteen years serving the credit union community as an attorney and advocate. During her tenure, Ms. Hyland has spearheaded a number of key initiatives. She recently hosted and moderated a two-day Symposium to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Federal Credit Union Act. The Symposium provided a forum for robust and frank conversation about credit unions’ unique business model and its future sustainability.

Gary J. Kohn has been serving as Senior Policy Advisor to NCUA Board Member Christiane Gigi Hyland since January 2006. Among other duties, Kohn formulates recommendations on policy and administrative matters, matters before the Board, and matters relating to Board Member Hyland’s responsibilities.  Prior to his service at NCUA, Kohn was Vice President, Legislative Affairs and Senior Legislative Counsel for the Credit Union National Association (CUNA).

Gigi and Gary lead a session at Crash the GAC entitled “The Future of Credit Unions.”  Check out the interview with them below as it briefly highlights their session from February.  Make sure to give us a shout back and speak your mind on the future of credit unions. 

Crash the GAC - Pete Crear Interview

Pete Crear is president and chief executive officer of World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU). Mr. Crear directs the activities of the World Council, whose goal is to develop “Quality Credit Unions for Everyone,” enabling millions of people to gain access to affordable financial services. In addition to his work at WOCCU, Crear has organized 23 credit unions since he began his career as a management trainee at the Michigan League.  At Crash the GAC Mr. Crear spoke on "The Global Impact of Credit Unions." 

Check out the video below to get an overview of his session and shout back with your thoughts and ideas.

Crash the GAC - Lois Kitsch Interview

Lois Kitsch joined the National Credit Union Foundation as the National Program Manager of the REAL Solutions program in December of 2006. In her prior role as the Director of Field Projects with the Filene Research Institute, Lois piloted the REAL Solutions program in three leagues which implemented and tested new business models designed to serve new target markets, including young adults, immigrants and modest income households.  At Crash the GAC, Lois lead a session entitled "Growth Strategies With A Conscience." 

Check out the interview with Lois below as it highlights the key take-aways from her session and don't forget to shout back at us!

CU Water Cooler Liquid Lunch Live From GAC 2010

If you missed the CU Water Cooler's Liquid Lunch live from GAC 2010, you can listen to it here.

Breaking News: CUSPAN at the GAC Credit Union Conference

Ok... all jokes aside.

Be sure to follow Aaron (@acm1985) and Nida (@nidajaz) as they will be bringing you the GAC Credit Union Conference on Monday, February 22.  James Robert (@jrwlay) will be joining them in DC on Tuesday and Wednesday.  To help keep you in the know, you can follow the Twitter feeds below.

Plus, CU Grow is also streaming the CU Chat Up live stream with from Carla (@carladay).  Feel free to join the conversation below.  If you have questions or comments, you can also tweet them with the hashtag #GAC10 and they will show up in the live blog stream.

Due to spotty wifi at the convention, if you leave a comment, I may not be able to validate it and have it post. If you are an attendee and would like to contribute, please DM me your email address on twitter or email me at Carla (at) cuchatup (dot) net. I will try to email you a link that will allow you to post.

Powerful Presentations for Credit Unions

Communication consultant Sharon Swan Smith presented information on techniques and skills that distinguish powerful presentations from ordinary. Watch the video below to hear some thoughts from her as well as some attendees.

Credit Unions and Public Relations

In this session, we were able to get a sneak peak from a panel of media professionals from electronic and print media to learn:

- what the professionals in media consider news or what they consider hype

- what gains their time when you hold an event or send a press advisory, or what fills their discard basket

- what is important to their audience or what simply will not even get their attention

Watch the video below to hear Larry Kamer's, Regional Director for Fleishman-Hillard, thoughts from the session and to learn more. Also, please shout back with your thoughts and ideas on working with the media in times of crisis.

Also, it's important to note what Larry says about organizations in crisis, "Organizations in controversy or crisis succeed when they adhere to the core values that made them distinctive in the first place. Second, that careful preparation for crisis or reputation damage is not a cost but an investment: it makes for stronger, better managed, and more successful organizations."

How are you handling the current credit union situation with members and press? Click here and here for some great resources that have been discussed on our credit union blog.

Credit Union Branding - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Rebranding seems to be our magic eraser, a chance to start over, and make our old stale brands fresh and new in the minds of our members and potential members.   But what really goes on behind the scenes? In this session, a panel of seasoned experts shared their good, bad and ugly experiences in rebranding a credit union.

The Good: Sonya Allen, Marketing Manager, Pelican State CU
In a marketer's world, few things seem to go the way we want; every now and then we get it right.  Sonya shared her experience in developing a strong brand and letting the good times roll (because they don't last long)!

The Bad: Kelley Parks, VP Marketing & Business Development, Call Federal Credit Union
Last year, Call FCU's colorful, fun and clever new image made a big splash.  But behind that shiny new logo was a series of bad experiences filled with heartburn and mistakes Kelley won't soon forget.  She shared the battle-wounds from her difficult journey, and how she learned from them to help her become a better marketer.

The Ugly: Jim Kelly, SVP Marketing, University of Iowa Community CU
The UICCU's 2007 name change attempt was successfully stopped by an opposition group just 4 hours before it was to go live. It was ugly. Jim will discussed what went wrong in the process and how they have rebounded.

Watch the video interview to learn more and hear some of the panel's thoughts and ideas.

More Than Donuts! Credit Union Business Development Tips

Regardless if you are a single SEG or have a Community charter, your Business Development efforts should be much more than just the person who brings the donuts. Kathy Parker and Kelli Beck of North Island Financial Credit Union, shared how their credit union successfully reaches out in a diverse and crowed marketplace.

Check out the post-session video interview below for key thoughts and ideas to help you out. Plus, feel free to shout back with thoughts and ideas of your own.

Does Your Credit Union Sizzle or Fizzle?

Are the "tried and true" business development tactics no longer producing the member growth results they once did for your credit union? Businesses have changed. Consumers have changed. The question is… has your approach changed?

Nicole Valentin Smith, SVP Retail Sales for Xceed FCU, gave a peek into an exciting new approach to growing members, deposits and loans through SEGs that will help you create buzz with employees and turn your liaison into a raving fan.

Watch the post session interview with Nicole below for key thoughts and ideas:

Credit Union Conference Blog Update

Shortly after Keynote Speaker, Judson Laipply, wrapped up his Life is Change presentation, and performed the “Evolution of Dance”, we heard the thoughts from three CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council conference attendees.

Watch the brief interview below to hear their thoughts and feedback:

Patrick Adams Challenges Credit Unions

Patrick Adams, CEO at St. Louis Community Credit Union, had great words and thoughts from the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference opening ceremonies.

Watch the Patrick’s interview and words of inspiration below:

Mobile Banking – Putting Your Credit Union in Your Member's Pocket

Kent White, VP of Marketing from Amplify CU, discussed the ins and outs of mobile banking and how your credit union can extend its brand and reach into the most personal electronic device consumers own.  He also discussed how mobile banking paves the way for the future of remote transactions.

Watch the interview with Ken below with key mobile banking insights:

Differentiate Your Credit Union with Award-Based Marketing

Pier Alsup, SVP Marketing & BD of Anheuser-Busch CU, discussed how they used awards to double the business generated by its marketing campaign while saving over $40,000 on interest expenses.

Watch the post session interview with Pier and Ken Wanek of Datatrac below to learn more:

Shout back below and let us know if or how you are using awards based marketing at your credit union.

Brand: Not Just a Stamp on a Steer's Behind…A Measure of Trust!

Dale Bohnert, Manager, Corporate Identity, Design and Communications, 3M, discussed brand is a measure of trust.  As complex as the topic may seem, it is fundamentally based on some very simple and powerful concepts:

• Trust
• Consistency
• Association
• Personality

Learn from a Fortune 500 company, 3M, on how to leverage and build the strength and value of a brand like 3M and apply it to your credit union.

Watch the video interview with Dale below for key session takeaways:

Shout back below to share how you use trust to build your brand.

Credit Union Conference Blog Update

What an awesome two days it has been.  Time is just flying by as we are reporting from the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference on our credit union blog.  There are so many cool credit union people out here. 

Check out the quick video update below.

More video interviews and updates to come tomorrow. Please feel free to post your thoughts, comments and ideas below. We look foward to hearing from you.

Web 2.0 101 – An Introduction to Social Media for Credit Unions

Blogs, YouTube, Twitter, MySpace & Facebook…what does it all mean? Christopher Morris introduced these new social media tools and gave examples of how credit unions and others are leveraging them. He also provided tips (and tricks) on how to succeed in your own social media efforts, including some free online tools every credit union marketer should be leveraging.

Is Your Business Ready to Blog? Shari Storm created the first financial industry corporate blog in 2004. She has an in-depth knowledge of the social media landscape and how it affects our businesses. She discussed lessons learned, and how to measure success while giving solid advice for credit unions considering social media.

A new breed of creative has emerged. Rather than amplifying one voice, new marketing builds conversations and participation. Through interactive examples, Brent Dixon demonstrated how to bring design, rich media, and community management together to hit the mark in a digital age.

Watch the brief interview and session recap below:

Raleigh R. Pinskey - 101 Ways to Promote Yourself

Raleigh R. Pinskey, International branding and PR authority, and author of the quarter million best selling 101 Ways to Promote Yourself, presented a 3 hour crash course on the new rules filled with insider secrets, professional know how and tricks of the trade for taking charge of your own PR Marketing, business development and branding successes.

Watch the video below to see a quick interview and recap with Raleigh.

This session was geared to provide immediate applications geared to expanding name recognition, enhancing member service, and getting that all-important media attention that lays the groundwork for increased business. Some strategies and techniques include: The 5 E's that attract people to the business you offer, why and how Search Engine Optimization (SEO) works to bring you more business, how to “blog for business,” media attention and name recognition, to name a few.

Key thoughts and take aways:

• Your brand is more than a logo. It is cross platform and cross channel.
• You are not making the brand, you are the brand as a person, and as a credit union.
• Branding is not about logos or colors but emotions and feelings.
• Your branding must “ooze” love.
• Obama was successful turning fear into love and was able to walk the talk of change by embracing social media
• Don’t call press releases, press release.  It’s more effective to call the media releases.
• Promotional give aways and gimmicks are old school and most likely will end up in a yard sale.

CUNA Credit Union Marketing Conference

It has been a crazy day starting very early for us.  We flew out to San Diego this morning to blog and report from the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Conference.  Check out the "welcome" video below after we just touched down at the airport.  

We will also be updating our credit union blog to pull in the latest Tweets from my Twitter account. 

Be sure to visit our credit union blog through the week as we will be posting updates, interviews and more.  Feel free to shout back and post your thoughts and comment as well.

Don't forget you can also subscribe to the RSS feed to stay in the know with the latest updates.  

And... if you are here, stop by and say hello.  We'll be wearing the www.cugrow.com shirts.