The DigitalMailer Blog

Shell Federal Recognized as National Community Credit Union of the Year

2009-11-17T08:14:00.000-08:00

by Ron Daly

Way back in June of this year, we highlighted the efforts of Shell Federal Credit Union as a community credit union that was dedicated to reaching out to members and being active in their community. Back then, they'd been highlighted as "Business of the Year" by the Deer Park Chamber of Commerce.

The awards keep on coming for Shell. It was only a few weeks ago that they were recognized by the Credit Union National Association as the Community Credit Union of the Year (click here to read the press release).

From the release:

"In today's turbulent world, extending a helping hand in the community is a top priority at Shell FCU. The sole purpose of the credit union is to meet the financial needs of their members, provide free financial literacy and volunteer for a stronger community."

Shell FCU's accolades are well deserved. Their iLife program encourages members and non-members to come and participate in events that will benefit others in their community. Whether it's bicycle drives, cell phones for soliders or a basketball tournament, iLife is dedicated to boosting community spirit, community giving, and volunteerism.

Shell is also celebrating a "great loan year" by offering a $15,000 store credit at Pasadena Honda to a lucky borrower in January. Pretty sweet prize, considering many lending institutions and banks are unable/unwilling to lend these days.

Congratulations, Shell FCU - you've earned it!

What's that saying about when you assume?

2009-11-13T07:22:00.000-08:00

by Ron Daly

For marketers, making assumptions about your target audience is easy. But is it always accurate? It's tempting to look at a person's buying history, or review gender and age demographics, to help customize marketing messages. However, you should do so with care, as assumptions can just as easily backfire on your good intentions.

Just because someone buys a tricycle, don't assume they are married with young kids … it could have been purchased as a gift.

That's the point of Loren McDonald's message in a recent Email Insider article. (Loren is a "he" not a "she." And he doesn't have an ounce of Irish or Scottish in his genes.) In his article, "My Name Is Loren. BTW, I'm a 'He,'" McDonald warns of awkward and costly mistakes when you bring stereotypes and assumptions into your marketing efforts.

"The downside of wrong assumptions about your customers and prospects goes beyond potentially annoying them and even hurting your brand," he said. "It can also hurt your bottom line by continually sending subscribers offers and communications based on 'bad' data."

To steer clear of these situations, keep these tips in mind:

Collect key demographic data when members opt in. Case in point: McDonald received an email promoting engagement rings despite being married for 26 years - something that should have been easily captured by the marketing team.
Gather data useful to your key business lines. Credit unions can benefit from gathering financial preferences of its members, such as if they own or rent (mortgage products), recently purchased a car (auto loans), or have children approaching college age (student loan programs).
Collect members' basic interests and preferences. This helps you provide messages that are more applicable and well-timed, as well as member' preferred method for receiving messages.

DigitalMailer has the know-how to help you execute an effective email communication program - call (866) 994-4900, ext 103, visit www.digitalmailer.com/arb or email info@digitalmailer.com for more information.

Just a Reminder...

2009-11-04T10:32:00.000-08:00

DigitalMailer has found a new way to save credit unions money by cutting out print and postage, reducing man-hours and increasing customer response.

As mentioned in the CU Times article "Northwest FCU Cuts Delinquencies, Costs With E-Mails", DigitalMailer helped Northwest Federal Credit Union come up with a new way to reach members who were behind on their loan payments.

From the article:

The credit union had over 55% of its member’s e-mails on file and implemented a new policy that required members taking out a loan to provide a valid e-mail address.

The credit union works with DigitalMailer on other digital communication products, so [Cindy Cherry, Northwest’s collection manager] approached the provider with the problem.

"I listened to the problem and thought with that number of e-mail addresses, they could stop or knock out a lot of the accounts before they got to the 15-day mark," said Ron Daly, president/CEO of DigitalMailer.

"This is technology that bank and credit card companies have used for years, it’s just about getting credit unions to start using it."

Northwest’s success was self-evident. Of 1,605 collection e-mails sent, 845 members have paid before the 15-day delinquency mark. They were able to find bad e-mail addresses and follow up with members who had missed their notification. Even though the number of delinquencies is still high for Northwest, the process of dealing with them is getting faster, more affordable, and more effective.

DigitalMailer can do the same for you!

Are you dealing with a high volume of delinquencies and limited collection resources? The DigitalMailer Automatic Relationship Builder can give you:

Accurate reporting of e-mail opens, click-throughs and forwards
Easy-to-use template creation system
Easy list management
Fast, reliable delivery

DigitalMailer is offering a new FREE webinar:
Just a Reminder...How to make collections faster, easier, and more affordable

that explains collections email in depth. Visit the webinar page on our website for information and to sign up for the debut webinar on November 16.

To get started with collection e-mails, contact DigitalMailer today at info@digitalmailer.com or at 866.994.4900 ext. 115.

10 for '10: The Top 10 Branding Challenges Your Credit Union Will Face Next Year

2009-10-19T07:22:00.000-07:00

(This story originally ran on the CU Soapbox.)

Paul J Lucas, national marketing and branding consultant and frequent CU Journal contributor, wanted to share some thoughts on brand management for credit unions. Visit Paul's website at pauljlucas.com,email at paul@pauljlucas.com or call (202) 320 5759 to learn more.

Going into 2010, the top brand challenges for credit unions will be:

1. Misunderstanding what a brand is and why it matters. It is important to have a brand strategy that is embraced by the entire organization. If your staff doesn't get it you can't expect your members to embrace your brand.

2. Lack of understanding in the marketplace that credit unions are ideal primary financial services providers - not just a good place to get a vehicle loan. This means that credit unions must explain both the credit union concept and their own specific brand stories.

3. Communicating that shared branching and ATM networks are competitive to the national presence of large banks. This is critical to a credit union's ability to compete against multi-branch banks (and credit unions). Yet most members have no idea what "shared branching" means or how competitive large ATM networks are compared to many large bank systems. Do not assume members know what "shared branching" means, or how to use it.

4. Bad advertising and marketing that obscure the brand and fail to communicate the credit union's benefits can erode brand value.

Your marketing/messaging must be clear, straightforward and benefits oriented.

Creative does matter - effective creative gets you noticed and it clearly states the benefits of using your CU.

All messages must be consistent building blocks for the brand: advertising; signage; brochures; newsletters; statement messages; eLerts - every member touch point.

5. Overemphasis on reaching new members at the expense of building more productive relationships with current members. Build brand loyalty inside-out! Your current members are the best prospects for increasing product and service penetration. That is key to building a successful, stable financial services organization

6. Letting impatience trump consistency. Throwing together ads, products, announcements, etc. without taking time to tie them to your brand strategy is counter-productive.

7. Constantly changing things in search of the "magic bullet." Changing offers, ad mediums, products, etc. in search of the one magic key to prosperity is a death spiral. There are no magic bullets beyond consistency and brand clarity.

8. Thinking business development reps will quickly and easily grow assets. Business development reps are only as good as they are managed and credit unions do not usually have experienced, effective sales managers on staff. Business development reps who are unskilled and untrained can do your Brand more harm than good.

9. Working with a marketing budget that is too small to achieve marketing goals. Some annual marketing budget benchmarks:

0.25% of assets at a minimum for small institutions.

0.50% for a larger SEG, near community or small market community CUs.

0.75 to 1.50% for large/urban community charter CUs.

10. Remembering that credit unions are chartered to lend money! That requires becoming a competitive retail marketer.

While some see red, Old Hickory Credit Union is seeing pink.

2009-10-13T06:56:00.000-07:00

by Ron Daly

I'm sure football fans have noticed all the pink surrounding their favorite teams, cheerleaders and even stadium equipment the past few weeks. Sports Illustrated even "went pink" in its most recent issue, all to acknowledge the fight against breast cancer. I saw a great program go across the DigitalMailer production line this week and wanted to share it with everyone.

For the month of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Old Hickory CU is working hard to increase awareness and contribute to cancer research. Their approach, outlined here in their monthly "Money Memos" newsletter, which by the way is pink this month, is threefold:

1. A team of Old Hickory CU employees will be participating in the Nashville Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event on Saturday, Oct. 24. Their goal is to donate $2500 to the American Cancer Society;
2. Old Hickory CU is selling pink umbrellas for $15, with $7 of that going to the American Cancer Society. These umbrellas also come with a set of coupons for credit union services that benefit members; and
3. All branches are offering information on breast cancer awareness, as well as supplemental cancer insurance policies.

When we inquired about the eLert topic Malinda Warchus, Assistant VP of Marketing commented “It might seem like a strange thing for a financial institution to send out an eLert about, but we are committed to improving the lives of our neighbors and making a positive difference in our communities. The outpouring of response from our members tells us that they like joining our cause.”

Not strange at all...and we agree with the members! In fact, I hear our DMI team is in line for any umbrellas that are left once the members are taken care of.

Most of the time, Credit Unions think they can only use member email addresses for eStatement notifications, newsletters or selling a new product or service. Those same email addresses can be used to communicate the difference between a bank and a credit union, as well as raising awareness among CU members the community outreach credit unions are involved in. Old Hickory CU has done just that by tying into a national promotion and using inexpensive methods of communication (email, electronic alerts, and monthly newsletter) and community outreach to reach members and potential members at a fraction of the cost.

Kudos and this effort speaks to the character of Old Hickory CU employees and management. Keep up the great work!

Guest Author Paul Lucas: Hard Knocks - BIG Lessons

2009-09-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

This article originally ran in on CUSoapbox.com

Hard Knocks - BIG Lessons

Late this summer HBO aired this year's "Hard Knocks" show about the Cincinnati Bengals National Football League training camp. Watching the series it became apparent that the basic building blocks of a winning team are universal - whether you’re on the football field, growing a
company or building a successful credit union brand.

David Levitin, a neuroscientist and author of "This is your brain on music" estimates that it requires 10,000 hours of practice to master any craft. Studies of professionals from composers, to NBA players, to ice skaters show that it takes roughly three hours of practice a day, 20 hours a week, for 10 years to achieve the level of expertise we associate with world class. The next time you're tempted to think a top athlete was born lucky think about all the hard work it took to turn luck and talent into success.

Remember the old joke: one man stops another man on the street to ask, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" The other man answers, "Practice, practice, practice." As managers it's much easier and a lot more fun to fall in love with hot new ideas than to keep slogging away at the same old basics day after day. The challenge is that those new ideas won't start yielding results until they become those old basics you keep slogging away at.

A successful organization is seldom built on innovation. Watching the Bengals prepare for the upcoming season I identified eight critical elements in their quest to become a winning team:

Leadership - without it numbers 2 through 8 are just exercises in frustration

Preparation

Focus

Execution - especially doing the little things right constantly

Follow-through

Accountability

Getting everyone working off the same strategic plan

Having the right people in the right places

Are you sitting there thinking you could have written that list off the top your head? Bottom line, knowing what needs to be done and making it happen are two very different things. Most successful CEO's I know would willingly mail their annual business plans and strategies to their competitors. Why? Because they know it's what you do every day in the trenches that counts.

So ask yourself:

A) Does your staff consistently up-sell the values and benefits of your credit union?

B) Do you have a brand strategy that everyone clearly understands, right down to knowing how their individual efforts help drive your brand efforts?

C) Can every staff member name the values, benefits and features of your CU?

If they can, keep up the good work.

If they can't, it's time to get in the huddle and make it happen.

A Special Message to Our Clients - There's No Such Thing as "Over-Disclosure"

2009-08-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

by Ron Daly

With the Credit CARD Act of 2009 going into effect today, the talk in the industry is all about disclosure. CUNA News Now published this article "21-day rule: CUNA urges CUs 'document everything'" What's the best way to tell your members about the changes in credit card rules and the changes in your policies as a result of the CARD Act?

The Answer: ANY way you can tell clients about the new regulations is a great way to tell clients about new regulations.

The example below is from Belvoir FCU. Click the thumbnail to see the full size image.

For our clients: We want to let you know that we're here to help and that there are several ways we can increase awareness for your members - the way we did for Panhandle Educators (click below to see example)

We can add a notice to your eStatement notification emails, to your Customer Communication Center splash pages, we can load a permanent notice inside the available statement library, or we can even send a special notification through the ARB to your mailing list. The statement needs to be as clear as possible, and the more members see it the better they'll understand the new regulations.

For NON-Clients: We're more than willing to get you set up with a special one-time ARB email for your specific mailing list. Just give us the addresses and we can get the word out for you.

You and your credit union/financial institution are going to need to act fast to spread the word. Take advantage of the many channels you use to communicate already to be as specific as you can about the new regulation.

Special Guest Dan Schoenherr on "Closing the Loop"

2009-08-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

Dan Schoenherr is an experienced credit union consultant. He has expertise in strategic planning, process improvement, board governance, and website strategies. He is President/CEO of Schoenherr Consulting and has led several credit unions in their process improvement programs and creating member delight. Most recently he has been helping credit unions with their Net Promoter® Score programs. He may be reached at dan@schoenherrconsulting.com.

Net Promoter® Score, a loyalty measurement, has been adopted by many credit unions. However, many are not "closing the loop." A Net Promoter® Score survey asks the question: "How likely is it that you would recommend (the credit union) to a friend or colleague?" Customers respond on a 0-to-10 point rating scale and are categorized as follows:

Promoters (score 9-10) are loyal enthusiasts who will keep buying and refer others, fueling growth
Passives (score 7-8) are satisfied but unenthusiastic members who are vulnerable to competitive offerings
Detractors (score 0-6) are unhappy members who can damage your brand and impede growth through negative word-of-mouth.

To calculate the credit union's Net Promoter® Score (NPS), take the percentage of members who are Promoters and subtract the percentage who are Detractors.

Closing the Loop

Most NPS surveys ask a second question: What is the primary reason for the score you just gave us? This is the beginning of the feedback process that allows the credit union to improve the member experience. Digital Mailer's eSurvey system will send an email to a designated credit union employee on any survey received with a Detractor score of 0-6. This allows the credit to contact the member (generally within 48 hours), to understand their concerns in greater detail and resolve any issues.

An internal review of the results should be conducted to identify key drivers of loyalty and establish process improvement plans. The last part of the "loop" is informing members what you did with the information provided.

Email Surveying

About one-third of the credit unions sharing their NPS scores on the CU-Processes website do phone surveys. While this approach provides excellent feedback, it is very expensive. The largest majority are doing mail surveys. This approach offers little chance to immediately "close the loop" with the member, or to delve deeper into the core reasons for the member's dissatisfaction.

Email provides fast surveying (especially if event-driven), and the opportunity to immediately "close the loop" with the member. It also allows you a simple way to survey various segments - a specific branch, the contact center, online users, etc.

If you are considering a Net Promoter® Score program, make sure it includes the steps to "close the loop." Otherwise, you have missed the opportunity to truly improve the member's experience with the credit union.

Pyramid: Standing the Test of Time

2009-07-07T06:43:00.000-07:00

by Ron Daly

I thought we'd highlight the good works and good reputation of a credit union that has been serving members for the past eighty-four years.

Pyramid Credit Union in Tucson, Arizona has four generations of members and a life-long reputation of helping those who wanted a better financial future. Recently, an article about Pyramid was published in the CU Journal (click here to read "It's a Wonderful Life Really Does Still Exist in Tucson, Ariz." by Paul Lucas). At Pyramid's 80th annual dinner meeting, members celebrated the good works of the credit union and the credit union celebrated its diverse and long-standing membership.

And what a story! At BarCampBank Vegas, friend and colleague Robbie Wright asked why everyone doesn't get their own credit union started. Some might have balked at the idea, but reading about Pyramid's humble beginnings makes the idea seem pretty smart to me. Lend a little, get a little more back, help out your fellow man. And they've kept the basic concept at their core for eighty years now.

Keep up the great work, Pyramid. Here's hoping that everyone in our industry takes a page from your book and works to better their community and the lives of their members.

Does your CU have a great success story? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Living With (and Without) Green

2009-06-08T07:18:00.000-07:00

by Ron Daly
It's June, 2009 - do you know where YOUR capital is?

Odds are you've been coping with your minimized budget and your overall losses for these last eight months and you've had to forgo talks of better things - more hiring, membership drives, company functions, employee appreciation, raises, etc. Maybe one of the things you've minimized is your "Green" initiatives. It's easy to move away from an initiative that's mostly voluntary when you have imperative financial issues to tackle.

I think it's time to kill two birds with one stone..not literally, of course. Part of saving the environment is not throwing rocks at birds. I'm talking about using your green initiatives as a means of saving money.

Green-vangelist Andrew Winston wrote on the Harvard Business blog:

Not only should companies not put their green efforts on hold, they should accelerate them in targeted ways to save money quickly and prepare for the future. Those who navigate these tricky waters the best will emerge from the downturn in better shape than their competitors.

And furthermore:

Getting lean, particularly on energy and resources, will save money and reduce carbon impacts (as well as making you more competitive when energy prices inevitably rise again). Thinking through your value chain and getting creative about how you can help your customers manage their environmental impacts and lower their costs will help you grab market share in tough times. And it will likely do much more to address environmental challenges than focusing only on your own environmental impacts. Getting your people engaged around a dual mission — save the company money and preserve our collective bounty and assets — will help boost morale in tough times and keep your company going strong. ("Why This Is the Right Time to Go Green", blogs.harvardbusiness.org, June 2009)

I had this information tucked away in an e-mail and thought I'd share it here on the site. Apparently, trees can be assigned a dollar value based on the amount of carbon dioxide they absorb, the amount of run-off they filter, the amount of oxygen they make, etc. Your average Red Cedar is worth about $120,000/year, considering the price of oxygen it produces (numbers/values from the Kooragang Wetland Rehabilitation institute). That's plenty of money, and that's just one tree.

Planting trees is a great way to drive up member participation and enrollment. Let members contribute a small amount of money from their share accounts and contribute to a tree planting day that you've organized. Or offer it as an incentive for signing up for eStatements, a la "sign up for eStatements today and we'll plant a tree in your name!"

Speaking of eStatements, DigitalMailer has plenty of ready-to-go "Go Green" campaigns to get you started driving up your enrollment numbers. Click here to learn about it in Budget Stretching Ideas, a free webinar from DigitalMailer.

Bottom Line - the economic downturn has tested our structures. If ever there was a time to start changing the game, it's now. Why not implement measures that will save you money overtime, such as optimizing your lighting and power and reducing water flow in your facilities? Why not encourage employee carpooling and create Green-themed giveaways? Make the changes now and enjoy the benefits long after you do.

A Case Study: Shell FCU

2009-06-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

by Ron Daly

Shell FCU recently was named business of the year by the Deer Park Chamber of Commerce. DigitalMailer wants to send its congratulations to a credit union that has set down deep roots in its community of members.

Why are they Business of the Year? Something tells us it's a matter of commitment.

To The Environment:

A look at Shell FCU's website shows they're big fans of a natural, eco-friendly look. At the bottom right-hand corner of their page is a logo showing their participation in the Green Business Alliance. On content pages, links to their eStatement enrollment page encourage members to "go green" with DigitalMailer's eStatements (see below).

To The Community:

From Shell FCU's press release:

In addition to time spent at work, employees also volunteer for the credit union’s FCU "Furthering Community Unity" Team. The FCU Team consists of Shell FCU employees, members and local individuals who participate in events such as blood drives, walks, runs, food drives, Habitat for Humanity and other charitable events. In 2008, the FCU team logged over 347 hours and donated more than $8,900 to help others. As of April 2009, approximately 465 hours have already been donated.

To Reaching and Helping Members:

In the past year, Shell started up iLife, a service for younger members that offers incredible rates and savings programs. You can go to the iLife webpage to learn about their rates and accounts, watch user videos, read their blog, sign up for their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter.

So congratulations, Shell - you're setting a great example. Keep up the great work!

Want to prove your commitment to green solutions and online innovation? Get online with DigitalMailer's eStatements! Click here for more information.

All it takes is one click!

2009-05-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

Imagine increasing your electronic statement enrollment leaps and bounds with a single e-mail. Sound impossible? Not with DigitalMailer's "One Click" campaign.

After nine years of creating and implementing electronic statements for credit unions across the country, we've seen and heard some great promotional offers to encourage eStatement enrollment. iPod, Camera, Wii and PDA giveaways are pretty standard, as are plant-a-tree promotions and monetary incentives. Folks who sign up are happy with their statements and credit unions are happy with the savings.

Recently, we started a new campaign which lets members sign up for eStatements by clicking on a single button in an e-mail. One click is all it takes to enroll in eStatements and move away from costly paper and printing. We recognized after creating a number of these campaigns that several key steps could be rolled into one. By verifying an email address, sending an email with the legal agreement attached, allowing the member to read through the agreement and sending their "opt-in" agreement to the credit union, we would be cutting out unnecessary steps, thereby saving time and money.

"One of the good things about this campaign is that members don't have to go to an enrollment page, type in personal info such as account number, SSN, email, name, etc. They click the button and we find the info in the CU system. No need to exchange personal info at all."
--Traci McNamara, Account Manager, DigitalMailer

Two credit unions that are currently using the "One Click" campaign:

Hudson River FCU decided to use the "One Click" in conjunction with a $100 offer to draw in new eStatement users. Since sending their e-mail in April, they've increased total eStatement use by 15%! Hudson River plans to run the same campaign in May and June, and with similar results month to month they stand to save over $14,000 with eStatements.

Belvoir FCU has offered eStatements for the past seven years. Introducing the "One Click" campaign in the middle of April, they've experienced a total 5% growth, and are running the campaign again in May. Even more interesting, there's no offer attached - people just click to sign up! Belvoir will be running the same "One Click" campaign through june. If they have the same success in June, they will be saving an estimated 50% of their total cost by switching those paper statements to e-mail!

Something to take away from this campaign and its successes :

1) When members know it's easy to get started with eStatements, they'll go for it.

2) Your eStatements can lead to great savings. The more enrollments you have, the more you save on printing and postage.

3) It can work with a special offer or without.

4) You can get the campaign for your CU and get started right away!

Click here for more info on eStatements!

20&Change: Straighten Up and Fly Right

2009-05-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

by Jimmy Marks

The economic crunch has really "put a hurtin' " on employment. This is especially important to people in my generation, many of whom are just leaving college and need to find a job somewhere...anywhere, even. But people my age have been given a bad rap in the media - labeled as spiritless and pouty in the workplace, seen as always needing their hands held, regarded as a distraction more than an asset. As recently as a week ago, people were talking about Gen-Y as a drain on productivity and workplace efficiency (click here to read).

From that same article:

"Managers have reported a lot of problems associated with this – primarily that these employees have unrealistic expectations and a strong resistance toward accepting negative feedback," he said.

"Basically entitlement involves having an inflated view of oneself, and managers are finding that younger employees are often very resistant to anything that doesn't involve praise and rewards," he added.

But this article from the Wall Street Journal actually makes Gen-Y seem...well, moderately competent and not stupid and whiny. Hooray! We've got at least one supporter.

From the WSJ article:

"Many Gen Y-ers are also becoming ... 'good workplace citizens.' That is, rather than demanding to be catered to, they're instead becoming prompt, dressing more appropriately, following up on obligations, and using better judgment. 'They're also shifting their attention from peer relationships to building rapport with managers, customers, vendors, and other decision makers...'"

Not only are my fellow whippersnappers becoming more professional, they're REALLY starting to take an interest in their finance management. According to this article from PlanAdviser.com, more and more Gen-Ys are asking for advice on retirement savings and benefits through work. The downturn has really taken its toll, shaking my generation lose of their false sense of entitlement and showing them that now is the time to straighten up and fly right.

Now, the question: what will you do with this information? Because if you're a Credit Union, one that's touting your capacity for smart savings and money management, you need to talk up your ability and your willingness to help young folks get their lives in order. Quit with all that "We're so dope and fly and fresh and jiggy!" talk. It's doing you no good. Make your message clear and plain - that you're willing to help the youngsters make smart decisions about their money and smart investments for their retirement. PNC has managed to make a go of it, signing up 20,000+ folks for its "virtual wallet", 70% of which were Gen-Y aged (click here to read all about it). You can do this, too. Just offer a smarter, easier way to "get" finance. A smarter, more humble Gen-Y will thank you for it.

A Faster Horse: eStatements can be a "need" more than a "want"

2009-04-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

by Ron Daly

Henry Ford was rumored to have said:

"If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have said 'a faster horse'".

I'm sure that Mr. Ford wasn't out to say the people who buy/use your services are short-sighted or small-minded. It's just that they often want the familiar to get better. But bring them something with all they've wanted and more and they'll wonder how they lived without your innovation.

EStatements are a service of DigitalMailer, one that we find ourselves recommending more and more these days as a means of saving money. Most of the credit unions we work with have the same initial reluctance - that the members won't be comfortable with electronic statements and they won't be open to the idea of receiving statements through the Customer Communication Center. What you wouldn't believe is that customers really do love their eStatements - and CUs like the convenience and control of advertising inside the eStatement space.

I could go on for an hour about eStatements and the CCC. In fact, I do - in our newest webinar:

The Customer Communication Center: A Better Mouse Trap

In which we teach you how to bring eStatements into the fold, improve your marketing through online channels and save money, save money, save money.

Sign up here, on the Webinar Page, for the forthcoming session on the 28th of April, or for the two later dates

Please, feel free to come join us. Spaces are limited, so sign up now!

Happy Birthday, Blog!

2009-04-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

by Ron Daly

The DigitalMailer blog will be a year old as of tomorrow. We're very excited to have added the blog to our website and to be able to communicate with you - our partners, our clients, our friends - on a regular basis.

Having spent a year in the blog-scape (or just about), we thought we'd share a few lessons we've learned along the way.

1) Rome wasn't built in a day, even if your blog was.

Jimmy Marks, our Creative Media Director, made this blog work on our site and set up an archive people could read through. It didn't take him long to get things rolling and for us to post stories and topics of interest. But gaining a readership and bringing in people was tough, and at times a little disheartening. Luckily, we stuck with it and it has had lasting benefits.

2) Write for the people you care about

We wanted to do what we could to give our clients and partners, both current and potential, a look at how we operate. People use our stories and posts to get a look inside our world and, hopefully, to better their own.

3) Don't be afraid to expand

Our other blogs, clickconnectcommunicate.com and cusoapbox.com, came out of our desire to share our thoughts with our joined industries - communication technologies and credit unions. CCC Blog stands to give our friends and neighbors our thoughts on emerging technologies. CU Soapbox is growing every month, becoming a mouthpiece for folks in the CU industry who want to keep up with what's going on. But we keep this blog running to highlight the good works of our employees and our company as a whole.

4) If you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong.

I'm a fairly quiet guy. I didn't know how much fun I was going to have writing short stories and ideas about the industry here in my own little corner of the internet. My number one goal: don't let it feel like a chore. If I don't want to post anything, I don't post anything. If I do, I let 'er rip. And the blog maintains no deadlines.

When you're looking for the good news about DigitalMailer, or just want my two cents, this is where you should start. We're happy to be here, and we look forward to many more years online.

Electronic Messaging Tips for E-mail Success: A sample of our whitepaper on e-mail deliverability

2009-03-31T10:24:00.000-07:00

The email industry is still evolving so there are no firm standards. However, the following tips will help you improve the results from your email marketing.

Permission rules
Internet users are increasingly saturated and frustrated with junk email. This shouldn’t be a
problem for most credit unions, at least in dealing with their own members. Most members want to hear from their credit union, especially if you craft concise, well-written missives. But for credibility, you must seek permission to send messages, and always make it easy to opt out.

Open a dialogue
Don’t just talk AT your members; they get plenty of that through other media. Establish a dialogue with members and use the interaction to strengthen the relationship. Invite users to check out your Website, ask questions, give opinions, but be prepared to keep up your part of the dialogue with fast, well-crafted responses.

Short = sweet
There is no rule of thumb for email length, but most professional messages are short, sometimes no longer than one screen, with the details presented on Web pages linked to the message. Some of our favorite email lists rarely get read because there is just too much good info to absorb quickly, so the message is set aside and ultimately never read. Like a good speech, three topics are probably enough.

Seek professional help
Electronic messaging is not rocket science, but you can make your messaging efforts much smoother by enlisting the services of a specialized email service provider such as DigitalMailer. Service providers will automate much of the tedious maintenance efforts such as resends, bounce-back maintenance, and opt-out requests so you can concentrate on making the messages better.

Timing counts
Although every rule of thumb should be tested, the conventional wisdom is that Tuesdays through Thursdays are best for reaching members at work, reserve Saturday and Sunday emails for home users. Many experts recommend sending messages late in the workday so they needn’t compete with the morning clutter.

Ensure a good landing
An effective email marketing campaign includes a specialized Website landing page that supports the teaser email copy and converts prospects into buyers. You should NOT use your home page for the landing unless your offer is obvious AND you have tracking in place to distinguish regular visitors from those visiting due to your direct-marketing efforts.

Want to read more? Click here for your own copy of "31 Tips for e-Mail Success" from DigitalMailer.

Well, enough of the bad news...

2009-03-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

by Ron Daly

Yeah, I'm done with bad news. That doesn't mean it's not there to be found, I just don't want to bother with sharing it here. I want to share the good news with you, our customers, our friends, and our prospective clients.

First, that credit unions are still getting a favorable rating in the press. A great article from the Wall Street Journal just came out singing the praises of the industry and showing some impressive graphs about CUs' lending practices. It's nice to know there's still a little good press to be found for an industry that has been (somewhat) able to rest on its laurels. Click here to read their article.

You say that's not enough good news for you? Take advantage of the Good News Network, a website devoted to bringing uplifting stories and good news in general to people that are just tired of all the bad. Visit their website here.

Do you have any good news? We'd love to hear it...and so would Brian Williams at NBC news. He's asked people to share their good news with him at the Nightly News blog. If you have something truly spectacular going on near you, leave it for them to read through.

So you see? There's good news to be had. It all depends on where you look.

Have good news about your credit union? Tell us about it in a comment or email us at blogs@digitalmailer.com
We've got good news of our own...our newsletter has been updated! Click here to sign up!

How to wear a barrel in a way that flatters the hips

2009-03-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

by Ron Daly

Yes, I know. It's a joke that's getting less funny, because it's slowly becoming reality. People are losing homes, jobs are disappearing, business is bad all around. And we, dear friends, are in an industry that is constantly under the microscope (read about the CU industry's recent scrutiny on our other blog, the CU Soapbox). We're on the tightrope, and we need to stand up straight and tall to get through.

Marketing suffers at a time like this. People and businesses trying to do more with less are often left with nothing at all. And while "no news is good news" applies in some aspects of life, it sure doesn't work for the CU industry. A diminished marketing budget only means you have to be smart about spending.

Multiple studies show that companies that keep their messages and brands in the public's eye during a recession often come through hard times much better than those that don't. One such study, by MarketSense, proved the point with the 1989-91 recession: Brands such as Jif Peanut Butter and Kraft Salad Dressing increased advertising, and saw sales grow 57 percent and 70 percent, respectively. Pizza Hut and Taco Bell stepped up promotion, increasing sales by 61 percent and 40 percent. But McDonald's, which took the opposite approach, had a 28 percent decline in sales over the same period.

Case Study: Innovative Recession e-Marketing

Solidarity Federal Credit Union is taking an innovative approach to recession marketing: YouTube-style videos. The Kokomo, Indiana-based credit union is emailing promotional clips to targeted members, using short videos created in-house. Members tell their own stories about why they like the credit union's services, such as electronic checking and at-home check deposit. And according to Vice President of Marketing Diana Tenbrook, members' recommendations go a long way to boost credibility.

Tenbrook says the credit union began its unique approach to differentiate SOLFCU from its banking competitors. But with tighter budgets in today's down cycle, the credit union has found email can extend its marketing efforts without draining resources.

SOLFCU uses DigitalMailer's email engines to distribute the information. Here's the latest SOLFCU latest video clip, where Jake and Kylie, a newlywed couple, discuss how they had to deal with enormous bank fees with no explanation!

"Emailing these clips has actually resulted in some viral marketing, with members spreading the word after viewing them," Tenbrook said. "One of our members, who has a home-based business, told us people come up to her in the grocery store and say they've seen her in a Solidarity video."

Using DigitalMailer's email marketing service, SOLFCU can ensure that the emailed videos get to the inboxes of members who want to receive them. And with a high open rate of nearly 30 percent, the strategy is clearly working.

You can get in on the story at CreditUnions.com, where our full article "Need a Sure Bet in Today's Economy? Step Up Marketing." is up now!

Communication during crisis: Sign up and learn more

2009-02-24T06:42:00.000-08:00

by Ron Daly

Yesterday at CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC), DigitalMailer and our strategic partner Ongoing Operations (click here for a list of our other Strategic Partners) hosted a meet-and-greet at Capitol City Brewing Co. Great food and drink, to be sure, but the company was wonderful. The folks at Ongoing were great, as always, and I never regret meeting folks from credit unions across the nation.

I talked with a few folks yesterday who wanted me to get them the link for our upcoming webinar with Ongoing Operations. The webinar, hosted by CreditUnions.com, is called How to Communicate During a Crisis. It's complimentary and lasts about an hour, so why not sign up?

I'll break it down for you:

Who: Us, Ongoing Operations, Northwest FCU's Bill Cook
What: A free webinar about our Crisis Management Notification System, and about the best way to manage your credit union's emergency operations
When: Thursday, March 5 at 2:00 pm Eastern
Where: Online! Click here for more info and to sign up.
Why: I think the "why" is pretty obvious, personally. Right now, times are tough and budgets are thin. Start thinking about a solution that can save you money and save precious time in a crisis.

Hopefully, we'll see you there.

We can help you get started with "Stop the Paper!"

2009-02-13T08:33:00.000-08:00

by Jimmy Marks

"This is great for the environment."

-CUNA President Dan Mica

Paper statements cost your credit union $.50 to $.75 MORE than an eStatement on average.

The more eStatements you have, the more money you save!

We know it's been on your mind - how to get more out of your marketing, increase your environmental awareness and save on printing and mailing costs.

Enter DigitalMailer's online services, which take care of any number of solutions that rack up your paper-related costs.

Need to make things greener...both environmentally and financially? We can set you up with a custom campaign that promotes online service adoption. We even include giveaways! Clients can take advantage of our "Stop The Paper!"campaign, which has several posters, mailers, brochures, email campaigns, and even our flashing buttons (pictured at the top of this email) for tellers.

Want to put it another way? We have 4 other campaigns that we can set up for you right away...many with free collateral!

Want to get started? Contact me (Jimmy Marks, Creative Media Director) at jmarks@digitalmailer.com.

Who's Holding All the Cards?

2009-02-12T06:40:00.000-08:00

by Ron Daly

There's been a lot of buzz and hum about credit cards recently. And why not? Credit is a sore subject to some, a point of pride for others, and for folks that never had it? Could go either way, really.

So, let's highlight some credit card stories of the past few days:

One of the biggest stories: The Heartland Systems break-in. I wrote a piece for the CU Soapbox on the hack about a week ago (click to read), and new horror stories just keep popping up. Wired Magazine has been keeping tabs on the accounts affected (click here to read) and CreditCards.com say the effects have hit financial institutions on all levels and in many states (click to read).
More and more, banks and credit card companies have been driving up the rates (click to read).

Have anything else to share on credit cards? Our comments section is always open.

DigitalMailer, Ongoing Operations partnership featured in Credit Union Management magazine

2009-02-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

by Greg Crandell

This month's CUES Credit Union Management magazine featured DigitalMailer and strategic partner Ongoing Operations in the story "To the Next Level". Our collaboration was highlighted as an example of CUSOs cooperating and offering the best of each others' services to clients.

To read the full article on the CUES website, click here.

Want to learn more about our partnership with Ongoing Operations? Visit our Crisis Management Notification System page.

Rain, Heat, Gloom? No Problem. Deficit? Problem.

2009-01-29T08:03:00.000-08:00

by Ron Daly

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

Catchy!

The Postal Service has been around a long, long time. Their unofficial motto, above, has always been a reminder that the mail will come through.

Unless, of course, they don't.

This story from MSNBC (click to read) says that the USPS wants to cut another day of delivery out of their schedule. They're currently staring at a $6 billion shortfall, and hope that not delivering will help them stave off collapse. Oh - and there'll probably be another postage hike.

So, let's boil this down a little more. You'll be sending mail at a higher price. It's going to take twice as long (or longer) to get where they're going. And don't count on that Saturday run down to the post office - they're not there.

Not convenient. Not fast. Not cost effective.

I can promise you that email doesn't "close". Send an email, it'll be where it's going within moments. Send an email that's styled how you want with links to offers, you'll start seeing results. And email won't break your budget.

Something to think about. Visit our email marketing page for more info.

Want more info? We've got webinars! Go here to learn and sign up!

Oh, the weather outside is...blah.

2009-01-27T14:39:00.000-08:00

by Ron Daly

Much to the delight of my youngest daughter (and the disgust of my older daughters, who had to go to class regardless), it was snowing today in Northern Virginia.

Now, I know there are those of you who balk at what we, here in Northern Virginia, call "snow". In Buffalo, as I'm reminded by our Director of IT Amy Baldi, four-to-six inches of snow is the same as having no snow at all. But here? Pandemonium. Absolute chaos. Apparently, three flakes of snow is equal to two people going crazy in a car near you on the morning commute. So we have this sort of madness even with a little snow.

And I think about how much snow it will take to cancel school in a place like Alaska. Assuming there is an amount that matters there.

Which brings me to the Crisis Management Notification System, or CMNS. We've been using the CMNS for a lot of things - namely the big storms that hit Florida in August of 2008. But it's not just for big time crises like hurricanes. It could be used for folks like us, who see a little sprinkle of snow as a reason to shut down for a day. Or for bits of craziness like the Heartland break-in, which I read today has affected 80 million credit cards accounts. Yikes.

If you're having trouble with a little snow or a lot of credit cards, give us a shout. We can help.

I'm off to scrape a half-inch of snow off my car. Wish me luck.

DigitalMailer's new webinars are here for you.

2009-01-23T05:59:00.000-08:00

by Ron Daly

DigitalMailer is offering two new webinars to go along with our continued run of "Do you want fries with that?". The "Fries" webinar, which has been DigitalMailer's most successful webinar to date, will continue with the two new webinars into June. To sign up for it, click the french fry icon on the top of the left column.

The first webinar, "Budget Stretching Ideas", goes hand in hand with our page on the same subject (click here to visit). We know your marketing budgets have taken a hit in the past few months - want to learn how to make the most out of what you've got left? Come talk to us. Sign up for a webinar by clicking the icon below.The second, called "The Better Mouse Trap", was made to show you all the benefits of using DigitalMailer's Customer Communication Center as your eStatement provider (click here to learn more). Why? Because eStatements (that are easy-to-read, secure, and stored for as long as you need them) are just one arm of the CCC. To learn about the rest, click the icon below.

Feel free to sign up!