Gary Lanier Offers Ways To Make SEGs Feel The Love After Conversion To Community Charter
* Back-to-school packages for children of SEG employees-all conveniently decorated with the CU's logo, of course.
* Offer seminars, brown-bag lunches, CU days and other special events.
* Maintain a SEG Rep newsletter
* Offer fresh-start checking and special loan programs for those with poor credit. "You can't say 'we're here to help all your employees' and then turn down 50% of them." Work with the SEG to see if the company will underwrite some of those loans.
* Consider putting an ATM onsite at the SEG. "It's a loss leader, but it's a competitive advantage," Lanier noted. "We're getting hammered by BofA. They've figured out the credit union model, and they're going after our SEGs. The ATM is the key."
* Contests can be very effective. For example, randomly select a SEG member who has direct deposit with the credit union and double that person's paycheck for that week. Or make someone's auto payment or mortgage payment. "It's a big way to make an impact on the SEG," he said. "But put caps on this."
* Offer a unique URL for SEGs.
* Offer financial compensation to SEG ambassadors for qualified leads. If they're not allowed to take the money, offer to make a charitable donation in his or her name instead.
