INDIANAPOLIS-Consumers are looking for financial advice in as many media as they can find, and FORUM Credit Union here is doing its best to meet that need.
The $1-billion FORUM reaches out both in-person and online, and uses a variety of different channels in both the real and virtual worlds to touch its membership.
Marketing Manager Courtney Keeler said members have "responded pretty equally" between the two media, which have been used to publicize free shred days, with identity theft education mixed in and Financial Peace University classes and a money management course. All have been well attended, while blog posts and videos are ginning up conversation online. The credit union keeps also track of its website traffic through Google Analytics to get a better sense of which topics are most popular.
FORUM utilizes five different blogs, including "money wise" and "financial coach" blogs, to both promote pertinent products and services as well as simply dispense free financial advice. Each channel is clearly defined so members know up front where they can go for unbiased assistance and where the credit union is trying to promote something. That clear definition can help with the membership.
"We try to give advice without selling a product. We try to keep that to a very minimum, if we ever mention our products and services," said Keeler. "We're not just concerned about getting services from these members; by giving advice we show that we care about their financial lives outside of FORUM."
Blog posts and videos, which is what FORUM mostly relies on for its virtual outreach, tend to appeal to different types of members. Keeler explained that those likely to comment on or even simply read a blog entry are looking for dialogue, whereas those who prefer videos just want some concise advice they can mull themselves.
"A lot of the topics we have chosen are based on life situations where the person doesn't want to come into a branch and discuss it," she said. "Instead they can watch a two minute video on whatever topic they've chosen."
Though there is a distinct difference between virtual and in person financial education, both involve "high-touch interaction" with members, Keeler said, and require a consistent approach from staff across all channels. In all cases, the most important aspect of financial educational outreach is the pertinence of the topic; maintaining a strong dialogue and listening to member responses is critical. Flexibility is absolutely essential and foremost in the minds of FORUM when it communicates with its membership, Keeler added.
"We're still pretty new at this so we're open to feedback and changing things, though we haven't changed anything major at this point," she said.
