SHEFFIELD, Ala.-Listerhill CU here has launched the website www.Iheartmycreditunion.org as a way not only to boost its own traffic, but to capitalize on growing public interest in credit unions.
Iheartmycreditunion.org came about as the $536-million CU was preparing for International Credit Union Day in October of 2011. "The most important thing about Credit Union Day is educating people about the credit union difference," said Kristen Mashburn, director of marketing. "We were trying to figure out a way to do that and we realized that sometimes our website is bogged down with product info and promotions and rates, and the focus isn't as much on letting people know what a credit union is."
As such, Iheartmycreditunion.org focuses on the benefits of credit union membership, including a video of several Listerhill members explaining the ways credit union membership has benefitted their lives. "If they make the decision to come to Listerhill, that's great," said Mashburn, "but even if they don't, we provide a link to an outside website that helps people find a credit union."
When it went live on International CU Day, the site received "pretty impressive traffic," as well as attention from local radio and TV stations covering the event, said Mashburn. LCU also purchased billboards throughout the area and has distributed to members window decals featuring the I Heart My Credit Union logo.
The site also highlights its "Where's Your Heart?" campaign, which has included paying members $5 cash at point-of-sale when they use their Listerhill debit card, as well as other perks.
Brand Audit Planned
"Long term, we're hoping to make this whole idea of us having our heart with the community and our heart with our members a stronger portion of our brand," said Mashburn.
The 69,000-member Listerhill Credit Union will also be performing a brand audit in early 2012 and Mashburn said the plan was to implement elements of I Heart My Credit Union into the CU's main page (www.listerhill.com).
Mashburn noted that because CUs received so much media exposure during the latter half of 2011, the timeliness of the site was part of what made it notable. "We thought it was really important to get it out there while there was such great momentum," she said, adding that positive messaging about CUs-combined with not saying negative things about banks-plays well with consumers right now.
"We're talking to people in the way that they want to be talked to," she said. "Strong, persuasive marketing is not what people want to hear. In the age of information, people just want to know the facts. We felt like now was just a great time when people are proactively seeking facts about [credit unions] to put out a message from us that's just facts."
