One-Person Mrktg Depts, OpSS Best Practice Award Winners Subjects Of Two New White Papers

July 11, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katye Long
CUNA Communications; (608) 231-4038
klong@cuna.coop

MADISON, Wis. – Learn ideas for balancing the priorities and workloads of a one-person marketing and business development department in the first of two new white papers from the CUNA Councils.

Sponsored by the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council, “Balancing Priorities in One-Person Marketing and Business Development Departments” focuses on the advice and experiences of nine credit union professionals who lead these one-person departments. These professionals discuss challenges, specialized tasks, outsourcing, use of technology, personals tools and tips, and how they stay visible in the organization.

This paper also addresses a common issue in one-person departments of finding help or backup in the credit union. One idea provided in the paper is to gain assistance from front-line staff with an interest in business development. “When work was slow at a new branch, a teller at First American CU in Beloit, Wis., asked the credit union to allow her to call small businesses to introduce the credit union and promote the value of direct deposit. That effort eventually developed into a business development position for the teller,” states the paper.

The second new paper, “Strengthening Member Connections: 2007 Best Practices Awards from the CUNA Operations, Sales, and Service Council,” profiles the successful efforts and initial results of the two award-winning credit unions. Ascend FCU in Tullahoma, Tenn., won in the Branch Design category for the design of a new branch that translates into brick and mortar philosophy behind its new name, brand identity, and sales and service culture. Spokane Teachers CU in Liberty Lake, Wash., won in the Sales and Service Management category for its Conversation Engine, a member relationship management tool developed internally to suggest customized “conversation starters” to help front-line staff identify products and services to serve members’ financial needs. The awards – recognizing innovative solutions that optimize credit union performance – were presented during the council’s 10th annual conference in September 2007.

CUNA Council members are entitled to complimentary copies of these white papers; non-members may purchase the white papers for a price of $50 per copy. The papers are available online at www.cunacouncils.org; select the “Cross-Council White Papers” link located in the “Tools and Resources” drop-down menu. Select the “Marketing and BizDev” tab for the one-person department paper or the “OpSS” tab for the best practice awards paper. From there, non-members should follow the non-member link to order.

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