Recently I received a letter from the dealership where I get my car serviced thanking me for being a valued customer. And to show their appreciation for my loyalty, they made me an offer for a cool car accessory they just started stocking at 20% off the regular price.
That caught my attention.
Not only was the offer timely, but relevant. However, the letter didn’t tell me what the regular price was or how much the discounted price would be including tax. So I called them.
My past experience with this dealership has always been one of great customer service … friendly people who know my car and me as well as what they’re doing. But this encounter was a whole new ball game.
When they answered the phone, I immediately identified myself, told them about the letter and the offer, and asked them for the pricing. The dead silence on the other end of the line let me know pretty quickly that they had no idea what I was talking about, so I asked to be transferred to someone else that could help me. Six people later, none of who knew anything about the letter or the offer, I hung up.
This was not only a missed opportunity for the dealership, but put doubts in my mind about what happened to all that exceptional customer service I was so use to receiving.
The point is that all the great ideas and great creative in the world won’t be successful if the fulfillment side of the offer falls flat. Making sure that your Credit Union’s employees are fully informed and engaged in all of your marketing efforts is a critical part of meeting and surpassing your goals.
Here are a few tips on how to make that happen.
1. Have a rally for the rollout.
Send each employee a fun teaser invitation to a special in-person or intranet video event that includes prizes and giveaways.
2. Share the facts.
Informed employees are going to have a higher rate of buy-in if they feel comfortable and confident about what’s happening and why. Give them talking points or a point of contact if they have a question they can’t answer.
3. Provide samples of marketing materials.
Knowing how the promotion is going to look and what marketing channels will be used will build the feeling of inclusion.
4. Offer goal-based incentives.
Whether it’s cash or a camera, everybody likes to be acknowledged and rewarded when they do good things.
5. Send regular progress reports.
Keeping people in the loop as to how things are going will keep them engaged.
6. Celebrate the success.
Have a cookout or send cupcakes to all the employees. What ever you do, there’s nothing that buys more goodwill than saying “thank you for all your hard work.”
What’s your secret to insuring successful fulfillment on your marketing projects?
