CU Blogging 2 – Rules for the road

I was reading Church of the Customer Blog, I hope they dont mind. They have a post that seemed seemed to support what we were saying here. Here is a reprint with some edits to make it more credit union related.

Blogs may provide credit union some benefits because they easily bridge the feedback loop between members and department and marketing leaders. That bridge is often missing or difficult to create using existing tools. Like focus groups. Or telephone surveys.

For any credit union, a blog is part of a long-term customer evangelism strategy. Since blogs are easy to set up and pay for (some are free), launching a blog should be at the top of your to-do list.

Why?

Among dozens of reasons, here are seven:

1. Blogs fan the flames of member evangelism. Their personal nature helps humanize you and your credit union. By creating and maintaining a blog have re-established a relationship with your members based on a personal dialog.
2. They function as an instant-feedback mechanism. Most blogs allow readers to respond to your posts or link to them on their own blogs or at least bookmark a specific article (like auto loan services) that they can go back to later, wen they are ready to buy. These features provide almost real-time feedback on ideas and issues that strike a chord, or highlight new or existing problems. A blog can help reveal a little problem before it becomes a big one.
3. They compel you to Napsterize more of your knowledge more often. A blog is about sharing what you know, think and believe; search engines index your ongoing knowledge-sharing, making it easier for members and prospective members to find you. Attraction is always easier than hunting.
4. They facilitate the spread of buzz. Honest, informative or thought-provoking posts about issues important to members and prospective members tend to be spread more often.
5. They allow you to have more simultaneous conversations. It’s more than you could ever do in person.
6. Though it is preferable to incorporate your blog into your existing website so the content is branded to your credit union, most blog service providers offer good-looking templates to use if your existing website design is embarrassing or non-existent.
7. Blogs help position you as a knowledgeable expert in your industry, a trusted friend and financial partner.

Once you start blogging, here are five blogging don’t:

1. Do not have someone else write your blog. Write it yourself if possible. This means, have someone from the mortgage department talk about all the benefits to financing through the credit union (no fees, generous jumbo loan caps etc.). It would be wise to run the copy through the marketing department and/or your agency to make sure that if there is a sale to be made – it can be made. This also gives the marketing department the opportunity to link the copy to sections inside your CU website.
2. Blogs should not be managed by the PR department or ad agency only. Blogs are best when they’re authentic, which may include run-on sentences, detailed analysis or critical opinions. Typically, those qualities run counter to the sensibilities of traditional public relations agencies (or sometimes the legal department). You should talk to your agency about hot topics. If they are doing their job, they should have some direction for you as to what buzz you should be addressing.
3. Do not have a thin skin. Comments to your posts may bite or sting, especially while other people watch. But a strong benefit of blogs: unwarranted criticism often causes other members often to spring to your defense. Trust-based relationships emanate from taking the bad with the good – within reason.
4. Do not let your blog go unattended for weeks at a time. Focus on several posts per week, even if they’re just a few paragraphs. No less than 1 entry per month per department. This should be easy as your department heads should be passionate and knowledge
5. Do not make your blog only a branding exercise. If you endlessly promote yourself and your services, no one will care. Make sure you keep the focus your members. Ask yourself – “does the information benefit the member, even if we dont close a sale?”

So, the trick is – if you are going to start and maintain a blog for your FOM – make sure that you have something to say and that it is in the benefit of your members. It can’t be only in the best interest of the credit union. I hope this helps – it’s not all my genius, it’s a collaborative effort. But then again, what is a credit union but a collaborative effort?

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