Events Calendar

8:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

New Consumer Marketing: From Shiny Plastic to Locally Grown
Josh Allison, President of Think Café Consulting Firm and Relationship Development Manager at Horizon Credit Union
Kelley Parks, Creative Catalyst, gira{ph}

More than 70 million Americans identify themselves as” New Consumers.” Defined less by traditional demographics and more by shared values, these savvy shoppers are twice as likely to try new things, share opinions online and reward (or punish) a brand based on its corporate practices.

With the bad taste of Wall Street greed, bailouts, and scandals, the “New Consumers” are craving the sweet tasting ingredients of credit unions. Join Kelley Parks and Josh Allison as they discuss the opportunities available to credit unions to reach this growing group of conscious consumers.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Closely examine the change in consumer sentiment and the new marketing opportunities available to credit unions
• Identify best practices in credit union differentiation
• Discuss the role of innovation  in the cooperative business model

10:30 a.m. – Noon

Utilizing Market Research
Neil Goldman, Senior Partner at Goldman Consulting & Strategy, Inc.

The NWCUA has commissioned highly-regarded research expert Dr.  Neil Goldman to conduct multi market consumer research in Oregon and Washington.  This first-of-its kind survey in our region could ultimately lead to the “Got Milk” campaign for credit unions.  Whether your research budget has been eliminated in the last year, or whether you want to compare the regional results against those of your own recent research, this is a high value to Association members.  You will be first to see the results and to have the opportunity to drill down with Neil.  We’ll be completing 800 surveys to determine what drives credit union membership growth and what then turns members into promoters. 
 
Dr. Goldman works with a number of credit unions and marketing firms on branding projects. This research can be turned into action in both your marketing messages and your member service culture.  

Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Lunch – Networking Squared
“Networking Squared” is our approach to the lunch breaks at the conference. Make a new contact and dine with a counterpart from another credit union.  On day two, spend lunch with your credit union team members to engage in conversations about implementing all of the conference value once you return to work.

1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The Marketers' Survival Kit: Move Beyond Simple "Promotions" and Create High-Level Strategies That Get Measureable Results 
Ron Rosenberg, President, Quality Talk

Ron Rosenberg’s standing-room only breakouts at last year’s NWCUA Convention raised the bar for marketers who learned that emphasizing benefits over features turns passive consumers into raving fans.   He’s back with new and advanced strategies to reach your market.

These are challenging times in the finance world. You're under constant pressure from the realities of the economy and the overwhelming weight of being responsible for the long-term success of your organization.  Despite your best efforts, you always seem to be running from one crisis to the next, never truly finding the time to implement all the great ideas you know will grow the business. The good news is: it doesn't have to be this way!

This is not your standard "Rah-Rah You Can Do It!" or 'Think Positive Thoughts and Good Things Will Happen to You" motivational speech. In fact, it's quite the opposite!  In this highly interactive program, you'll discover proven, in-the-trenches, easy-to-implement strategies that will help you:

• Move beyond simple promotions to high-level strategies that will deliver results
• Create systems to eliminate unnecessary work and inconsistent results
• Adapt your marketing strategies to changing times and new technologies
• Surround yourself with people who will support your goals and not drag you down
• Identify and overcome limiting beliefs that prevent you from achieving real results
• Create an environment for becoming hyper productive without burning yourself out
• Leave this presentation with tangible items for your action plan.

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Reception - Networking Squared

8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Earned Media / Free Publicity
Jeff Crilley, CEO of Real News PR 

Jeff Crilley will teach you how to become a media darling while raking in a fortune in free publicity!
You’ll learn:

• How to create ideas guaranteed to get coverage
• Whom to call and when
• How to write a killer press release
• What to say during the interview
• How to hold a news conference the media will love
• How to combat negative news
• How to keep reporters coming back for more

Whether you are from a big or small credit union that wants coverage or a PR pro, you’ll learn the stuff that only those inside a newsroom know.

10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Morning Concurrent Breakout Session Options

Concurrent breakout sessions add value to your conference. Bringing a colleague from your credit union will allow you to get more out of the conference and to return to your credit union with your team on the same page!

Out of the Box, but Still in the Budget – Breakout
Kelley Parks, Creative Catalyst at gira{ph}
It's an interesting time to be a credit union marketer. The opportunities are vast: consumer frustration with banks and credit card companies is at an all time high. Consumers are waking up to the importance of thrift, community and trust.  With margins squeezed and budgets being downsized, marketers are challenged now more than ever to capture the attention of consumers. How do we capitalize on this critical juncture?

Creative Catalyst Kelley Parks will share how to make the most of a marketing budget during these tough economic times by investing in differentiation combined with social media. In this session, you'll discover how some simple low cost, out- of-the-box ideas can gain attention to get Results with a capital R.

Create Marketing Materials That Get Results Now
Ron Rosenberg, President of Quality Talk

If you've "had it up to here" with "Branding," "PR," and "Image-Building" strategies that don't produce results, then this is the session for you!  Instead of fluffy, feel-good, warm-and fuzzy strategies that cost a fortune and don't deliver results for months or even years, you'll learn how to apply Ron Rosenberg's outrageous marketing strategies to make immediate changes to your marketing communications that will get results now.

Bring samples of your materials to the session and get feedback on the spot. Plus, several participants will be able to sit on the "Hot Seat" and get expert advice and audience input on how to increase the response and effectiveness of specific marketing materials.

In this highly interactive, entertaining, and hands-on workshop, you'll discover:

• 12 specific elements that MUST be in every marketing piece
• Affordable and proven strategies to actually open your mailings
• The most important print concept and why most people miss it completely
• Three simple strategies to double the effectiveness of your web site
• More than 25 specific examples of what to do... and what not to do in your marketing

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Lunch - Networking ^Squared
Start your action plan before you get back to work. Connect with your colleagues to start conversations about what you’ll begin putting into action after this conference.

12:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Afternoon Concurrent Breakout Options

Brand Camp: A Workshop for Small Credit Unions to Differentiate, Build a Community and Get Ahead – Breakout
Kelley Parks, Creative Catalyst at gira{ph}
Lisa Moore, Story Teller from gira{ph}
Branding includes all the emotions that people have about your credit union. Unfortunately, if you do not actively create and reinforce your brand image, your members will craft one for you. Smaller credit unions have extra challenges from limited staff, budgets and resources. Having the discipline to stop being “all things to all people,” and instead be “amazing things to just the right people” is the focus of this session. You’ll walk away with some implementable ideas for your credit union on how to connect, engage and build the right community for your members.

Relationship Marketing: Your “Secret Weapon” to Dramatically Increase Membership and Member Retention
Ron Rosenberg, President, Quality Talk

Your members are being bombarded with every type of communication imaginable— from e-mail, TV, and radio to snail mail, billboards, and auto responders…and the list goes on and on. The sad truth is that most of these communications are either ignored or trashed. What cuts through the clutter and gets noticed is information that is personal and that comes from a trusted source. These kinds of “personal touches” will help you create long-term relationships with your members and significantly increase retention.

In this highly interactive and entertaining session, marketing and customer service expert Ron Rosenberg will show you three proven strategies guaranteed to build trust and develop instant rapport with your members. You’ll discover how to create marketing programs that will truly connect with your members and help you keep them for life.
In this all-new program, you will:

• Understand the critical balance between “personal” and “impersonal” communications

• Learn the secrets to establish “Instant Rapport” to connect with your members in a meaningful way
• Discover three specific strategies that can be implemented immediately to add the personal touch to all of your marketing communications

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Mastering the Art of “Coopetition”
Kelley Parks, Creative Catalyst at gira{ph}

“Coopetition” in the credit union movement is a term that refers to how credit unions can still exhibit the values of a cooperative while also competing for market share with other credit unions.  As more credit unions are becoming community chartered, their fields of membership have and will continue to overlap.  This session will discuss marketing strategies that will allow your credit union to cooperate with other credit unions to expand the movement but also compete for an individual piece of the market.