According to “Understanding Customers” by Ruby Newell-Legner, it can cost approximately 6 times more to attract a new member than to keep an existing one. Furthermore, Bain & Company reports that a 5% increase in member retention can increase profits up to 125%. These numbers alone reveal the necessity of a strong member retention program. Focusing on member retention will provide you with the engagement rates you desire, as well as a more favorable bottom line. Here are some tips to help you get started on increasing member engagement through cross-selling and upselling:
​
1. Utilize dynamic messaging to align communications with each member’s behaviors, needs and wants.
Dynamic messaging allows you to present strategic, real-time messages to specific target groups within your member base. From there, member-facing marketing space on digital and print statements, letters, notices, etc. is optimized to target account holders with products and services that best fit their needs. There are many ways to incorporate dynamic communications on specific customer criteria, including account balance, zip code, gender, or marital status, to name a few. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel in compiling data because you already have it, so why not not use it to increase member retention rates and your bottom line?

2. Paint a picture that emphasizes benefits rather than features.
Consider this: You are planning a trip to a tropical destination and looking for airline travel. Would you rather see messaging about the seat you will be sitting in, the seatbelt and the fact that you can recline during the flight? Or would you rather see messaging about being transported comfortably and safely to your tropical destination where you will be sitting on the beach and soaking up the sun with a beverage in your hand? I’ll take the latter with the benefits, please!
 
While this is Sales 101, I see credit unions (and other businesses, for that matter) get caught up in the functionality of their products and services rather than painting a picture that communicates the actual benefits to members.  When formulating messaging, keep this quote in mind: “People don’t want to buy a quarter inch drill. They want a quarter inch hole,” -Theodore Levitt. Features do have a place in the sales cycle, but need to only be mentioned as differentiators once a member shows interest in a product or service.
 
For more tips on cross-selling and upselling, call our team at (972) 488-6400 or send an email to lanverainfo@lanvera.com

The following article was written by our Communications & Marketing Manager, Callie Hickman, for  CUInsight and CBInsight:

One of my family members recently experienced debit card fraud where a scammer stole her card information and went on a $5,000 shopping spree in the span of an hour and a half. How the scammer got a hold of her information is unknown, but she quickly contacted her credit union to notify them so the necessary steps could be taken to prevent the scammer from making additional purchases on her account. Her credit union incurred the loss, increasing her loyalty to the brand. Meanwhile, her credit union’s bottom line took a $5,000 hit…but it could have been even more had the fraud not been detected within 1.5 hours of use.


According to Cardhub.com, credit and debit card fraud resulted in $16.31 billion worth of losses in the U.S. in 2014. Card issuers and merchants incurred 62% and 38% of those losses- the issuer losses occurring mostly at the point of sale from counterfeit cards and the merchant losses occurring mostly on card-not-present transactions.


While many credit unions are now switching to EMV chip cards, cybercriminals are getting more creative and continue to scam consumers at an alarming rate. That said, here are some proactive ways to combat debit and credit card fraud... CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST