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Dec 10, 2024 | 
yourmarketing.co | Frank Allgood |Bo McDonald
We’ve all been there. Someone dismisses something you love – be it a TV show, a product, or an idea, and your first instinct is to defend it passionately. Take LOST, for instance. If someone tells me they didn’t like it or “they were always dead,” my gut reaction is to dive into a 30-minute dissertation on why it’s one of the greatest shows ever made. But here’s the catch: When you launch into defense mode, you’re essentially saying, “I’m right, and you’re wrong.” The result?
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Dec 10, 2024 | yourmarketing.co | Frank Allgood |Bo McDonald
We’ve all been there. Someone dismisses something you love – be it a TV show, a product, or an idea, and your first instinct is to defend it passionately. Take LOST, for instance. If someone tells me they didn’t like it or “they were always dead,” my gut reaction is to dive into a 30-minute dissertation on why it’s one of the greatest shows ever made. But here’s the catch: When you launch into defense mode, you’re essentially saying, “I’m right, and you’re wrong.” The result?
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Nov 6, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Frank Allgood
As we move into 2025, rebranding will be more critical than ever for credit unions seeking to shed outdated perceptions, differentiate themselves from competitors, and resonate with a more digitally savvy, purpose-driven audience. How do you evolve in a rapidly changing world while preserving the essence of what makes you special? You’re about to find out.
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Oct 21, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Frank Allgood
Authenticity is often hailed as the holy grail. Every conversation about building a successful brand strategy begins with the mantra: “Authenticity is key.” But in our quest to be “authentic,” are we actually hurting our brands? Could it be that this obsession with being genuine, without a clear understanding of our market, makes us blend into the crowd rather than stand out?
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Aug 28, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Frank Allgood
There’s a pervasive misunderstanding that being authentic equates to being nice. This misconception has led many credit unions to dilute their unique voices in an effort to appear caring, polite, and universally appealing. Take brands like Liquid Death and Mountain Dew. These brands are anything but quiet and reserved, yet they are paragons of authenticity.
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Jul 30, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Frank Allgood
Expectations can lead to disappointment… But that’s no excuse to avoid them!Ducking out of setting expectations because you fear being seen as a tyrant or dread disappointment is a cop-out. And if you have the viewpoint that “no one cares about expectations anymore,” then you need to do some serious soul searching. If you’re serious about leading your credit union to success, you must set expectations. It is non-negotiable. Expectations drive performance and establish clear standards.
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Jun 20, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Frank Allgood
You’ve heard the Peter Drucker quote, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” It’s a simple way to say the overall vibe and values within a credit union have a stronger impact on success than the best-laid plans or tactics. But is there something that eats culture? The most brilliant strategy at a credit union doesn’t stand a chance with a culture that is negative or misaligned.
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May 22, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Frank Allgood
Have you ever heard that authenticity is everything? As credit union leaders, we are called to be principled, transparent, and tackle issues head-on with high levels of integrity. Yet there are societal expectations, personal barriers, and organizational dynamics that often challenge our authenticity. In most credit union cultures, there is an unspoken emphasis on uniformity rather than individuality. A leader who dares to veer too far from the norm is often treated with suspicion.
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Apr 30, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Bo McDonald |Frank Allgood |Kurt Klassen |Christie Smith
When you find yourself saying, “it’s not on brand,” do you understand why you are saying it? Uttering these words should prompt us to question whether we truly grasp the essence of our brand identity and what it represents. It’s not merely a matter of adhering to a color palette or logo; it encompasses the entire attitude and personality of our brand. If you are getting hung up on visual identity alone, something is wrong. Let me explain: Too many credit unions view their brand guides as law.
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Apr 9, 2024 | 
cuinsight.com | Frank Allgood |Matt Saefkow |Jimese Harkley |Paul Kundert
When a credit union leader says they want to do a short run on a campaign, my initial response is, “Are we swimming or treading water?” Unfortunately, too many credit unions are only looking to dip their toe in the water. Let me explain. As someone who lives in the Carolinas, I’m very aware that FanDuel and DraftKings have arrived in North Carolina.
