by Mark Arnold | Financial
After many years of helping facilitate bank and credit union strategic planning sessions, I can safely say one thing: people love adding to their “to do” list. For the most part, this is a good thing. After all, that’s what strategic planning...
by Taylor W. Wells | Branding, Financial
While many things combine to make a successful brand, a common denominator is originality. Originality plays strongly into just how memorable your brand is in the minds of consumers. Think about it in terms of memorable pop-culture figures. Johnny Cash made a name for...
by Taylor W. Wells | Financial
Taylor W. Wells, Communications Director for On The Mark Strategies, authored this entry. While conducting a recent two-day, deep-dive member engagement program training with a client, a discussion arose about individual roles as related to the overall brand. As part...
by Taylor W. Wells | Financial
The best strategic planning sessions use facilitators. Am I biased on this point? Of course (strategic planning is one of the core services we help clients improve). But as we tell credit unions and banks, we are also going to serve as your frienemy. A frienemy is...
by Taylor W. Wells | Financial
When discussing the importance of brand loyalty with banks and credit unions, we often touch upon the importance of “lovemarks.” Lovemarks are, as described by their website, “… the future beyond brands, they inspire loyalty beyond reason and deliver beyond your... by Taylor W. Wells | Financial, Strategy
When conducting your strategic planning session, you spend time examining trends. What are big picture issues that are going to affect financial institutions in the coming years? What new patterns are emerging with consumers? Tools used for understanding these trends... by Taylor W. Wells | Financial, Marketing
I recently had the opportunity to hear Kelly McDonald keynote a session at the National Speakers Association on “How to Market To People Not Like You.” It is based on a book with a similar title: Crafting the Customer Experience for People Not Like You: How To Delight... by Taylor W. Wells | Financial
There are tricks in any industry. Watch a Food Network show and you’ll see experts sharing their insights and tips on a multitude of cooking issues. When it comes to improving your skills as an executive with a credit union or bank, there are also tricks. And you can...