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Happy Credit Union Youth Week! Each year, credit unions take this one week in April to focus on their youngest members. Whether it be through participation in the National Youth Saving Challenge, special giveaways, or even a full-fledged party, it’s a special week worth celebrating. However, with the average age of credit union members often cited as 47, shouldn’t credit unions focus on this next generation every day of the year?
With the theme of the week “Be a Savings Sleuth” it is only appropriate that credit unions take on a gumshoe mentality and take a look at their own practices to determine if we are making every possible effort to attract, maintain, and deepen relationships with this important demographic.
When strategizing youth membership goals, here are some questions worth considering:
- Are you promoting your convenient services that youth expect – including ATM access and Shared Branching?
- Are you using the latest in Google advertising to make it easy for young adults to find you?
- What does your website look like? What does it say to an 18-year-old looking to open an account or a 24 year-old looking to apply for a car loan online?
- Is your online access “all inclusive” with mobile banking and online accounting opening?
- Do you utilize data mining to tap into your target audiences and customize offers?
- Are your member services staff up to date on the programs you offer? Do they “cross-share” Shared Branching, debit cards and credit cards?
- Do you offer services for both young members, and for their parents to help them become financially fit?
- Are you connecting with college-bound students on how they can take your CU to school with them?
Here at Synergent, we have had the opportunity to become a partner with CUs. We look to the future, helping them promote the services youth demand – from greater access to mobile banking, finding new ways to share the message that with credit unions, youth day truly is every day!
