Customer Success Story – Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union
If there is one thing we have in common with one of our valued customers, Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union, it’s our passion for marketing. We don’t just love what we do – we are invested in making sure our direct marketing services truly help our customers thrive. So, when we heard that the marketing department at Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union won some well-deserved awards by the Marketing Association of Credit Unions for their outstanding work, we just had to spotlight their innovative and creative marketing talent. First, let’s have a look at the seven awards they won this year:
3 Gold Awards
Category: Culture and Internal Branding. Topic: Careers and Employee Video
Category: Community Engagement. Topic: College Scholarships Promotion
Category: Crisis Response Topic: COVID-19 Communications
2 Silver Awards
Category: Broadcast Video. Topic: People Matter Most TV Ad Series/Campaign
Category: Direct Mail. Topic: Branch Promotion Series
2 Bronze Awards
Category: Outdoor. Topic: Designs for the new ATMs/ITMs
Category: Culture and Internal Branding. Topic: Cheyenne Downtown Branch Graphics
We connected with Edward Beckmann, Chief Experience Officer at Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union to learn more about their success:
MP: You’ve won numerous creative awards over the years. What would you say is the secret recipe for your marketing department’s success?
EB: Our marketing success is based upon many factors. One of the areas we focus on at the beginning of every campaign is proper segmentation and targeting of our audience. By doing so, we’re making sure as much as possible that we’re putting relevant offers in front of the people who are mostly likely to act on them. This ensures better response rates and results, saves money, and makes sure that customers and potential customers see us as sending them mailers for a reason which helps our reputation.
When developing our messages, we put the information into a hierarchy. This may sound obvious, but we put the most important messages in larger, more noticeable type and the most visible locations on the postcard, to get our primary messages across quickly and noticeably.
We also ensure that everything ties in together. This means that the words, illustrations, photos and calls to action all look like one cohesive piece. We want to demonstrate that we have put thought into our marketing mailers, whether it’s a single piece or part of a series. The mail recipients make an association between marketing and the organization. In other words, if we have our act together on the marketing pieces, they make the assumption that the company has its act together on everything else.
MP: Your marketing department creates communications and creative campaigns across multiple channels, from broadcast to outdoor. How important is it to include direct mail in the mix, and why?
EB: Direct mail is a key part of our marketing channel mix. With direct mail, we are putting messages and offers directly into the hands of people who we want to get them. Every marketing channel has its pluses and minuses of course. For direct mail, we control what it looks like, how much space to use for what message, the type size, the colors, the photos, and the frequency. Direct mail is measurable, unlike some other marketing channels. This gives us the opportunity to prove its value. Not every marketing channel can be directly tied to an action. An advertisement in a newspaper, a billboard, and other channels don’t always have that one-to-one connection. With direct mail, we can say “We mailed to Person A, and Person A took action on that offer.” We know we mailed to them and we know they took us up on this.
Direct mail has another plus that it provides a more lasting message. Emails can get lost or deleted. Other types of ads can be seen and then forgotten. With direct mail, the recipient can put the piece on a kitchen counter, or in their car, or somewhere that serves as an ongoing reminder to them. It’s durable.
MP: How has Modern Postcard contributed to your success?
EB: I’ve been working with Don Floresca and the Modern Postcard team for many years. I come back time and again to work with the Modern Postcard team because the people are knowledgeable, responsive, and friendly. The prices are reasonable. The service is quick, the quality is excellent and the results are provable. It’s been a good relationship, no doubt.
MP: What would you like people to know about Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union?
EB: We have a small team of people in our marketing department. There are only three of us. This has the advantages in the fact that we work closely together, we communicate well, and each of us brings our own set of skills. Collectively we are better than we are individually. We’re counted on to promote a multitude of products and services, for credit union branches across multiple cities and states. The expectations and demands are high for us. We need to make sure that we partner with other companies and people who set the same high standards and responsibilities for themselves. Modern Postcard is one of our key partners and they’ve proven it to us over the years.
In closing, we want to extend a huge congratulations to Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union and their exceptional marketing department! We’re looking forward to many more successful years together and can’t wait to see what you do next. Well deserved!
If you’re interested in learning more about how Modern Postcard’s Direct Mail services can lift your marketing efforts for better response rate, get in touch with us today.
Call a Direct Marketing Specialist at 800.959.8365.