Posted by Lisa Hochgraf
The "Ask Jack" blog, launched mid-October by Members Credit Union, can already boast almost 1,800 visits. And one post has garnered a dozen comments to boot.
The blog allows consumers to send questions directly to Members CU President/CEO Jack V. Braswell, Jr., anonymously if they so choose. It also includes video posts by "Jack" covering such topics as "Does the Current Financial Crisis Mean I Won't Be Able to Get a Loan?"
Director of public relations for the $200 million CU in Winston-Salem, N.C., Matt Davis is using Google analytics to measure the traffic to the site. "It's free, and amazingly deep," he notes.
How did Members CU score so many visitors so early in the game?
"For obvious reasons," Davis says, "our major promotional efforts have centered on 'electronic users.' We have posted the link to the blog on our Web site, included references to the blog on our 'Football Pick'em' videos and e-mails, and directed members to the site via e-mail and electronic communication within our online banking site."
Davis says he's been especially pleased with how the CU has incorporated the blog in the launch of its "Holiday Skip-a-Pay" program.
"I liked that ... members got to hear straight from our CEO why we launched the program"--to help members through these tough economic times, he explains. "We decided to use 'Ask Jack' as the place to get information about the program to help familiarize people with the site. It seems to have worked extremely well. We have about a dozen comments on the 'Holiday Skip-a-Pay' post, and have started getting quite a few messages through the blog's contact form.
"I could totally see us using this method again. Transparency is all the rage and there is nothing more transparent than having the person behind the decision explaining to our members why that decision was made."
Long term, Davis hopes to integrate the blog with Members CU's main Web site. "My goal would be to center all communications on 'Ask Jack,'" he explains. "Why? Searchability, ability for members to comment, and the format's unique ability to make communications informal, informative, and transparent."
