In this Age of Acceleration, as Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas Friedman describes it, you’re faced with the all too real threatsThreats What the primitive brain will act on. Whether real or perceived, the brain prioritizes acting on threats above and beyond any other action. This hurts sellers who are unable to connect the real impact of their product/service to a prospect’s threats. of digital disruption and dislocation. If you move too slow to adapt, it’s highly likely that new competition will mow you over — grabbing opportunities that could have been yours. But if you move aimlessly or in the wrong direction, you’re just as likely to fail.
Now, more than ever, the key to succeeding lies in clarifying and embracing your “Why.” And, just as important, “Why do you exist?” By investing in a renewed focus on the convincing reasons around “Why,” you will be able to succeed..
But it doesn’t stop there. As a leader for your credit union, you also must take on the responsibility of getting your organization aligned around those convincing reasons of “Why.” Without alignment and a strong shared belief in those convincing reasons of “Why,” your initiative becomes yet another good idea that quickly loses steam.
How is your credit union different? Ask, “Why Us, Not Them?” and “Why Do We Exist?” Your answers must be convincing.
Without a shared belief in your “Why,” no plan will succeed. RPG shows you how to effectively align your team around your “Why.”
Create convincing messaging around your “Why” to attract members with the same core beliefs.
Seeing is believing. Quickly show evidence of how you solve members’ pains. Only then will employees deepen their belief in your “Why.” This step is critical to your success.
“We started working with RPG after hearing their presentation about how the brain makes decisions based on solving pains. We really didn’t have the budget but we needed to re-evaluate how we were selling to our members. RPG helped us hone our purpose, develop our compelling advantages and focus on our mission. As a result, our employees are feeling the passion to carry out our purpose – helping people live better lives.
RPG’s in-depth discussions with our team led to the development of two new products, including the Freedom Fast loan. We went from booking $250,000 in 18 months with the old loan of this same type to over $1 million in the first 10 months of the Freedom Fast loan. Why? Because the employees owned it and really got behind it.
Sometimes it’s hard to calculate an ROI on this type of thing, but the change in my staff has been immense. Just the success of the Freedom Fast loan is proof to me that it is working. We love working with RPG!”
of decisions are
made on autopilot
Any attempt to build a convincing reason for prospects to choose your credit union must start with understanding how the human brain operates. We’re hard-wired to act based on pains, threats and fears.
When thinking about strategies to move your credit union forward, it’s highly unlikely that science will pop into your mind. Well, it’s time to change your way of thinking if you don’t want to risk becoming irrelevant. Science has everything to do with your success. To attract prospective members, you must understand the science behind how to position yourself as the ideal solution to their pains, threats and fears.
Although the world has rapidly evolved over the centuries, the human brain remains largely unchanged. By gaining a deeper understanding of the limbic brain — which is focused on emotions, you can develop messaging that clearly speaks to the Convincing Advantages you offer members and potential members. You will make it clear to them that you are the answer to their core emotional needs.
This strategy is the key to driving priorityPriority A commitment to eliminate a threat that’s both urgent and important. A priority is what will get acted on, instead of just discussed. It differs from a pain point because most pain points never get acted on. — over the other competition — in your prospect’s brain. It is the key to your credit union’s success.
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
— Simon Sinek, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” Ted Talk
Build the Right Strategy, Brand Messaging
and Alignment to Succeed
In today’s rapidly evolving world, organizations daily face the prospect of becoming irrelevant in the face of digital disruptions, new competition and major shifts in the marketplace. The challenges are great. You can’t simply embrace the latest technology and expect to succeed. Nor can you simply stand still. You need a proven strategy if you want to survive and thrive in this Age of Acceleration.
At RPG, we believe the answer lies in identifying, understanding and embracing your Convincing Advantages. Those are the steps to further engaging your current members and attracting new loyal members. We also believe that owning your “Why” — why you exist and why you’re better than your competition — will drive your organization’s success. In our latest ebook, “Move Your Credit Union Forward,” we take you through the steps that have helped other credit unions stand out from the crowd in this Age of Acceleration.
In our latest ebook, “Move Your Credit Union Forward,” we take you through the steps that have helped other credit unions stand out from the crowd in this Age of Acceleration.
Your credit union deserves to stand out from the competition. You already have the Convincing Advantages needed to succeed. Talk to RPG about our process for helping you identify your “Whys,” how to get your team aligned around them and how to attract your new loyal members.