Is Your Website a Brochure or Resource?

When people go to your website to search for loan or deposit options, do they really what the loan or account … or, are they looking for the best way to get the car, the house, to have better access to their money or get to retirement faster? 

So, when you review your site, does it focus on the loan, checking or savings account, like a brochure … or does it focus on being a resource to help your members to get the car, the house, to have better access to their money or get to retirement faster?

Your website is often the first stop for anyone wanting to learn more about you and what you can do for them. Take a few minutes and look at your site as a prospective member would. I’m sure that it does a great job of listing all that you do, but is it a helpful resource to help customers achieve their goals?

Here are some examples that we have created for clients:

Auto Loans

When someone is in the market for a new vehicle, what else can you do for them?

• Help them find a car

• Help them learn about proper values

• Help them know what they can afford

• Help them get a CARFAX report

• Provide car care tips

• Educate them on GAP

Mortgage

When someone is in the market for a mortgage, what do they really need help with?

• Finding a realtor

• Finding a home

• Learning about local neighborhoods

• Getting quotes for home insurance

• Getting tips on packing, moving and home maintenance

Checking

When someone’s in the market for a checking account, what are they interested in?

• Accessing their money

• Managing their money

• Keeping their money secure

Even when credit unions “only” have a basic free checking account, they offer ancillary add-ons that help members. We’ve taken an approach that positions an ordinary “basic free checking” into a customizable account. One where the member can pick and choose which of the great add-ons would be most helpful.

What we learned from this approach is that frontline staff have moved from saying things like, “we just have free checking,” to actually selling all the great benefits.

By looking at your site from your member’s point of view, and empathizing with their real need, you can structure your site to help your member to better achieve their goals and ultimately sell more product.