Despite their compelling stories and solid value propositions, co-ops are often underserved when it comes to digital marketing.
MindActive is working to change that. The creative services agency helps cooperative businesses communicate their stories through targeted, relevant messaging and thoughtful use of social media.
“In a competitive world, marketing messages about key value propositions are still going to drive interest and ultimately convert customers,” said Byron Sletten, a MindActive owner/partner. “The good news is, once that initial relationship is established, the co-op philosophy often retains customers for life.”
A full-service web strategy and design shop, MindActive is focused on helping its clients align and connect eMarketing and eCommerce goals with core messaging and products/services.
MindActive’s expertise and experience working with associations, co-ops and for-profit companies in the healthcare, telecomm, consumer goods, fashion, food, beverage and entertainment industries gives it insight into how organizations both large and small can best communicate their message.
On August 28, Sletten and fellow MindActive Owner/Partner Phillip Hamilton will lead a webinar hosted by NCBA CLUSA. Called, “Latest Web Trends for Planning a Re-design,” the webinar will introduce attendees to the top trends and best practices when it comes to updating organizational websites.
Plan on learning about:
• Shifting trends in mobile use
• Media-centric sites
• Publishing content for the non-technical
• Contemporary design trends
• Social media tips
• New interactive tools for co-ops
• Latest in search optimization
MindActive has worked with the Missouri Credit Union Association since 2010. Two years later, it developed the web and mobile components of a statewide credit union awareness campaign called “Bank On More” for MCUA.
“One of the great features of the program was a web-based ‘Credit Union Finder’ app,” Hamilton said. “This pulled from a database of Missouri credit unions and provided the qualifying criteria based on things like location, employer or other affiliation.”
The app is still in use today, and MindActive is currently finalizing a similar mobile app for NCBA CLUSA to help the public and association members find and connect with co-ops nationwide across all sectors.
Going forward, MindActive’s partners say they anticipate continuing to help co-ops work together through crossover marketing and a shared cooperative base, and by encouraging all consumers to “Live Cooperatively.”
Oh, and they plan to “have some fun amid all this serious marking stuff, too.”
Sletten recalls one memorable discussion about positioning credit unions, which were gaining a reputation for stability during the economic downturn.
“At the time there was lots of consumer frustration to be leveraged against the big banks,” he said.
MindActive responded with a tagline that reflected both the new confidence and the mission of credit unions: “Banking Without the Spanking.” In the end, the client “opted for something safer, but we all still smile when we think about it.”
—Click here to register for the August 28 webinar.