The ‘vision, mission, values and pillars’ strategic planning model we all know was originally taken from religious and military doctrine into western business use in 1941. In 1941, people got their information from radio, newspapers, movies, magazines, posters and leaflets. Times have changed. The framework started strong, but across millions of iterations over 80 years, the original premise has been watered down from what should be highly meaningful and engaging vision, mission and values statements into the lowest common denominator motherhood statements that ensure no one feels left out ..read more

Toaster ovens are great. Wait, no they’re not. At best, a toaster oven is a cheap substitute for the tool you really want – the toaster, or the oven (clever name, though). But as an oven, it’s too small and inconsistent and as a toaster, it’s too big and inconsistent. Some brands are like that. But most don’t start out that way. They get like that by contorting themselves to try to meet the needs of anyone who knocks on their door. As scrappy entrepreneurs we’re taught that you never say no to a potential customer. You say yes and then figure out how to do it. Board-led brands can become toa ..read more

Every brand has a story. It’s how you share it that sets you apart. Great brand stories cast the customer in the role of the hero who embarks on a journey that follows the natural narrative progression of beginning, middle and end: In the beginning, your customer has a problem to solve. The middle is the solution you offer that your customer uses And the end is their success. At first, your job is to define your brand story for yourself and why it’s important your audience hears it. Then, you need to start digging deeper and get to the nitty gritty of it all. When you start crafting your b ..read more

Shakespeare, the greatest storyteller, said the eyes are the window to the soul. In business today, your brand story is the window to your organization’s soul. How clear is your brand story? Brand stories tell your audience a lot about your organization, from its inception to its current position and everything in between. Great brand stories weave in the reason your brand exists, where you want to go in the future and how you’re different from your competitors. A strong brand story is memorable, evokes an emotional response to create a lasting connection between brand and audience and answer ..read more

You’re planning to update your Credit Union website and want to elevate your member experience. Whether your site is outdated and desperately in need of a remake, or it’s new and you love it, there are steps you can take from the beginning to set you up for success. Re-building a website is a definitely a case of ‘well-begun is half done.’ Starting well won’t eliminate all the hiccups, but it will provide you with the systems to move through the project consistently and address any challenges effectively, as they are presented. #1 Understand your customer. Gain as much fresh and relevant info ..read more

If you’re about to invest six months to a year of effort and tens of thousands of dollars on your new Credit Union website, you want to be sure the results will move the needle for you on the key metrics that matter most. The last thing you want to do is pull leaders and staff through a drawn-out process, only to be disappointed with an end result that’s just a slightly better version of the site you have now. There is an alternative. Take advantage of the requirement to redevelop your site and use it to start leading with your brand. This way, instead of adding another layer to a vague or ou ..read more

Branding is widely debated among marketers and organizational leaders. Who drives the brand building function? What department is responsible? Who in an organization champions the brand? Who provides input into the process? Is it the logo? Is it purely visual? Is it the culture of an organization? Does it run deep within the company? These are just some of the questions that come up when an organization decides to take an active approach to creating or managing their brand(s). Branding has many definitions and even those definitions have variations. Depending on who you talk to or what you ..read more

Ah, the allure of the past. It’s human nature to look back fondly, but honestly, if you’re like most of us, your organization was likely struggling to gain momentum, fighting with conflicting priorities, and bogging down in outdated systems.  That’s because in ordinary times, leading organizational change is hard. Here’s why: people are afraid and/or resistant to change; or people don’t have the time to focus on making change stick.  But these are not ordinary times. In Canada, we have felt the effects of COVID-19. Still, by international standards, we’ve been incredibly fortunate ..read more

These days are what they are — rapidly changing and deeply impactful. So, you are right to proceed carefully in your communication. The following are a few things we know apply to all leaders of people and brands that may be helpful to keep in perspective. Your decisions, your actions and your communication of those decisions and actions are your brand. Once all of this is said and done, no one will separate what you did and what you said from who you are as an employer, as a community member, and as a brand. Prioritize your audiences every day. For most right now, the correct priority is st ..read more