If there’s one thing the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us, it’s that connection is precious. Now that we are all in quarantine, we realize just how meaningful it is to connect and to communicate. This is certainly true of communication with family, friends, and co-workers, but even communication with trusted brands and institutions can carry some weight.
With that in mind, the coronavirus era makes it more important than ever for credit unions and community banks to open new lines of communication; to remain in dialogue with members and consumers, providing a sense of normalcy during decidedly abnormal times.
A good place to begin is with social media. In this post, we’ll offer just a few quick tips for how credit unions and community banks can use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to communicate with their members.
Social Media Tips for the COVID-19 Era
1) Make sure your social media profiles are up to date
The first step is to review all your social media profiles, ensuring they are up to date with whatever contact information members might need during the pandemic.
Check to be sure that your social media profiles reflect current, limited hours of operation. If your physical branches are only open for a couple of hours each day, your profiles should denote this.
2) Provide a balance of realism and optimism
There’s too much negative thinking going on. Social media is an avenue to offset some of those negative headlines by sharing positive industry news, positive community developments, funny (but appropriate) pictures, snapshots of your home-office setup, etc.
Share these glad tidings, but don’t overdo it; remember that you are primarily a financial institution.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your credit union’s social channels are giving members a much-needed connection to their “normal” life. Reach out to MeridianLink if you have any questions.
3) Provide value, not a sales pitch
While it’s good to let members know about the services you’re still able to offer, we’d recommend that you avoid too much selling on social media.
Rather than doing the hard sell, focus on adding value and establishing your credit union as a trusted source. Let members know you’re there to make their lives better during this pandemic, not just pad out your bottom line.
4) Provide details about special programs
For example, many banks and credit unions now offer various government programs as a result of the stimulus package, including the SBA Paycheck Protection Program.
By the way: MeridianLink offers an online SaaS-based SBA PPP technology that is online, and can get set up within 48 hours with no install required.
5) Let your customers or members know about your digital banking capabilities
You may only be able to serve members in a limited capacity at physical branch locations… but what about online?
If your bank is using MeridianLink products for online banking and digital lending, then let your customers and members know about it. Make it clear that they can still conduct their regular banking business from the convenience of their smartphones!
If your community bank or credit union isn’t fully equipped for digital banking or digital lending, we’d like to invite you to download the free eBook below or give us a call during the business hours to see how we can be of any assistance.
