A Baby, a Triathlon and a Bit of Luck

I’m always a sucker for succinctly written stories (or, in this case, phrases) that really stretch a person’s imagination or intrigue and make them yearn for more. The Humans of New York Facebook page is exactly like that.

I’m always a sucker for succinctly written stories (or, in this case, phrases) that really stretch a person’s imagination or intrigue and make them yearn for more. The Humans of New York Facebook page is exactly like that.

There are a variety of sizes of captions on the page, but the ones that get me are only one sentence long. These are the posts that are so jarringly perfect. That make you think. That has you scanning the picture for more information.

The post I came across was a gentleman sitting on a park bench with his young daughter – no more than two years old – and a caption that said “I don’t miss my old life as much as I feared I would.”

I was just floored. That post perfectly encapsulated my life at that moment.

As I’ve posted on this blog before, my wife and I welcomed our first child at the end of January of this year. Before her birth, I feared I would miss my old life – especially not fully knowing what was ahead. With an infant, one big part of my life that I feared would change drastically was my competitiveness in triathlon events.

After a remarkable first race back last weekend, I could not be happier with the balance life has struck. I was able to compete at a level I wanted while also being present for my daughter. I feel truly lucky to be where I am. And thus, that post hit me right square in the feelings.

But it also got me thinking.

If that quote, from another person, could fit my life so perfectly…is the branding and marketing from our bank or credit union that uniform and one-dimensional as well?

Sure, there’s plenty going on behind the scenes – just as I imagine there is with the Facebook post I saw – I don’t imagine that gentleman’s life mimics my own. Still…his message applied to me also.

So here’s the challenge.

Take a step back and look at your organization. Then, name the top three things that make your bank or credit union unique to your customers or members.

The catch: you CANNOT use the words people, service or community.

If your organization’s unique attributes aren’t coming easily, perhaps your message isn’t resonating with your market. It might be time for a change.

Have your three words already? Leave a comment! Let us know what makes your organization unique!

Want to know more about what makes MarketMatch tick? Check out our YouTube Channel for short video blogs about financial marketing, or contact us about speaking opportunities to bring our marketing ideas to your next conference.