CHARLESTON, W.V.—A campaign themed “Numbers Speak Volumes” has achieved just that for both the credit union that ran the promotion and the members who took advantage of it.
Over a two-month period Pioneer WV FCU ran the campaign and generated more than $6.5 million in loans. Members and potential members were offered the opportunity to refinance their auto loan and save 25% on the rate and get $100 cash for doing so—along with one additional carrot—a chance to win $10,000.
Marketing included a microsite, numbersspeakvolumes.com, as well as shared testimonials of members’ savings with employees internally and shared the stories on Facebook.
The goal, the credit union said, was “to make the impact tangible and to continue excitement.”
The Numbers Speak Volumes campaign was sparked by the credit union coming across a statistic from the American Psychological Association that found 72% of Americans reported feeling stressed about money at least some of the time during the month prior to the survey being taken.
Pioneer WV FCU reported that the winner of the $10,000, member Jeffrey Plimpton, personified not just the reason the credit union launched the campaign, but the reason credit unions were created in the first place.
During a lunch celebrating Plimpton’s selection, Member Experience Officer Shannon Bradley said, “His story brought the entire table to tears.”
A bus driver by trade, Bradley and his girlfriend, also a bus driver, have seven children as part of their blended family. “They work long days and have many people to care for which leaves little time for leisure,” the credit union said in a statement. “He heard about the credit union at an event and decided the message was powerful enough that he would take a chance with Pioneer.”
After applying online, Plimpton was connected with Financial Advocate Jamie Rizzo, and he mentioned his frustration with his current credit card due to an astronomical rate and a balance that felt as if it never got any smaller. The credit union also refinanced his auto loan to save him thousands of dollars in unwanted interest and payments.
