At its core, marketing is about connecting with people and building relationships. No matter the channel, you’re trying to resonate with a target audience. Throughout my diverse credit union career, that’s what I’ve done.

This portfolio includes projects detailing my various strengths. Globally, I am very visionary and strategic minded. Tactically, I am able to design and deploy effective programs. In all aspects, I am able to present with pizzazz to any audience.

As a teammate, you’ll find I am straight-talking, honest and ego free. Ultimately, I am passionate about my purpose within the credit union movement.

LA.Achtenberg@gmail.com612.750.9441

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In the fall of 2010, the management team for Anoka Hennepin Credit Union determined that a vision statement was necessary to ensure all employees were working toward one goal. Because of my experience, I served as facilitator through this day-long process. This document shows the result of the new vision statement as well as revised (and condensed) values that speak not only to the member but to the employee.

My strategic planning experience also includes leading credit unions of all sizes through the planning process (at the local, state, and national levels; one-on-one and in group settings), leading AHCU’s branch managers through a process that included planning around their unique market areas, and leading a young cell phone company through its first SWOT analysis and objective-setting process.

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$ Amt of New Used Vehicle Loans

$0.00

$200,000.00

$400,000.00

$600,000.00

$800,000.00

$1,000,000.00

$1,200,000.00

$1,400,000.00

$1,600,000.00

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Number of New Used Vehicle Loans

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2005

2006

2007

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2009

2010

During a very slow economy and even during a time when auto lending is historically slow, the campaign caused spikes in the auto lending portfolio.

At the end of 2009 during an AHCU Asset Liability Committee meeting, we determined to finish the year with an aggressive loan campaign. My role in this campaign was to lead the entire process: concept, design direction, copy writing, channel determination, staff communications, and deployment.

A conscious decision was made to move slightly off-brand (not using the traditional characters of smiling, happy people) and speak directly to consumers’ auto dealership experience (shady and negative) using billboards. The micro-site turned the campaign positive and educational.

Additional channels used were email, lobby displays, newspaper inserts, radio ads, and statement inserts. The results are shown here.

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A great success was directing Anoka Hennepin Credit Union toward utilizing more proven marketing methods. The marketing plan went from sporadic, small newspaper ads and mass campaigns to zeroing in on consumer behavior and looking for "triggers" to know when to strike with an offer that matches members' needs (samples shown on next page). The plan, built around providing relevant, specific, targeted loan offers, was done with less marketing investment. Following are excerpts from a Credit Union Journal article printed February 7, 2011, titled Zero In On Member 'Triggers' To Make More Loans which discuss this process.

By tracking members' behavior, personal data and financial activity, Anoka Hennepin sent the right offers at the right time. Someone who recently took out an auto loan would get an offer in the mail for a new credit card. The CU used to wait 36 months-the average amount of time members paid off a car loan-before sending a new pitch. But by monitoring members' behavior, the institution realized members were paying off loans sooner, so Achtenberg stepped up the timing. "We know they are looking for new cars in this time frame, so we want to tell them, don't forget about us when it's time to buy your next car," Achtenberg said. The triggers are automatically set up, saving time and money.

CUs are making offers through multiple channels (mail, e-mail, web, phone, in-person) as a means to focus their message, get attention and increase results. Peak performers will often combine events with multiple touch points to ensure their message is getting noticed. …Key to this strategy is automating the workflow so two things can happen. One, marketing gets done. Two, marketing gets measured. In this economy, marketing dollars are limited, but top-performing credits unions are tracking the results of their promotions. They focus their dollars on what will bring the biggest impact to the bottom line.

Achtenberg at Anoka Hennepin was able to detect a decline in the number of new members when the CU cut back on mass mailings to find new customers. But she also saw an increase in loan activity among current members through the new, targeted marketing program. "We proved these communications are bringing in dollars and creating action," she said.

An additional money-saving channel added was an out-bound calling program which I organized with the call center. Six separate audiences were generated in an effort to graduate members to higher profit categories.

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The trigger samples shown here were designed by an ad agency. I gave design direction, provided copy and determined data criteria for the series.

Tri-fold, self-mailer sent monthly to members with the propensity to acquire a home equity loan. Name, rate and branch are variable.

An on-boarding matrix was also part of the monthly series.

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Writing, of course, is a common practice for a person in marketing. My experience includes writing news releases, newsletter articles, speeches (for the CEO and Board Chair), staff talking points, marketing copy, and disclosures.

Additionally, I served as the local “word smith.” Any outbound, official communications were run by me. I was relied upon by all departments to write consistent, appropriate messages to members and credit union officials.

To the left is a selection from a recent Anoka Hennepin Credit Union newsletter exampling ghost writing for the CEO.

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Creative design is a fun and necessary part of being in marketing. My experience includes designing ads, direct mail pieces, posters, and brochures in an agency-like scenario and in marketing director roles. I also have experience directing an out-sourced creative team.

Additionally, I have freelance experience designing invitations, ads, and t-shirts for friends and family.

To the right is a magazine ad for Anoka Hennepin Credit Union designed in 2010, an invitation created for a friend in 2011, and a t-shirt designed for a family gathering in 2009.

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Googolplex@school was an incredible adventure, created in 2004, while I served as Chair of the National Youth Involvement Board (NYIB). NYIB was approached by the National Theatre for Children (NTC) to form a partnership. NYIB brought in CUNA to assist with sales due to NYIB’s volunteer-run structure. The flyer on the next page describes the product that was created, which was something completely unique to the credit union movement.

In my role as NYIB Chair, I generated the partnership between both NTC and CUNA, acquired the endorsement from Representative Pomeroy, mobilized NYIB as a sales force supporting CUNA’s sales team, and toured to several states showcasing the program at state credit union trade association events.

Despite our sales efforts, the program was discontinued after three years. However, the program received a grant for CUNA to conduct research on using live theater as a means to teach financial literacy. Lessons learned were molded into the current Biz Kid$ program.

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