Building a Brand - Strum (#34)

“The more information you can empower employees with, the better the whole organization is.” - Ben StanglandThank you for tuning in to episode 34 of The CUInsight Network, with your host, Lauren Culp, Publisher & CEO of CUInsight.com. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.My guest today is Ben Stangland, President and COO at Strum (previously Weber Marketing Group). After going through brand updates, Strum is now building upon their legacy with their two companies, Strum Agency and Strum Platform. Strum Agency is a full service marketing agency helping credit unions build growth strategies through naming, branding, and marketing. Strum Platform is a financial marketing analytics software that helps credit unions better understand their members through data.Ben has been with Strum for over twenty years. In this episode, he describes how Strum works with credit unions to help create focus in their growth strategy. He shares the importance of understanding and reaching the credit union’s target member, while staying true to the mission of the organization. Ben puts great emphasis on helping credit unions through the process of renaming and rebranding as they evolve. He discusses the adaptation of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and cloud-based computing. Ben also gives key insights on the significance of sharing data within the organization rather than keeping it siloed. Tune in to hear Ben discuss trends that he finds important for the future of the movement and ways credit unions can innovate to meet those needs. Strum helps credit unions utilize the data they already have and supplement it with additional information to gain a better understanding of their members. During our conversation, you’ll also hear more about the rebranding process that Strum went through as they evolved from Weber Marketing Group into the robust organization they are today.As we wrap up the episode, Ben talks about bullet journaling, jazz music, and spending time with his family. Enjoy my conversation with Ben Stangland!Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.Connect with Ben:Ben Stangland, President and COO at [email protected]://www.strumagency.comhttps://strumplatform.comLinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter