79f8fc11046d5ee68419a2628f8e0aca Facebook Syndication 2015-06-16T15:44:02-07:00 http://www.facebook.com/favicon.ico https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-xft1/t5.0-1/276649_108827159135344_380351_n.jpg 781b1f7add3872b0d5db98a0e37a6e2e 2015-06-16T23:44:02+01:00 2015-06-16T23:44:02+01:00 iDiz Incorporated
http://sharedidiz.com/get-the-latest-sharedidiz-book-free/


Get the latest SharediDiz book free!
sharedidiz.com
We’ve just published our third SharediDiz book, Even More SharediDiz. If you’ve ever longed for a version of SharediDiz that doesn’t require wires, wifi, or batteries, now’s your chance. Just fill out the form below and we’ll rush your free copy straight to your door while supplies last! Quick, send…]]> 819c8a5ab5202f3ba283630631c40a06 2015-06-16T17:16:03+01:00 2015-06-16T17:16:03+01:00 iDiz Incorporated
http://sharedidiz.com/what-if-you-werent-allowed-to-buy-what-they-were-selling/


What if you weren’t allowed to buy what they were selling?
sharedidiz.com
Have you ever felt like you weren’t allowed to buy what they were selling? About a week ago my wife and I were wandering around downtown Asheville with our NC friends. One of our group was excited to see that a small “Scottish” shop was open, since she had tracked some of her ancestry to …]]> e3db479cab32b95b8cf8fa01b19532f8 2015-06-15T20:34:04+01:00 2015-06-15T20:34:04+01:00 iDiz Incorporated
http://sharedidiz.com/language-lessons/


Language lessons
sharedidiz.com
In many parts of the US, a significant portion of the people speak another language. Even if these folks are also fluent in English, using a “home” language can be a great way to connect and build trust. Over time, we’ve learned a few interesting lessons about developing and maintaining multilingual…]]> 74924d420519c41baeaa3c133d46d8c1 2015-05-27T18:57:06+01:00 2015-05-27T18:57:06+01:00 iDiz Incorporated
http://sharedidiz.com/emotional-escalation/


Emotional escalation
sharedidiz.com
Long ago (but not so far away) I worked at a mental hospital while I was finishing college. And I loved it — the job was incredibly interesting and challenging. Endless variety every day, and a lifetime of great stories. Of course, I learned a lot of things doing that job that I still use today. One…]]> 50229973cd797b109dc2d58ca2d36c09 2015-05-26T20:21:41+01:00 2015-05-26T20:21:41+01:00 iDiz Incorporated
http://sharedidiz.com/marketing-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-marketers/


Marketing is too important to be left to Marketers
sharedidiz.com
Marketing has traditionally been the domain of a few creative people in your organization, whose work is sometimes appreciated (and sometimes tolerated) by the rest of the staff who tend to have no idea what marketing really does all day. Well, nothing against your Marketing Department, but marketin…]]> 169fa3275378860683b7f2b3fa7fd5e5 2015-05-22T21:00:18+01:00 2015-05-22T21:00:18+01:00 iDiz Incorporated CUiDiz.com web site. It's got plenty of pictures of our creative work for credit unions, with a lot less words, and looks good even on tablets and mobile devices. [ 22 more words. ]

http://sharedidiz.com/even-a-cobblers-kid-gets-new-shoes-eventually/


Even a cobbler’s kid gets new shoes, eventually
sharedidiz.com
After years of crafting responsive web sites that fit and look good on our clients, iDiz management has finally gotten tired of listening to the staff’s whining and allowed them to create a new CUiDiz.com web site. It’s got plenty of pictures of our creative work for credit unions, with a lot less w…]]> 3084d96fe095e9b04d88ce7eda68daf9 2015-05-12T22:12:23+01:00 2015-05-12T22:12:23+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15335


What are your mid-year resolutions? - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
New Year resolutions are pretty popular, but I've never been a fan. Just when weeks of holidays (bah, humbug) have drained every drop of money, time, and motivation, the days are shortest, and the weather at its worst, I'm expected to start some new life initiative? No thanks. But now tax time is behind us, there's enough daylight to get some things done, it doesn't hurt to breathe outside, and blizzards aren't a factor in travel plans. [ 155 more words. ]]]> 8fedf8f2752d5b7a9983f7531c05ac8c 2015-05-06T14:09:07+01:00 2015-05-06T14:09:07+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15308


Feeeeed Meeeeee! - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
It's insatiable, constantly craving more, never satisfied with what it had. Always looking for something new. Something fresh. Something mmMMEEAATY (said in a rumbly, low, carniverous, vegetative voice). No, I'm not actually talking about Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors. I'm talking about how that blog you innocently started, along with all those Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Google+ and Vine accounts, has become a full-time job of just feeding the social media beast. [ 271 more words. ]]]> 23f2d642e7fab7adbee8a7dbe7d3ff67 2015-05-05T14:07:28+01:00 2015-05-05T14:07:28+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15293


Your brand deserves more than "not horrible." - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
As a Creative, you brainstorm, write, rewrite, design, rework, and generally put your heart and soul into your work. You fixate on building your brand to be one-of-a-kind, and have probably spent the last several years telling people how different you are from your competition. You've likely spent hours and hours searching for just the right stock images for your promotions, and in the end settling for shots that are "not horrible", but not really what you had in mind either. [ 283 more words. ]]]> 2714a1df65b0cc23c34a74eb8b4f0b16 2015-04-21T15:12:48+01:00 2015-04-21T15:12:48+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15318


What does "mobilegeddon" really mean for CU web sites? - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
Depending on what sort of news you're plugged into, you've probably already seen the term "mobilegeddon". Perhaps you're wondering whether it's time to panic. Just to be clear, no, it's not time to panic. Step away from the big red button, please. Unless you really feel like getting some exercise today. The term "mobilegeddon" refers to an upcoming shift in the way Google ranks web sites. [ 247 more words. ]]]> 9e8ad8728905d0ff5b3bebd161cfb1fa 2015-04-20T14:27:54+01:00 2015-04-20T14:27:54+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15319


Focus on people. Ignore "SEO." - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
I've sort of danced around this in some previous articles, but here's the bottom line: Stop obsessing over "SEO". Focus your resources on content. I think the term "SEO" is one of the more badly misunderstood concepts on the planet. At the core, there's a common and basic misconception that SEO is some sort of shortcut -- supposedly you can just run a script or push a button and your site will magically appear at the top whenever anyone Googles anything related to your site. [ 194 more words. ]]]> 464d2bbff041db4e749c51e8d1ebc4f7 2015-04-15T17:03:01+01:00 2015-04-15T17:03:01+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15310


Tongue-in-cheek can be hard to understand - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
It's hard to be understood when you try to talk with your tongue in your cheek. Just ask a well-known CEO of a large NC credit union who posted his take on the SOS state of CU marketing on his blog. Apparently lots of people didn't see his comments as helpful, and ended up blasting the author in the comments and in other posts around the CUniverse. [ 494 more words. ]]]> 12819dba591174e92ceb587835107fbe 2015-04-15T16:47:50+01:00 2015-04-15T16:47:50+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15315


The ad blocker revolution - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
An interesting (and unintentionally hilarious) article appeared in Adweek recently. The author laments the rise of ad blocking software with strong language ("scofflaws" and "freeloaders", oh my) and frets about the future of Youtube and other ad-supported services. Can Youtube survive if they become a subscription only service? Whatever shall the poor honest hard-working advertisers do to earn a crust when the fruits of their labors are so easily spurned? [ 555 more words. ]]]> bf09fe4c501fc9c43ecb5113cd99f339 2015-04-01T14:45:42+01:00 2015-04-01T14:45:42+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15294


How to choose and work with a pro photographer - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
If you've been stuck in StockPhotoLand for most of your career, you may have never had the opportunity to work with a real photographer. If so, here's a nuts and bolts lesson in how to choose and work with a pro, what to expect, and how to get the results you need: 1. Build a plan. Get a good sense of what you want and need before you try to find the right photographer for the job. [ 905 more words. ]]]> 12d3545809dd497108c08b834c3c9433 2015-04-01T13:16:41+01:00 2015-04-01T13:16:41+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15295


InfiniBudget 9000 to revolutionize marketing - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
Time and time again, we hear the same laments from our clients: "We just don't have the budget!" "I'd love to do more marketing, but the CFO doesn't believe in ads." "My nephew's class said they'll build our web site for three large pizzas." "The CEO says we need to work smarter not harder, pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, do more with less, stand for quality, and also reach for the stars" [ 289 more words. ]]]> e9305d824d2eaf727b995dc1f16ec092 2015-03-30T20:28:08+01:00 2015-03-30T20:28:08+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15287


Congrats to our winning clients! - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
It's always nice when others think highly of the work you do. And when those others are peers judging your work against the best of the industry, well, it feels even better. CUNA's Marketing & Business Development Council handed out their awards at last week's conference and two of our clients won Category's Best Diamonds! Dominion Credit Union continued their streak of awards at CMBDC, winning a Diamond for their "Savory Savings" auto loan promotion. [ 113 more words. ]]]> c127b4f8ad4e1471ae6afa4bbfd3c641 2015-03-17T17:41:25+01:00 2015-03-17T17:41:25+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15282


Web site security: maintenance prevents panics - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
The latest web site security panic, summarized here by the folks at CU Times, comes with an almost irresistible headline: "ISIS HACK". The real story is pretty mundane. A credit union was using web site software that wasn't properly updated. Some script kiddies (no one really thinks ISIS was actually behind this; someone just posted the scariest thing they could think of in order to enjoy the ensuing panic) exploited a known vulnerability in an old version of a specific WordPress plugin used on a credit union site (and many other sites). [ 334 more words. ]]]> 469c28d064455d0e8e89aa280121825c 2015-03-17T16:01:52+01:00 2015-03-17T16:01:52+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15280


The future of credit union web site design - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
Credit union web sites are a breed apart. You're not selling widgets, you're not providing entertainment or news, and you're not collecting clicks for cash. Your site is a place busy members go to get things done. So how do the latest trends in web site design and technology affect credit union web sites in particular? Touch devices make scrolling easier than ever… [ 440 more words. ]]]> cc3ebb5f78864c6a2588fffc0eb3cfa1 2015-03-16T21:44:57+01:00 2015-03-16T21:44:57+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15276


In-house, or outsource? 3 ways to tell. - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
Over the last few years, the economy was obviously a factor in tightening budgets and cutting back on outside expenses. Which meant that In-house marketing departments had to take on more and more responsibilities in keeping that sales pipeline flowing. Of course there was some interesting management logic that happened at the same time. For some in-house groups that meant more personnel could be added because the HR budget was a different line item than Marketing. [ 348 more words. ]]]> 8289cc936fb24ac6a55e9b5daa4cde46 2015-03-04T15:47:30+01:00 2015-03-04T15:47:30+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15238


Brainstorming brainstorming - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
It's time for yet another loan promo and you're stuck looking at a blank piece of paper. You've got nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zip. You could really use the collective input of multiple minds, riffing on anything that pops in their heads, all focused on a single subject. You really need a brainstorming session. But everyone else around the office seems to be an accountant, and they aren't exactly paid to try new approaches in their line of work. [ 448 more words. ]]]> b7746f4688045c9f96e2ea207d7365ab 2015-03-04T14:53:05+01:00 2015-03-04T14:53:05+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15240


The least you can do is listen - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
Yesterday, I got a survey from the health insurance company my wife and I used last year. I was very happy to see it because I would finally have the chance to communicate my towering displeasure. Someone, somewhere, would receive the full benefit of my low opinion of their operation. (I'll spare you the details, but it was an incredibly expensive, frustrating year.) It probably wouldn't make any difference, but I was hoping to at least vent a little. [ 187 more words. ]]]> da4c8d0e7e02ff9d0cace7d8c59bc3a8 2015-03-04T14:49:07+01:00 2015-03-04T14:49:07+01:00 iDiz Incorporated

Maybe it's time to ditch the RFP - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
Let's say you have a big, important project in mind and you'll need to hire a vendor. So the first thing to do is get a committee together, lay out all the specifications in as much detail as possible, then send out a Request For Proposals (RFP) to a wide variety of vendors. Then just sit back, wait for the responses, reconvene the committee over an enchilada lunch, and pick the best one from the pile. [ 512 more words. ]]]> 17ab82678a357a7860d2f8b78826cc80 2015-02-11T15:13:45+01:00 2015-02-11T15:13:45+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15229


If it's your member's problem, it's your problem - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
A little while back, I noticed an interesting article from the folks over at Callahan about a credit union in Florida (Manatee Community CU) that put together a unique program to help people who needed reliable transportation. The credit union provides the loans (at risk-appropriate rates), Enterprise supplies low-cost used cars with warrantees, and United Way supplies people who need help but have jobs. [ 236 more words. ]]]> 2b835e07a9cfb473324e63ded4148df8 2015-02-10T20:17:05+01:00 2015-02-10T20:17:05+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15226


One million seconds is HOW long? - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
Most people are lousy with numbers. Especially big ones. Numbers like millions, billions or trillions are simply hazy notions of REALLY big numbers for most people. Add a dollar sign in front of those numbers and you may actually see their eyes glaze over. That is, unless you put those numbers in terms they understand. For example, everybody knows that a minute is 60 seconds, and they have a good sense of how long a second lasts. [ 207 more words. ]]]> 65e91cc881786e552054d47142f2bb9e 2015-02-10T14:56:22+01:00 2015-02-10T14:56:22+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15202


Millennials: No Car, No House, No CU Income? - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
My youngest son sort-of-hates cars. Sure, Grandma's-hand-me-down-Buick helps him get around town when he comes back to visit family. But that's also a big reason why he plans to always live in a city with a decent mass transit system. He doesn't want to own any car, or make monthly payments for it, much less pay for the gas, insurance, and upkeep. [ 549 more words. ]]]> c684a69970c67b71371c63b3f12442fe 2015-01-28T15:43:35+01:00 2015-01-28T15:43:35+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15213


177 Minutes a Day - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
177 minutes a day. That's almost three hours of every day. That's how much time the average American spends on their mobile device each day. That's twice as much time as what I wrote at the end of 2012, which was already twice as much than two years previous. Yet I still think that number is low. I still see families looking at multiple little screens instead of talking to each other at a restaurant, and people catching up on Facebook instead of spending actual face time with our friends. [ 235 more words. ]]]> 166a73479a86e2625ea23eaf1d45d571 2015-01-28T15:13:51+01:00 2015-01-28T15:13:51+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15208


The electric car experience - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
A little over four years ago (September 2010), I wrote an article speculating on how electric vehicles (EVs) might affect credit unions. After all, car loans are still the bread and butter for CUs, and EVs are bound to be part of the mix. At the time, the Nissan Leaf had just been announced and Tesla was still a bit uncertain. [ 599 more words. ]]]> 6a1e4f6dcbec85b615d26336aa6146e4 2015-01-28T14:27:37+01:00 2015-01-28T14:27:37+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15204


How will you change the world in only 5 years? - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
I've always been amazed at how the Beatles completely changed America's taste for music in just 5 short years. It was a culture shift that hasn't been equalled since. Now, I admit I'm a huge Beatles nerd. I was just a kid when they were in their heyday, but I discovered their music in college and still listen to them today. [ 590 more words. ]]]> d52f8370e5e4de0a8ac82d5f8570173d 2015-01-14T15:05:32+01:00 2015-01-14T15:05:32+01:00 iDiz Incorporated http://sharedidiz.com/?p=15188


Take an active role in member security - Shared iDiz
sharedidiz.com
When we build a credit union web site, we get a lot of questions related to compatibility with older browsers. Depending on who you ask and what numbers you believe, somewhere between 2% to 8% of the general public is still using very old versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 8 or older -- Internet Explorer is currently at version 11). [ 420 more words. ]]]>