iBelong Statewide Public Relations Event
Shred Month: June 2008
Be a part of the biggest statewide credit union public relations event in the history of Illinois! Time is running out!
All credit unions with branches in Illinois and chapters, regardless of whether or not they have contributed to iBelong, are encouraged to participate.
This is the first major public relations event involving credit unions across the state of Illinois. This event will help extend the life of the iBelong campaign by drawing positive attention to credit unions via a different route. It will add credibility to the message we’re sending through the advertising. The good will you’ll generate in your community will be priceless and cast your credit union in a very positive light.
Shred Day is easy to plan, coordinate, and implement. It’s a fun event for your staff and it will provide your credit union with exposure to potential new members in your community.
Important Note: It’s imperative that if you decide to participate in Shred Month that you contact us with the dates, times and locations of your planned Shred Days. Your Shred Day plans will be included in the master list that will be on the iBelong website and in the press releases distributed to media statewide. Tell us your Shred Day plans today! Click here to provide the details.
What is Shred Month? Credit unions and chapters across the state will declare the month of June as “Shred Month” where consumers may bring boxes (tip: limit the number of boxes to 2 or 3) of personal documents to participating credit union branches for free document shredding.
How does it work? Contact your shredding company to arrange for a two-to-three hour period on a designated Saturday in June to have a shredding truck parked outside your branch(es). Invite members and potential new members to your branch to shred for free up to three boxes of personal documents (e.g., old account statements, old bills, old credit card statements, expired credit cards, unused checks, unwanted credit card offers, etc). You might also consider handing out fliers or provide a free seminar about “Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft.” Offering a drawing for a free home shredder, or a fire-proof safe will provide you with a stack of entries containing names and addresses of potential members with whom you can follow up with after the event.
How does it benefit my credit union? The good will you’ll generate in your community will be priceless. It is likely that by submitting press releases, your local newspapers will run an article about your event, and how you’re working hard to educate and protect the community from identity theft. At the event, be sure to collect names of those attending and take the opportunity to let them know about your credit union’s services. In conjunction with the shred day event itself, some credit unions are offering seminars on topics such as identity theft and credit, as well as holding drawings for free shredders and other items.
How will it be promoted? Besides promoting the event on your own, the Statewide Credit Union Awareness/ Membership Growth Task Force will assist with sending press releases about the statewide event and how to find credit unions offering Shred Days to media outlets throughout the state. A page of the iBelong website will contain a list of participating credit unions with the dates and times that shredding will be available at each location throughout the month of June. Consumers will be encouraged to print the list from the website.
How do I get listed on the master list of statewide Shred Month events? Go to http://www.iculeague.coop/iBelong_shredmonth and complete the form to submit your dates. If you are offering multiple events at several branch locations, be sure to include each event separately with any additional services offered, such as refreshments, seminars and door prizes.
What will it cost? Your document shredding company will probably charge an hourly fee for the service, somewhere between $100-200 per hour. The amount of money you spend promoting the event to your members is up to you. See our Marketing Plan (below) for suggestions on how to make the most of your Shred Days. If cost is an issue, consider partnering with another credit union in your market and hold the event at a central public location, such as a school, or a local business. Or contact your Chapter representative about a chapter-wide event to split the cost amongst many credit unions in your area. Community service grants for this activity are also available from the ICU Foundation.
A few shred companies in Illinois include:
- Accurate Document Destruction of Elk Grove Village: 800-40-SHRED
- Affordable Shred of Springfield: 217-525-1206
- Confidential Onsite Paper Shredding in Bloomington, Decatur and Peoria: 866-4-A-SHRED
- Paper Recovery Service Corporation: Marcia R. Lucchetti - 7972 Crest Hills Drive - Loves Park, IL 61111 - ph: 815-636-2329
- Shred-It of Chicago: 847-229-1088
- Shred X (Wilmington): Kevin Kline - 815-476-6616
- Shredz of Champaign: 1-800-549-SHRED shredz.com
Suggested Marketing Plan for Shred Month (click here for samples)
- Statement Message – Include a message on your April and May member statements
- Newsletter and Website Articles, in-branch and SEG posters and announcements
- Email to members – send to your members with email two weeks prior to the event
- Press Releases – Send 2-3 weeks prior to your event to your local newspapers and radio stations. For best results, call ahead and ask who might cover a consumer education story and the best way to get your news release to the appropriate reporter.
- Letter to members – Use the sample letter to mail to members. Save money on postage by inserting the letter with all outgoing mail two-to-three weeks prior to your event.
Tell us your Shred Day plans today! Click here to provide the details.