Doug walked in yesterday and said, “Google ‘Continental FCU.’” (Look at the image to the right.)

From the comments in his post,

“This battle is being fought online with custom websites, open web letters, e-petitions and Google ads. My hope is that Continental FCU can effectively get their position communicated to their members.”

Which got me thinking, “How?”

Social media.

Here’s an idea: I’d like to see Tom Glatt take some cues from JetBlue’s CEO’s use of social media to connect with their customers in times of crisis. Social media amplifies your message in a way that all the AdWords in the world can’t.

Continental FCU: You’re the hot topic on a lot of blogs right now; you might as well host the conversation and get a leg up online.

Darn it, you’re posting updates on your website already. You’re talking to traditional media folk. Amplify your voice through social media! Blog it. Record a video response. Talk straight. I’d bet every CU blogger and most of our community here would be happy to help. My direct line is 317 596-3538.

Direct use of social media by CFCU would make a huge impact. It’s a weapon that Wings doesn’t have – they’d get ripped (and they already are). Agree?

In other news:

Here’s a quick roundup of other tidbits:

• Brilliant piece in the Credit Union Times – check out Gentile’s Editor’s Column in the latest issue (March 21, p.14). “If successful, Wings would acquire a whopping 25,000 members for a mere $5 million! A bargain if there ever was one. A steal is more like it. What’s even more wickedly brilliant is Wings would pay that $5 million with Continental’s own capital! Continental is extremely well-capitalized at 16%. It could shed $5 million and still be well-capitalized.
• On the well-written Glatt Consulting, LLC, blog (from Tom Glatt, Jr. and co.): “It seems [Continental FCU] have been busy, with new information posted on their home page, media campaigns, etc. Speaking of the home page, they now have a claim that a Continental “acquisition” could be part of a larger Wings strategy to convert the entire organization to a mutual savings bank. We were curious how close that strategy might be to reality, so we did a little digging. While there seems to be no damning evidence to support the claims, there is anecdotal evidence that Continental’s claims are valid.” Keep reading ‘The Path to Bank Conversion.’
• From the comment thread on our initial post, George observes, “Two things from the Filene Research Institute which are inextricably linked: 1. Credit Unions need to be aware of and measure the “value” they provide to members, and 2. This situation has the potential to send a chilling effective the cooperative nature of credit unions.”
• Via Chuck Bruen’s blog linking to a PRNewsWire story – the quote’s from Continental FCU’s Board Chairman Allan Cooper: “The responsibility of this board is to protect the interests of our entire membership, both short-term and long-term. The dilution of our members’ independent voice, the risks associated with this proposal and its questionable value proposition led us to determine that Wings Financial’s proposal is not in our members’ best interests.”