Funding BizKid$ - The Gift That Keeps on Giving

At Invest in America, we recently announced that we’ve pledged

$700,000 in funding towards the Emmy-winning PBS program

BizKid$. It’s no secret that financial literacy is a vital building

block in a child’s education these days. However, the majority

of our nation’s schools don’t require financial literacy in their

curriculum. While that is slowly improving, BizKid$ is doing its best to fill in the gaps. This

nationally carried television series teaches financial education to 192 million households each

week and has reached 1.2 million students and teachers through its companion classroom

material since the series’ launch in 2008.

So what does this matter to your credit union or league? Your youngest members are the

financial future of your credit union. What can your credit union or league do to help? We’re

so glad you asked …

To date, America’s Credit Unions have exclusively funded BizKid$ since it began, having

contributed more than $8.5 million. But for the program to be fully funded for the current

season as well as next year’s, we need your help. Invest in America is hoping that each of our

credit union and league partners that receive Sprint marketing incentives will join us to raise

the remaining $1 million needed for BizKid$ to thrive.

For this to happen, we’re asking you to donate 10% of your Sprint year-end rebate to support

the program. Sprint has been a hugely successful IIA partner and we’re sure that this 10%

will have little to no impact to your bottom line. And just think of what a difference having

a financially well-educated membership could mean to our nation’s credit unions and leagues.

Another plus for getting involved in our BizKid$ funding efforts is the opportunity to align yourself

with such a valuable and popular program. You’ll be supporting an important credit union initiative

that has always shown credit unions in a positive light. Also, the marketing and public relations

benefits that will be a direct result of your credit union or league’s involvement will be priceless.

So, give the gift that keeps giving – to you and your community. For more information, please

contact your IIA National Business Consultant or League Representative, or email

us at InvestinAmerica@CUcorp.com. n

Investing in Credit Unions. Investing in Members.

There’s no doubt, Invest in America isworking. You can tell from tangibleresults like credit union involvement andthe encouraging sales figures. Is yourcredit union and/or league a part ofthese remarkable statistics?

Invest in America46 leagues participating

2,659 credit unions promoting IIA

63% of national credit union

membership reached through

supporting credit unions

1,774,317 unique visitors to

LMCU website

Sprint

$69�million saved by credit union

members through August, 2010

1,037 credit unions supporting

the program

Sales

1,305,895 members have taken

advantage of IIA discounts

317,373 vehicles sold through

September, 2010

213,528 new credit union auto

loans through September, 2010

Just The Facts

www.LoveMyCreditUnion.org

October 2010 NewsletterIn This Issue: Funding BizKid$; GM Private Offer Enrollment Period Extended; Chevrolet CruzeProduction Underway; CU Spotlight: First CU; Hot Topics

Breaking News

Read, Like or Follow Us

Drive Auto Loan Growth with the GM Private Offer –

Enrollment�Period�Extended�to�October�15

The GM Private Offer is back and better than ever! From November 2, 2010 to January 3, 2011, General

Motors is offering targeted credit union members $1,000 cash back, on top of the existing Invest in America

discount and any other public consumer incentives. This special discount is available toward the purchase of

an eligible new 2010 or 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche, HHR, Impala, Silverado; Buick Lucerne; or GMC Sierra.

How�it�Works

The GM Private Offer is available to credit unions who participate in Invest in America and meet all

program marketing requirements. Only targeted credit union members may take part in this offer, and

credit unions have complete flexibility on modeling their data to target members who are in the market

for a new vehicle. Credit unions must send a direct mail/email piece to targeted members to inform

them of the offer and to give them their unique program code.

To take full advantage of the GM Private Offer, members will need to give their dealership two codes: the

standard Credit Union Member Discount authorization code from LoveMyCreditUnion.org and the unique

private offer program code that will be pre-printed on the direct mail/email piece from their credit union.

Program�Benefits

Not only will your members save money through this valuable offer and a fantastically low loan rate at

your credit union, but you’ll soon start seeing a growth in your auto loans. Not to mention the goodwill

this benefit will bring to your credit union.

Plus, Invest in America supplies your credit union and league with all of the support you’ll need to

succeed including:

• Direct mail creative elements

• Website banners for your loan application page to link to the GM credit union member discount page

• Suggestions for creating your modeling/targeting criteria

• Phone and email support

If your credit union would like to be a part of the GM Private Offer discount, please contact your IIA

National Business Consultant or League Representative, or email us at

InvestinAmerica@CUcorp.com. Complete Program details can be found here. n

Production of 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Underway

Chevrolet has just started production on the 2011 model of their top-selling car worldwide, the Cruze. The first

vehicles for delivery to buyers were driven off the lot on September 8, 2010 at GM’s Lordstown, Ohio plant.

Over 165,000 Cruzes have been sold worldwide this year and the new U.S. model offers consumers

more for their money thanks to class-leading fuel economy and standard safety features, as well as more

standard equipment than competitive vehicles.

“We are delivering a car with the quality which Americans desire matched with features they would not

expect from this segment,” states GM’s North America President Mark Reuss.

With a starting price of $16,995 the Cruze includes 10 air bags, StabiliTrak electronic stability control

with rollover sensing, traction control, anti-lock brakes, collapsible pedal system and OnStar with

Automatic Crash Response. n

New Promotions

First CU

We’d like to start this section thanking First CU in Arizona for actively participating in Invest in America

from the beginning. First CU Vice President of Marketing Karen Fuhre said they were eager to join

because they wanted to support anything that helps the credit union movement and that the program

adds value to their membership.

For nearly two years, Karen and her team have been steadfastly marketing Invest in America utilizing the

free marketing materials in the Partner�Center of LoveMyCreditUnion.org.�They’ve sent out

IIA email messages to their members, mentioned it in their quarterly newsletters and have posters as

well as IIA messaging on video screens in all their branches. Right now they’re featuring Shop America.

Since First CU initially joined IIA, they’ve also featured a Web banner for the program on their website

homepage – an honor that figured prominently in their site’s recent redesign. “When we built our new

site, we made sure there was a spot for the IIA banner on the homepage. It was part of the design,”

explains Karen. Their homepage isn’t the only place on their site that features IIA information. “We

created a new section called Special Offers on our site, any enhancement to our members goes there,”

says Karen. “Invest in America inspired our Special Offers page.”

First CU joined the world of social media last year and have presences on both Facebook and Twitter

and have been using both sites to promote their involvement with IIA and the current member

discounts. When asked what their future marketing plans are for the program, Karen says they’ll keep

doing what they’re doing, in addition to participating in the upcoming GM Private Offer.

To date, all of their IIA results have been positive ones. “I think in today’s marketplace, credit unions are

more relevant than they’ve ever been,” Karen states. “Invest in America doesn’t really cost us a thing, they

have everything ready to go, it’s easy to be a part of. We’re a proud IIA participant and we encourage any

credit union that hasn’t jumped on board to do it. You’re only adding value to your membership.” n

CU Spotlight

Sprint Earns Top Rankings from Business Customers

2010 has been a year full of recognition for Invest in America partner Sprint. A recent study from

ATLANTIC-ACM further illustrates how the wireless company excels in customer service. The survey

questioned over 5,000 business customers on key product and service categories.

Results from the strategic research and consulting firm ATLANTIC-ACM survey show that Sprint ranks

number 1 among national carriers in these areas:

• Data Value • Business Customer Service • Business Sales Representatives*

• Brand • Wireless Value • Business Provisioning*

ATLANTIC-ACM states, “The resulting data shows carriers what customers believe to be their strengths

and weaknesses, and allows them to directly compare their own performance to that of competitors. In

addition, the data will help business class customers make informed choices when picking a carrier.”

Sprint has also received top honors for business market leadership from notable third parties for voice

and data satisfaction, service level agreements, customer service, MPLS capabilities and much more over

Hot Topics

www.LoveMyCreditUnion.org

the past year. These new rankings just reaffirm what a solid IIA partner Sprint is plus the stellar value

and service they have to offer your credit union and its business members. n

*Sprint tied with another carrier. National carriers include AT&T, Century Link, Global Crossing, Level 3, Qwest and Verizon.

Increasing Auto Loans at Your Credit Union

Want to know the single, simplest way to increase auto loans at your credit union? Reach out to your

members and encourage them to secure auto financing before hitting the dealership. Everybody wins if you

engage with your car-shopping members. They’ll not only save money through terrific financing options at

your credit union, but they’ll save with valuable discounts and rebates from Invest in America offerings like

the GM Private Offer. And your credit union will have gained another auto loan for a satisfied member.

With Invest in America, no matter what partner offer you’re participating in, the more your credit union

puts into marketing and supporting it, the more it pays you back. When it comes to partners like GM,

when you prescreen your members to determine who may be creditworthy and in the market for a

new vehicle, then you’re halfway there! Just secure their financing, tell them how to obtain the Invest in

America discounts and then let them shop the lots. And don’t forget to remind them how much they’re

saving between IIA and their low credit union auto loan!

The�Facts�of�0%�Financing

One reason to secure auto financing with your members before they go to the dealership is the

potential enticement of 0% financing. Nip it in the bud and explain the numbers game of this bait, that

IIA discounts and rebates plus a great credit union loan rate is a better deal than the 0% financing many

dealers are offering nowadays. Here are some compelling facts to share with your members:

• There may be loan term limits attached to the 0% rate

• It may not be available on the car they want

• They’ll usually have to choose between 0% financing OR the current rebates/incentives

• Not everyone qualifies for the 0%, it’s usually only for those with great credit

It’s�All�in�the�Numbers

Sometimes people need to see the figures in writing to understand the downfalls of 0%. Here’s a great

example that illustrates the differences:

Dealer�vs.�Credit�Union�Financing

Dealer Credit�Union

Loan Term 72 Months 72 Months

Loan Rate 0.00% 5.00%

Vehicle Price $31,230 $31,230

Down Payment $2,000 $2,000

Consumer Cash $0 $5,000

IIA Discount $1,649 $1,649

Loan Amount $27,581 $22,581

Monthly Payment $383 $364

Total�Savings $1,368

Vehicle:

2010�Chevrolet�Silverado1500 2WD Extended Cab