Social media is all about digital storytelling: the ability to tell stories in an engaging and interesting way. When it comes to social media marketing, my guest for today hits the nail on the head. Lynne Jarman-Johnson is the Chief Marketing Officer for Consumers Credit Union. Her passion to help others has been a theme throughout her career and one that is truly unparalleled. Read on to find out about her career transformation from television to entrepreneurship.
From TV to Her Own Firm
Lynne credits her mom for her leadership capabilities. "I saw an entrepreneur in action everyday," she says of her childhood. "Now I look back and hope I'm doing the same thing. I hope I am as supportive for those who come to me for mentorship."
As an undergraduate, she intended on being in film and television for the long haul. She was lucky enough to land an internship at NBC producing the morning news. After graduation, she took a full-time role as an administrative assistant at TV-8, an NBC affiliate.
"That was my first taste of 'you should try everything,'" she says of the role. "You should be able to say, 'I didn't realize I would be able to learn a, b, and c, when I was just doing my job,' and be able to fall back on that in the long run." She transitioned to an executive producer position with TV-8's 6:00 p.m. news, and then for the Public Affairs Department.
One of Lynne's first interviewees in news segments was Laureen, CEO of the Childcare Business Agency, who enlisted her help with the public depiction of a news piece. Lynne decided to leave TV-8 and began assisting Lynne as a consultant. Through entrepreneurship, she was able to start her own firm and worked for herself for 22 years after.
Work and Work Culture
In 2009, she received a phone call from Consumers Credit Union, whose environment she says is "exactly what every person deserves to have." Lynne describes Consumers Credit Union's culture as "unique." When she was hired, she didn't understand why. "What we do is hire in classes," she explains of the 12-person-at-a-time hiring process. Despite being a July hire, Lynne didn't start her job until October. "It's so important we learn together," she says of being in a class and receiving training as a group.
Banking has taken great strides and evolved over the last few years. People want to "bank when they want, where they want," Lynne says. And as a marketer, it's an exciting time in banking.
Consumers Credit Union
In business since 1957, Consumers Credit Union has over 67,000 members and "lends out as much money as is deposited." Lynne's role focuses on member service. "It's not selling a product. It's serving a member."
She wants to drive conversation about money and not have people be afraid to talk about it. It's a source of both increasing and decreasing stress. Lynne aims to break down barriers and eliminate taboo associate with speaking about money. She wants people to feel good about saving and using their cash because they are able to do it wisely with Consumers Credit Union.
Lynne and her team drive "education and communication to the members and community 24/7" about finances and credit.
On How Her Team Approaches Social
"It's a three-pronged approach. We looked at things and decided which things we could do, and do well. There is the service media team who helps members during off-hours when doors aren't open for retail. Life happens during non-banking hours" and the team provides round-the-clock assistance. "An e-library is set up with blogs, infographics, and podcasts to help clients understand their finances," that is also a hub for social media content.
On The Importance of Leaders' Authenticity on One's Social Channels
"There are individuals that are not extroverts. They're not socially excited to be focused on. They are silent leaders. They have social media accounts but they are not IN social media in the sense that they are not posting and sharing. I do not think leaders should have anyone tweet for them or post for them. I want everything to be authentic."
On Consumers Credit Union's Mission
"For us, it's about how to make sure the platforms are there and robust enough so that we're helping and not hindering."
Enjoy, and check back here for more episodes of the All the Social Ladies podcast on Social Media Today.