Ah, Valentine’s Day. The holiday of love and romance, where the pressure to have the perfect day can be high and the stakes even higher.

While you may already have your valentine lined up, your card picked out, and flowers purchased, don’t forget to send a little love to all your members as well! After all, what better match is there than that of your credit union and its members? Leave them jilted and without a word from you on such a special day and you might find that by next Valentine’s Day, they’ve moved on to the bank down the street.

But what goes into planning the perfect Valentine’s Day for an entire membership base? How do you reach them all at once? Hire a skywriter?

Thankfully, the task is much simpler than it may seem. It doesn’t take much to let your members know they’re on your credit union’s mind today and find ways to make their Valentine’s a little sweeter. Even better, many credit unions around the world are already getting to work and providing examples of how to celebrate the day!

Chocolates are a must

Like any good Valentine’s date, chocolates are essential. Okay, they don’t actually have to be chocolates, but offering your members something sweet can be an easy way to show them your appreciation.

For those members who come into a branch today, consider having some candy, chocolates, baked goods, or something similar available. Member’s 1st of NJ FCU is offering a raffle for those who stop by a branch, while Tento Credit Union in Pennsylvania is offering discounted event tickets for Valentine’s Day at their branches.

If members can’t make it into a physical location today, don’t let them miss out on the fun! Host a giveaway for those who interact via social media.

Vystar Credit Union in Jacksonville, Florida, for example, is offering members a chance to win a $150 Visa gift card by simply commenting on Vystar’s social media post with the name of their valentine this year. Not only does this cultivate member interaction with the credit union, which is great for the credit union’s marketing, but now the post is filled with messages from loved ones, which is inspiring even more people to take part.

Share a heartfelt message

While food and gifts are certainly a hallmark of the holiday, no Valentine’s Day is complete without a nice, heartfelt message. A little can go a long way, so a short note of appreciation for your members will do the trick. For your credit union, this could come in the form of a social media graphic, email, or handwritten card (though that’s potentially too ambitious).

If you want to make it more substantial, consider adding tips on how to make the most of the day while also keeping finances in mind. Many credit unions are doing something similar on social media, going beyond “Happy Valentine’s Day from your credit union,” to offer financial advice such as which restaurants, supermarkets, and stores have great savings, give some budget-friendly Valentine’s Day activities, and share general finance advice for couples.

Or have a little fun with it! Honor Credit Union wrote a nice poem to their members that went, “Roses are red, violets are blue, Honor loves its members, and that includes you. Our rates are sweet, our service is true, happy Valentine’s Day from us to you!”

In this instance, it truly is the thought that counts, so make sure your members know you are thinking of them!

Remind them why you’re a catch

Now, while we know it’s important to let your members know they are appreciated, this is also a great time to point out to your members why your credit union is the perfect match for them. What do you have to offer that the rest don’t? This could be your amazing rates, your unique offerings, your community involvement, and much more!

Don’t be afraid to show off a little! Do you have a great loan for them? Offer it! Is your customer service the best in the business? Let them know it! Of course, the credit union loves its members, but it’s important that the members love the credit union too, or they might look elsewhere.

Remind them why they fell in love with you in the first place (the chocolates and heartfelt messages you offered too will surely help with that) and how you can help them make the most of their finances.

Reach out

Whichever method you choose to connect with your members today is up to you. The most important thing is to make sure they hear from you and know that as a member, they are always at the top of the credit union’s mind!