What’s Driving Your Peer's High Member Growth?
Wonder how credit unions with similar business models are achieving stronger member growth?
This guide shows you how to use Peer Suite’s Smart Peer Group Builder and built-in displays to identify top-performing peers and uncover what they may be doing differently.
Use what you learn to shape a growth strategy that reflects your members’ needs and supports your credit union’s long-term success.
Using Peer Suite at the Express Level?
Some features highlighted in this guide, like the Smart Peer Group Builder and full Display Library, are available only with Premium or Plus level access. If you're using the Express level, you'll find alternate steps included to help you explore member growth using the tools available in your subscription.
Just look for the yellow callouts throughout the guide to follow the Express-level path.
Step 1: Build Your Aspirational Peer Group
Use Peer Suite’s Smart Builder to find peer credit unions aligned with your goals.
- Filter by geography: Select the region most relevant to your strategy.
- Use account code filters: To match by metric (e.g., assets, penetration rates) to find similar credit unions.
- Rank by performance: Use the Rankings bar to identify those in the top 20% for member growth.
The Smart Peer Group Builder is available exclusively at the Premium and Plus levels of Peer Suite. Want to explore adding it to your subscription? Contact us to learn more.
Express Level Modification
Select “Select by Criteria” peer group builder from the Create dropdown.
- Filter by geography: Choose the region most relevant to your goals.
- Use available metric filters: Create an aspirational peer group using metrics like assets, member growth, or total members.
Step 2: Explore What Top Performers Are Doing Differently
Using your new peer group, use built in dashboards and folders to explore metrics to help you to uncover key differences.
For example, if your focused on improving member growth, start with Peer Suite's built-in Member Metrics folder and the Member Relationships dashboard, focusing on:
- Average loan balance per member
- Average share balance per member
- Penetration rates
Peer Pointer
Learn how to customize your display views and explore detailed breakdowns of your peer group in these guides.
Express Level Modification
Since Express Level users don’t have access to Peer Suite's full Display Library. Instead, focus on metrics in the Member Relationships Dashboard to review member growth.
Interested in exploring the hundreds of additional displays in Peer Suite’s Library? Let’s talk about what they could unlock for your team.
Step 3: Analyze And Reflect
Use what you uncover to answer key questions:
- What is the growth story? How does the credit union’s membership growth compare to peer trends, and what might be driving the difference? How do product relationships factor in? Are members opening multiple accounts, and how does that affect long-term growth?
- How does marketing support growth? Is the level of marketing investment aligned with the credit union’s membership gains?
- What role does member value play? Are new members contributing to stronger average balances and deeper relationships over time?
- How are top-performing credit unions achieving stronger growth? What strategies or channels are they using that may apply?
Final Thoughts
What patterns do you see that could apply to your credit union?
While this guide focused on member growth, you can use the same approach to explore other important areas, like loan growth, delinquency, or efficiency. By finding peers who are excelling in the areas you care about and taking a closer look at what they’re doing differently, you can uncover ideas and insights to help shape thoughtful, targeted strategies that support your credit union’s goals.
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