Now that I've been writing for Credit Union Times for more than a year, I consider myself decently well-versed in the credit union industry. But I remember being one of those young adults who was clueless about credit unions. Every time I passed by a credit union branch, I thought, "private, exclusive, mystery club." Not, "welcoming, beneficial place to bank."

Credit unions need to spread the word to Gen Y about who they are and why young people should come aboard. Here are five of the top messages credit unions should be communicating to Gen Y, whether they do it on their websites, on their social media pages, in a TV advertisements or while talking to potential members in person.

"We're friendly." No Gen Y member wants to endure an annoying customer service call. A couple weeks ago I tried to transfer my health insurance plan from Oregon to California, and I can't tell you how frustrating it was to call five different numbers, each time getting someone on the other end who couldn't answer my questions. Credit unions should tout their knowledgeable, friendly service representatives. They might put you on hold, but it's likely they'll remember your name.