The constant challenge for a credit union is to become and stay a member's primary financial institution. Marketers use "PFI!" as an impassioned rally cry, yet, what creates a member's PFI choice is different per individual.

It is difficult to be a PFI for every member based on their specific needs; and in an economy where lending is critical, smaller credit unions often must focus resources on increasing loans. In doing so, some members can be continually offered loans when they are not interested in borrowing.

There exists perplexity in how to make deposit-centric members more viably active in the credit union. Instead of trying to create activity where there will likely not be any, there may be an alternate solution: investment and financial advisement services can be the exact right fit for a credit union's overall PFI strategy – and in any economy.