89% of credit union stories aren't.
An analysis of 1,500+ stories from over 100 randomly selected credit unions found the patterns that keep us the best-kept secret in financial services. StoryScore shows you exactly where those patterns are in your storytelling, and how to fix them.
Get Your StoryScore Report1,542 credit union narratives analyzed across websites, social media platforms, and story aggregation platforms. It is the largest study of credit union storytelling in industry history.
Five patterns holding your stories back.
These aren't isolated mistakes. They're systemic patterns that appear regardless of credit union size, budget, or team structure.
The Superhero Problem
The member is a prop in the credit union's story, not the protagonist of their own. Institution is the hero; member is a passive, grateful recipient.
Template Dependence
When everyone tells the same story in the same way, no one stands out. Predictable structure makes content interchangeable across institutions.
The 150-Word Default
Short-form content fills the feed but doesn't differentiate. Brevity maintains trust; it rarely builds it.
The Voice Smoothing Machine
Real language and authentic voices are polished away. "I was terrified" becomes "I was concerned." The rough edges that create connection are removed.
Resolution at Transaction
Stories end when the loan is approved or the fraud is prevented. What happened next? No one knows, because no one followed up.
StoryScore measures what matters.
Grounded in 2,000 years of storytelling principles and refined through best practices in narrative journalism, documentary filmmaking, and organizational communication, StoryScore evaluates 10 discrete dimensions in three core categories:
Narrative Structure
Will this story be remembered or forgotten?
Member Focus
Whose story is it, really?
Institutional Authenticity
What makes it uniquely, believably yours?
StoryScore is like a home inspection for your stories.
A house can look beautiful from the curb and still have major problems you can't see. That's why inspections are worth the money. StoryScore works the same way. It looks beneath the surface to tell you the truth about what your stories are built on: what's strong, what's weak, what's absent. So your next great chapter isn't a mystery. Or a secret.
What a StoryScore analysis looks like.
We scored an actual credit union financial literacy story. Here's a preview of what we found.
"50 Years of Change" — Financial Literacy Event
Credit union content published under their "Stories" section
- Institution is the hero; students are passive recipients
- Event summary format rather than narrative arc
- No individual transformation documented
- Professional institutional voice, but no authentic student voice
- Detailed revision recommendations for each dimension
Created by Andy Janning
A career spent inside credit unions and behind the camera, studying what makes stories work — and what keeps institutions from telling them.
"Credit unions have the most powerful, human stories in financial services, yet too often we tell them in ways that dilute their impact. Andy's research highlights exactly how we can rethink our approach and start telling stories that truly connect and differentiate. At a time when credit unions are fighting harder than ever for relevance and growth, this work could not be more timely."Kelley Parks Founder, gira{ph}
"Credit unions have long been trying to grow market share and do something to cut through the noise. The secret to not being the best-kept secret in banking? Good storytelling. StoryScore is the game-changer this industry needs, and helps credit unions learn how to share their impact using the formula from the world’s most enduring stories. Credit unions have the best brand story of any industry and it’s about time we had this tool!"Amanda Thomas CEO and Founder, TwoScore
"The StoryScore research is among the best I've reviewed in the consulting services space. The framework, the data, and the diagnostic methodology are all exceptionally strong. Andy has identified a chronic problem for credit unions and built an entirely new category of solutions."James Marshall Principal, MarshallCX
Find out what your stories are actually doing.
StoryScore provides systematic analysis: which content functions as stories, what patterns are holding you back, and specific improvements that help you stand out.
Single Story Analysis
Test the framework on one story
Delivered in 3 business days
- Full 10-dimension scoring
- Category-level feedback
- Specific revision recommendations
- Before/after improvement examples
Story System Check
Understand your patterns across 3 stories
Delivered in 5 business days
- 3 Single Story Analyses with scoring
- Cross-story pattern identification
- Operational Reporting Score
- Priority revision recommendations
- 30-minute strategy call
Complete StoryScore Report
Full diagnostic of your entire storytelling system
Delivered in 15 business days · Price varies by asset size
- 15+ Single Story Analyses
- Full 10-dimension scoring
- Operational Reporting Score
- Systematic pattern analysis
- Detailed revision guidance
- Strategic recommendations
- 60-minute presentation of findings
Ready to see what your stories are really doing?
Tell us a bit about yourself and we'll follow up within one business day to discuss your needs and recommend the right approach.
Your content is always handled with complete confidentiality.