I’ve worked in digital marketing since 2007, and I’ve never seen a technology disrupt the way we do marketing as quickly as AI. The latest innovation, which is flying under the radar, may be one of the biggest steps forward we’ve seen since the launch of ChatGPT. It’s called MCP.

So what is MCP? And why should credit union marketers care? 

Let’s break down what it is, what it can do, and why it makes tools like HubSpot more important than ever for a credit union. 

What Is MCP?

MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. Here’s the simplest way to think about it:

Imagine if every AI tool could plug into every business app (like HubSpot, Slack, Google Calendar, etc.) as easily as plugging a charger into your phone.

That’s what MCP does. It’s a universal "language" that lets AI applications (like ChatGPT or Claude) talk to your tools, extract key insights, and create relevant, hyper-specific messaging. 

Before MCP, if you wanted AI to pull info from your CRM, you’d need custom code or a developer to build a connector. And the results were clunky, at best (I say this having spent a lot of time and money trying to unsuccessfully patch AI tools together). Now? If your tool supports MCP, it just works.

Think of it like the USB connector. Suddenly, printers, cameras, and external drives just plugged in and worked. MCP is like that for AI and your tech stack. 

Why This Matters for Credit Union Marketers

The first major use cases for AI were around content development, research, and ideation. It worked with the data you gave it manually or from its training (which, while plentiful, was not specific to your individual credit union).

MCP takes it to the next level. It lets AI view and act on your data and your systems. So instead of being just a (very) clever assistant, it becomes a powerful operator.

And HubSpot just became the first major CRM to support MCP.

That means credit union marketers using HubSpot can now tap into AI in ways that used to require developers, workarounds, or expensive integrations.

Here’s what that might look like.

Real-Life Use Cases for Credit Union Teams

Use Case #1: Member Follow-Up Just Got Smarter

“Find all members who applied for an auto loan but didn’t complete it. Draft a personalized follow-up email based on their last interaction.”

With MCP + HubSpot, your AI assistant could potentially dig through CRM data, find the right contacts, and even generate content to move them along. 

Use Case #2: Campaign Optimization Without the Headaches

“List all campaigns from Q1 that underperformed and summarize what we could’ve done differently based on member engagement.”

The AI could access campaign metrics, read your notes or call logs, and offer smart suggestions. No data exports or dashboards needed.

Use Case #3:  Hyper-Personalized Segmentation

“Create a list of members in their first 6 months, under age 35, with checking but no savings. Draft a campaign to promote our new high-yield savings offer.”

That’s segmentation and execution in one step. No toggling between tools. No asking your data team for help.

Why This Is a Big Deal (Even If You're Not an AI Nerd Like Us)

AI can already save us time in our day, but the biggest gains of using AI still felt far away.

MCP starts to change that. It makes AI practical. It’s able to take real actions based on real data inside your actual tools. And since HubSpot is leaning heavily into AI, credit unions already using HubSpot can get ahead of the curve.

You don’t need to become an AI engineer or learn how to code. You just need to ask the right question (which I argue is one of the most important skills to develop in the AI age). 

And that’s the magic: AI that understands what you want to do and then does it across multiple systems.

Implementing MCP on HubSpot

Getting set up just requires getting your access token from within HubSpot and the MCP server link. Then, go to Claude (ChatGPT support is coming soon) and tell it to connect to the HubSpot MCP server. Once it’s connected, Claude will scan what’s available and instantly see 21 tools it can use, including looking up contacts, creating new records, or linking companies to deals. 

As more documentation on getting set up becomes available, we will add it here. 

The Bottom Line

MCP is one of those sneaky-powerful, under-the-hood innovations that becomes a giant leap forward for  credit unions and their teams. It’s the innovation that will turn AI from a siloed, stand-alone tool to a partner that can dig deep across multiple systems and take action. 

If you’re a credit union marketer already using HubSpot, you’re future proofing your credit union in ways that will enable you to leverage the most cutting edge AI capabilities. 

And if you’re not, it’s time to get on board.