Bank Marketing Show – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcasting isn’t just for influencers anymore—banks are getting in the game. In this episode, Chris and Dan sit down with Caleb Stevens, VP of Marketing at SouthState Bank’s Capital Markets Division and host of the Community Bank Podcast. From demand generation to practical AI use, Caleb breaks down how banks can modernize without losing sight of what really matters.

In this episode, we cover:

• -       The rise of podcasting as a bank marketing tool
• -       How digital lead gen is changing—and how demand creation is in
• -       How to use AI in practical, low-risk ways inside your bank
• -       Caleb’s “3Ms framework”: Message, Methods, and Metrics
• -       Real-world examples of alignment between marketing and lending teams that actually drove results
• -       Why the simplest marketing ideas might be your most powerful

About Caleb:

Caleb serves as the VP of Marketing for SouthState Bank’s Capital Markets Division, serving over 1,000 community banks across the nation through a variety of banking products and services.  He is also the host of The Community Bank Podcast and the co-author of the book Collegiate: 7 Big Ideas to Make College Awesome. He lives in Athens, Georgia with his wife Grace and two young sons.

Links & Resources:

-          SouthState Bank podcast: https://southstatecorrespondent.com/podcasts/ 

-          Community Bank Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-community-bank-podcast/id1513967803 

-          Contact Caleb: caleb.stevens@southstatebank.com

-          Favorite Book: Remarkable - David Salyers & Dr. Randy Ross

-          Resource for brand messaging: https://storybrand.com/ 

-          LEAD - Neil Stevens: https://www.oconeestatebank.com/business/make-your-remarkable-podcast

-          Website: bankmarketingshow.com

-          Sign up for our newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com

-          Contact Chris and Dan: contact@bankmarketingshow.com

How do you grow your bank’s social media presence without relying on your bank's own profiles? 

Most banks don't - but in this episode, Chris and Dan explore a different strategy: using your own staff as influencers and brand ambassadors. You’ll learn why employee-led content consistently outperforms corporate posts—and how to turn your team into your most powerful marketing channel. 

Here’s what we cover:

• -    Why your employees’ social media reach outperforms bank official pages
• -    Creating a culture of brand ambassadorship, not just marketing
• -    Balancing compliance with creativity in employee posts
• -    How to run a successful internal workshop to train social media ambassadors
• -    The secret to making these programs sustainable over time
• -    Why storytelling (not promotion) should be at the heart of your content

Links & Resources:

-          Website: bankmarketingshow.com

-          Sign up for our LinkedIn newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com

-          Contact Chris and Dan: contact@bankmarketingshow.com

It’s time to rebrand your community bank. Where do you start? Rebranding a community bank involves a simple four-step process: identifying the problem, taking time to plan, checking your resources, and then acting on your plan. First, it’s about recognizing that something isn’t working. Many banks face issues like dropping deposits and having a smaller credit pipeline. While these banks are trusted locally, they might struggle to reach younger audiences or keep up digitally. This isn’t just about offering competitive rates but making real improvements to stay valuable and relevant to the community.

In this episode, Chris Bates, Dan Novalis, Dave Peters, and Marty Heger discuss the four steps to rebranding. The next step is to pause and plan, often with a consultant who understands the industry and can offer a fresh view. This planning stage is all about defining the bank’s brand message, creating a guide for brand voice, and deciding on important and doable changes.

Some actions, like updating signage and the website, may take more effort but have a big impact. Smaller updates, like changing email signatures, require less work but still boost brand consistency. Successful rebranding needs everyone involved, from leadership to every staff member, and careful progress tracking. By following these steps, banks can align internally and make a stronger connection with their communities.

Topics Include: 

• The four-step narrative to a rebrand
• Who do you serve uniquely well
• Why a community bank’s rebrand needs to be an entire staff effort, not just the CEO
• How to deliver a brand refresh
• Why you have to schedule/block out time to work on your rebrand

About Marty Heger

Martin “Marty” Heger, Jr., is the President and CEO of Dearborn Federal Savings Bank, a true community bank that has served Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, and the surrounding communities since 1936. Marty joined the Bank in 2002 as its Chief Lending Officer, where he was responsible for all aspects of residential and commercial lending. In 2022, Marty assumed the role of President and CEO. He is responsible for all Bank operations and reports directly to the Office of the Chairman. 

Marty graduated from The University of Michigan with an A.B. degree in Economics and earned an M.B.A. with a Finance concentration from Wayne State University.  

Before joining Dearborn Federal Savings Bank, Marty began his banking career with the National Bank of Detroit (now J.P. Morgan Chase). With NBD, he progressed quickly from Branch Management Trainee to Corporate Cash Management Officer, Vice President, and Commercial Credit Officer in the Middle Market Division.

Marty has held several leadership positions with various professional, civic, and social organizations, including the Michigan Bankers Service Corporation, the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce, the Exchange Club of Dearborn, the Dearborn Centurions, and the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra. He has also volunteered his time and effort at the Festival of Trees organization, which supports pediatric research at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. 

When not involved in his professional and civic duties, Marty and his wife, Vicky, enjoy following the active lives of their two adult children, Trey and Zachary. In addition, Marty is an accomplished musician who dedicates his musical talents to various charitable organizations.

About Dave Peters

Dave Peters majored in Accounting at Hillsdale College and began working for a regional Accounting firm in the Metro Detroit area a few months later. After licensing as a CPA just over a year later, Dave continued to grow in his responsibilities with the firm by leading client meetings, preparing complex analyses and returns, conducting CPE training sessions, leading various technology initiatives, and even sporting a tux as an emcee for the firm’s first “work-from-homies” paper plate award show in the midst of 2020’s tax season. 

After several years, Dave moved to Dearborn Federal Savings Bank as its Chief Financial Officer, trading tax optimization strategies for interest rate risk analysis, call reports, and reconciliations. Throughout his almost three years at the Bank, Dave continued to modernize its efficiencies and processes while strategizing and leading ways for future asset growth and revenue development. 

Resources Mentioned:

• Email Martin Heger: mhegerjr@dfsb.net 
• LinkedIn: David Peters 
• Website: https://bankmarketingshow.com/    

Finding the right balance between marketing and compliance is essential for community banks. The first step is ensuring that marketers and compliance officers build a trusting relationship. Compliance should always be involved in marketing decisions to prevent any issues. Community banks need to make sure their marketing messages are clear and easy for the average customer to understand, especially as regulations like the new FDIC are becoming stricter. 

In this episode, Chris Bates, Dan Novalis, and Memrie Fortenberry discuss how community banks must ensure their third-party vendors are properly managed. Even if a third party handles your marketing or creates your ads, the bank is ultimately responsible for ensuring everything complies with regulations. Banks must carefully monitor their advertising to avoid issues like redlining or unfair practices, which have been the focus of recent DOJ actions.

It’s important to review all marketing materials regularly to ensure they reach the right audience and are not misleading. As technology and customer expectations evolve, staying on top of compliance and regulation changes is critical to maintaining trust and success in the community banking space.

Topics Include: 

• Why compliance should always be involved in your marketing strategy
• Why your marketing needs to be easy for the average customer to understand
• What regulations community banks are currently focused on
• The new FDIC compliance rules that are clear, conspicuous, and clear
• What the recurring regulation problems are
• What you need to know about third-party vendor management
• What the future of compliance and regulations looks like
  

Memrie Fortenberry is the special counsel for the Banking & Financial Services Industry Team and a member of the Corporate Practice Group. She advises community banks and other financial institutions on compliance and regulatory matters. Memrie is an experienced lawyer focused on bank regulatory and compliance matters. She regularly advises clients on federal and state financial services regulations and laws, including the Bank Secrecy Act, fair lending, and other consumer protection regulations.

Memrie is a certified community bank compliance officer representing a broad range of banks, lenders, and other financial institutions with significant experience serving as outside counsel for community banks. Memrie is also a presenter with the Bankers Compliance Task Force.

While in law school, Memrie served an externship for Judge Neil P. Olack of the US Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Mississippi. Before entering law school, she completed the management development associate program at Trustmark Bank and went on to work as a corporate services officer.

Resources Mentioned:

• mfortenberry@joneswalker.com 
• Website: https://bankmarketingshow.com/    

Social media is a key tool for community banks to connect with their local communities and grow their brand, but it’s important to follow the rules and regulations to get it right. Community banks need to be creative in what they post, but they also need to ensure they stay within the social media guidelines to protect both the bank and their customers. That’s why our guest created a solution to help banks balance effective marketing while still following the rules.

In this episode, Chris Bates, Dan Novalis, and Jill Williams discuss managing risks while marketing & posting on social media. With the help of BANK MONITOR, you can monitor and report on your community bank’s social media activity, ensuring your success while meeting all compliance regulations. Jill emphasizes the importance of identifying risks, filling gaps, and understanding what regulators look for during audits. 

Having a clear social media policy is crucial to keeping everything in line. With these steps, community banks can confidently use social media to engage with their audience without worrying about compliance issues. Jill also suggests working with a marketing agency that understands banking to help balance compliance and creativity.

Topics Include: 

• How social media guidance and compliance has changed over the years
• What happens when something gets flagged on a community bank’s social media
• How BANK MONITOR tracks a community bank’s social media activity and user engagement
• The extra precautions community banks need to take to protect their customers on social media
• What regulators look for during a social media compliance audit
• What it looks like to be both compliant and successful on social media

Jill Williams has spent over two decades as a senior-level banker in human resources, retail, and marketing roles. As a community banker, she struggled to balance the time demands of social media while ensuring adherence to the laws, regulations, and policies governing this type of marketing.

During this time, Jill recognized the critical need for a comprehensive solution to ensure compliance with the FFIEC Social Media Guidance established in 2013. This realization and a lack of existing industry solutions inspired her to develop BANK MONITOR. This program is an all-encompassing answer to the FFIEC Social Media Compliance Risk Management Guidance requirements.

BANK MONITOR's success in safeguarding her community bank spurred her passion for extending this innovative solution to community banks and credit unions nationwide. Jill’s mission is to provide a white-glove service that simplifies and secures social media compliance.

Resources Mentioned:

• BANK MONITOR
  ●     LinkedIn: Jill Williams
  ●     LinkedIn Group: The Social Media Compliance Collective (Strictly Bankers)
• Website: https://bankmarketingshow.com/  

Chris and Dan discuss the importance of leadership in banking, especially focusing on transparency, adaptability, and vision implementation. They dive into how leadership styles impact a bank's marketing strategies, and the necessity for modern leadership that embraces technology and diversity.

Key points include the significance of transparency to foster trust, the need for adaptability in a fast-changing environment, and the importance of defining and implementing a clear vision. This episode encourages listeners to reflect on their personal leadership style and what guides them.

In this episode:

• Leadership in Banking
• The Importance of Transparency
• Implementing Vision and Leadership
• Adaptability in Modern Banking
• Personal Leadership

Resources Mentioned:

• contact@bankmarketingshow.com
• Bank Marketing Minute Newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com
• Website: The Bank Marketing Show: bankmarketingshow.com

It’s strategic planning season – time to start figuring out what your bank should do next year, and get your budget in order. In our work with banks and credit unions across the country, we’ve noticed some themes emerge in the form of common marketing goals. 

In this episode, Chris and Dan break down the five most common goals they hear – and give actionable advice for how to make real progress towards them:

• Growing deposits
• Increasing cross-sell
• Attracting younger customers
• Deepening your community relationship
• Growing loan applications

Resources Mentioned:

• contact@bankmarketingshow.com
• Bank Marketing Minute Newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com
• Website: The Bank Marketing Show: bankmarketingshow.com

Most bank marketing teams are cash-, personnel-, and time-strapped. In this episode, we break down ways to get more from what you already have – through strategic partnerships, networking, outsourcing, and tech.

In this episode:

-       Why spending more money does not equate to better marketing

-       The power of partnerships for social media growth and engagement

-       How networking groups can help you learn tricks and shortcuts to marketing success

-       Smart ways to outsource that aren’t free, but cheaper than you think

-       The role of Tech, like Chat GPT, in stretching your resources further

-       Sources for free content (beyond this podcast, obviously!)

Resources Mentioned:

-       contact@bankmarketingshow.com

-       Bank Marketing Minute Newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com

-       Website: The Bank Marketing Show: bankmarketingshow.com

Even though email has been around for decades, surprisingly, many banks are not utilizing the channel optimally (or at all!).  In this episode, Chris and Dan dive deep into email marketing for banks – everything from the mundane birthday email to data-driven onboarding and cross-selling campaigns. 

If you're a bank marketer or a professional in the financial industry, this episode is a must-listen, providing practical advice, valuable insights, and a friendly, personable approach to email marketing strategies that can enhance customer engagement and drive growth.

In this episode:

-       Strategy: Tips for crafting compelling email campaigns that captivate and convert

-       Boost Open Rates: Ensure your messages get the attention they deserve.

-       Content Ideas for Bank Newsletters: ways to make newsletter creation less of a chore, get more mileage out of the content in between newsletters, and make the topics interesting and valuable

-       Customer Onboarding: Learn how to create a seamless and engaging onboarding email series that sets the stage for long-term customer satisfaction and loyalty.

-       Maximizing Cross-Selling Opportunities: Unleash the power of cross-selling through email and drive increased business outcomes for your bank.

Resources Mentioned:

-       contact@bankmarketingshow.com

-       Go deeper on content: Hollie Brown Episode 58

-       Bank Marketing Minute Newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com

-       Website: The Bank Marketing Show: bankmarketingshow.com

It's a Bank Marketing Show Best-Ever Summer Replay!

This week, we replay one of our most downloaded episodes ever - 'How Targeted Marketing Gives You ROI'. Listen in on why targeted marketing matters and gives you returns, and what you should do about it in your bank.

Stop thinking about selling your product. Start thinking about how it benefits your customer. Data-driven campaigns are the future of marketing. By gathering data on your existing customers, large and small banks can use this information to create better-targeted advertising campaigns.

In this episode, Dan Novalis, Chris Bates, and Ria Iyengar discuss how data-driven, targeted marketing gives banks a better return on their investment. Benefit-driven marketing helps you map out which products make sense for your customers. Banks can start using the information they already have about their customers to create better, more engaged campaigns. Ria also recommends directly asking your customers what interests them about your bank and what products they want more information about.

What is your role and experience as a bank marketer? Connect with us on our website to share your bank marketing stories.

Topics Include:

• Why data-driven marketing is the future
• How segmented marketing can help drive your campaigns
• How to use data to acquire new customers
• How data lets you know your customers and their needs better
• How to start a data-driven marketing campaign

Ria Iyengar is Business Director at Cossette, a Toronto, Canada-based creative marketing and communications agency. She excels at leveraging the power of CRM to deliver highly efficient data-driven campaigns for her clients, including TD Bank. Ria says data has the power to transform customer relationships and better decision-making through optimized campaigns. She believes the future of marketing will be in personalized content driven by customer data. As a first-generation immigrant to Canada, a person of color and a member of the LGBTQ2+1 community, Ria has a unique perspective on how personalized and data-driven marketing can speak to all stakeholders and customers. Ria also speaks on the topic of DEI.

Resources Mentioned:

• Bank Marketing Minute Newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com
• Website: The Bank Marketing Show: bankmarketingshow.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riaiyengar/
• Email: riaiyengar@gmail.com
• For a free guide to creating your brand voice, email: contact@bankmarketingshow.com with Subject Line “Brand Voice”