Bank Marketing Show – Details, episodes & analysis

AI isn't going to replace your entire marketing team tomorrow. But it is going to change what you do, and how fast you're expected to do it.  It's already reducing marketing hiring and eventually will impact team sizes. Banks and bank marketers that start learning these tools now, will get ahead of slower-moving competitors (both smaller AND larger ones) who are stuck in analysis paralysis about what to do. And, becoming the go-to AI person in your bank will help your career.

This is part two of our two-part series based on the AI webinar we recently gave with our partner, Kadince. Here, we dive into the topics in more depth that we were able to cover on the webinar. But the webinar's not a prerequisite!

In this episode, we cover:

• ·       What we think AI's impacts to bank marketing, and banking in general, will be over the next 12 months, next 3 years, and beyond
• ·       How banking itself may change as the technology advances
• ·       Five things you can do this week to start weaving AI tech into your day-to-day

Resources mentioned:

·         Watch the full webinar at bankmarketingshow.com

·         Email us at contact@bankmarketingshow.com for the full webinar deck

·         Subscribe to our companion newsletter at bankmarketingminute.com

AI can write your tagline in 5 seconds.  Should it?

Not in 5 seconds, because you'll sound like every other bank. AI gives you the average of the internet, and the average community bank's marketing is, well, average.

Dan and Chris break down what bank marketers should actually be doing with AI right now – how to add your human judgment, local feel and emotional nuance to AI tools, so you get great outputs instead of average ones.

This is part one of a two-part series based on the AI webinar we recently gave with our partner, Kadince. Here, we dive into the topics in more depth that we were able to cover on the webinar. But the webinar's not a prerequisite!

In this episode, we cover:

• ·         Why AI-generated content looks polished, but generic
• ·         The 80-20 rule for making AI output better
• ·         A 6-part prompting formula you can apply to any situation
• ·         Quick wins you can do this week

Resources mentioned:

·         Watch the full webinar at bankmarketingshow.com 

·         Email us at contact@bankmarketingshow.com for the full webinar deck

·         Subscribe to our companion newsletter at bankmarketingminute.com

Community Banks produce a lot of "educational" content, but a lot of it is thinly disguised sales material, or sounds the same as 1,000 other "how to buy your first home" blogs.

In this episode, we sit down with Emily Schwartz, Director of Financial Education at MidFirst Bank, about how her team helps build real trust in her bank, by focusing on education first.

If you are tired of just checking the boxes with your content, and trying to avoid "AI slop" (as you should be!), this episode is a great way to reframe how you approach financial education – no matter the size of your bank.

What we cover in this episode:

·         The difference between truly educating your customers and prospects, versus just creating blogs

·         Where to find the best education topics (hint: it's not keyword tools)

·         Why smaller banks don't need big teams to start doing this well

·         How education can support brand, loyalty, and community impact, without feeling salesy

·         The results that MidFirst has seen from their efforts

Links & Resources

·         Connect with Emily on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-schwartz-ph-d-372a7815/

·         Book: Inspired by Matt Richtel

·         Website: https://bankmarketingshow.com 

·         Sign up for our newsletter: https://bankmarketingminute.com 

·         Contact Chris and Dan: contact@bankmarketingshow.com 

If you're only spending 1% - 5% of your marketing budget on your digital presence, it's time you start increasing that. With more community and megabanks competing, and more potential customers turning to the internet and Google searches to compare what banks offer, if your bank isn't competing in the online space, you're behind the curve.

In this episode, Dan Novalis and Chris bates discuss the steps to planning your budget, checking out the competitive environment, and figuring out your allotment across marketing platforms. They stress the importance of your digital marketing budget, how to allocate your branding spend, your measured direct response, and why you need to take advantage of short-term opportunities.

Topics Include:

• What your budget should be
• How to plan your budget
• Using strategic planning and marketing to achieve your bank's goals
• What the current Competitive Environment is
• Identifying your competitors and what they're doing
• Long-term ongoing budgets vs short-term opportunities
• What your allotment should be across marketing platforms
• Branding spend vs. measured direct response
• The importance of digital marketing - it's growing at 12.8% annually!
• And other topics…

Resources Mentioned:

• Website: The Bank Marketing Show, www.bankmarketingshow.com

To compete with big banks, community institutions need to lean on personal elements and specific niche communications in order to set them apart.  It starts with paying attention to your local market and what they want and what they're passionate about.

In this episode, Dan Novalis, Chris Bates, and Jim Perry discuss the importance of maintaining that personal and human element. They discuss how to use digital technology to add a personal touch to your service, and how to shift your marketing from a transactional focus to a relationship focus.

Topics Include:

• Importance of paying attention to your local market
• Keeping the personal touch
• What it takes to compete with big banks
• Focusing on one pain point
• Making banking more human
• Aligning marketing with customer values
• Niching vs. generalists
• And other topics...

Jim Perry is a Senior Strategist at Marketing Insights, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in the development of data-driven strategies that help community banks and credit unions grow. Jim has worked with organizations in both the profit and not-for-profit sectors and has helped community banks and credit unions through his affiliation with Market Insights and in his own private practice. He has extensive experience in organizational management, marketing, branding, communications, executive coaching, leadership development, and strategic planning.

Resources Mentioned:

• Market Insights Website: https://www.formarketinsights.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mi_jim
• Jim's Favorite Book: Beyond Good by Bradley Leimer
• Podcast Website: The Bank Marketing Show

Creating effective ad campaigns comes down to more than just copy. Differentiating your ads and messaging to reach a target audience persona is key. It's important to plan your products, strategically position offers and incentives, and also include messaging that solves a customer's problems.

In this episode, Dan Novalis and Chris Bates discuss everything you need to know about products and offers. They discuss why it's important to target specific audiences, consider the lifetime value of each customer, develop the personality of your bank, and much more.

Topics Include:

• Differentiating your ads and messaging
• Identifying your target audience persona
• Making sure the audience sees the value
• Considering the lifetime value of a customer
• Developing the personality of the bank
• Planning Products
• Positioning
• Solving pain points
• Understanding the customer and problems first
• Offers and incentives
• Ad copy and messaging
• And other topics...

Resources Mentioned:

• Website: The Bank Marketing Show

Too often, bank ad campaigns try to appeal to everyone. Or, even just a single generation like "Millennials" or "Gen Z".  But Millennials alone could be 26, or 41, with very different banking needs.  By narrowing down your audience, you'll become customer-focused and increase your marketing's effectiveness.

In this episode, Dan Novalis and Chris Bates discuss some methods of narrowing down your audience and creating campaigns that get people excited. They discuss the importance of transitioning from product-focused campaigns to problem-focused campaigns, modern marketing vs. traditional marketing, and putting the customer first.

Topics Include:

• Transitioning from product-focused campaigns to problem-focused campaigns
• Effective messaging
• Narrowing the audience
• Gen Z, Gen X, Millennials, Baby Boomers
• Chime
• Using data to identify what products to drive
• Community-focus
• Modern marketing
• Omni-channel campaigns
• Customer-first marketing
• And other topics...

Resources Mentioned:

• Website: The Bank Marketing Show

A lot has changed in the banking industry over the past 15 years. Banks play a great role in supporting local communities, and they should be sharing what efforts they are taking to create positive change. It's time to stop being humble, especially because marketing on social media is not for the humble.

In this episode, Dan Novalis, Chris Bates, and Gordon Fellows discuss the current state of the banking industry, advocacy through marketing, and how banks work together for the betterment of the industry. They also discuss bank messaging and the changing public perception of banks.

Topics Include:

• Increasing costs in the industry
• Consolidation
• The effect of the pandemic on the banking industry
• Changes in bank messaging
• Creating content to draw the right customers
• Trade associations and advocacy
• Working together for the betterment of the industry
• Storytelling in bank marketing
• The changing public perception of banks
• And other topics...

Gordon Fellows serves as President and CEO of the Mississippi Bankers Association (MBA), the state's unified voice for the banking industry for over 130 years. He oversees all aspects of the association, including the MBA's policy advocacy and Government Relations initiatives. In addition to leading the MBA's advocacy efforts at the Mississippi State Capitol and working closely with the Mississippi Congressional Delegation, he also works with the national banking trade groups to support industry issues at the federal level.                     

Active in both state and federal industry affairs, Fellows currently serves on the American Bankers Association BankPac Committee and is a Federal Delegate Board Member for the Independent Community Bankers of America. At the state level, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Business and Political Education Committee, more commonly known as BIPEC.                                     

Fellows also leads the association's various industry education and professional development programs. He serves in an administrative role and is a member of the faculty for the Mississippi School of Banking at the University of Mississippi and serves as Secretary of the MBA Education Foundation. Additionally, he currently serves as a trustee for the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.                             

Fellows joined the Association in 2012 after working in the furniture industry for six years. During his career in the furniture industry, Fellows was based in China on two separate occasions working for different companies. During his time abroad, he managed a broad global supply chain, developed strategic sourcing relationships, and oversaw quality control and product development initiatives.                   

A native of Tupelo, MS, he earned a Bachelor's degree in international studies at the Croft Institute at the University of Mississippi in 2006. During his time at Ole Miss, Fellows was active in various aspects of student life. He was elected Associated Student Body President and was selected to the University of Mississippi Hall of Fame. Fellows is married to the former Sara Hart Rosenblatt and resides in Madison, MS.

• Business Best: Being recognized by the SBA as a key resource with the PPP.
• Favorite Book: Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis
• Most Impactful Advice Received: Nobody who gave his best ever regretted it.
• Advice for Staff: Take credit for the work you do. Make sure you're talking about it and getting credit for it.

Resources Mentioned:

• Email: GFellows@MSBankers.com
• LinkedIn: Gordon Fellows
• Twitter: @MSBankers
• Facebook: Mississippi Bankers Association
• Website: The Bank Marketing Show

There's a big difference between having financial success and being impactful in the work that you do. Determining what will help bring you vision and fulfillment can be a struggle, but author Chris Kellum has created a game plan and playbook titled Igniting Your Purpose, that is designed to help you determine your 'why' and lead a fulfilling life.  Chris has worked with numerous NFL, MLB and college sports stars and also applies the game plan and playbook to corporate teams.

In this episode, Dan Novalis, Chris Bates, and Chris Kellum discuss how to find your path based on your core values. They discuss the importance of making your values a part of the culture of your business, making authentic connections, and being the change by leading the way.

Topics Include:

• Financial success vs. fulfillment
• Neuroscience
• The game plan & playbook
• Identifying your values
• Finding your path based on your core values
• Making your values a part of your culture
• Maintaining culture through a change of leadership
• How clarity produces confidence
• The importance of having a plan
• Authentic connections
• Leading the way
• Risk-aversion
• Finding your 'why'
• The "Clarity, Confidence, Courage, Calling" system
• And other topics...

 Chris Kellum is the author of Igniting Your Purpose and co-owner of Team Kellum. He is an executive coach, speaker, and trainer who helps develop high-performance leaders, teams, and cultures.

• Personal Best: Becoming who he is today after going through the difficult experiences of having numerous spine surgeries.
• Favorite Book: It Takes What It Takes by Trevor Moawad, The Bible
• Most Impactful Advice Received: Serve first, add value first.
• Advice for Staff: You weren't created to be average. There's greatness in you because greatness created you.

Resources Mentioned:

• Website: Team Kellum
• Email: Chris@teamkellum.com
• LinkedIn: Chris Kellum
• Book: Igniting Your Purpose by Chris Kellum
• Website: The Bank Marketing Show

Ep 05 - Channel & Tactics Mix for Your Marketing The old marketing adage of "right time, right place, right message" still works today – but successful bank marketers know that lots of right times, right places, and right messages need to be running in parallel for the most effective marketing campaigns. In this episode, Dan Novalis and Chris Bates break down the importance of multi-channel marketing for bank marketers.  They discuss the importance of balancing your digital and local presence, and the value of digital community engagement, digital advertising, and building trust with brand awareness.

Topics Include:

• Channel mix
• What channels are best for which audiences
• Having a local presence
• Digital community engagement
• Social media
• Websites & the 5-second rule
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Building a local presence
• Digital advertising
• Google Ads
• Impressions, conversions, & clicks
• Building trust with brand awareness
• Multi-touch opportunities
• And other topics...

Resources Mentioned:

• Website: The Bank Marketing Show