Tag Archive for: Marketing

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Engaging the Next Generation of Customers

By Ashley Clemons

Ashley Clemons

In today’s banking landscape, capturing the attention and trust of younger generations — specifically Millennials and Gen Z — is crucial for the sustained growth and relevance of community banks. This tech-savvy group not only represent a significant portion of the consumer market but also bring unique expectations and preferences to their banking experiences. To effectively engage and attract Millennials and Gen Z, try focusing on these important topics:

Understanding Their Needs and Preferences

Millennials and Gen Z value convenience, transparency, and digital accessibility in their banking interactions. They expect seamless digital experiences in all aspects of their everyday life, including their banking services. Offering user-friendly mobile banking apps, online account management tools, and responsive customer service channels are great ways to fulfill this expectation.

Educational Content and Financial Literacy Initiatives

Younger generations appreciate banks that go beyond transactional relationships by offering valuable educational resources and promoting financial literacy. Try differentiating by creating content that educates Millennials and Gen Z about financial planning, budgeting, and saving strategies. Hosting workshops or webinars on topics like student loans, homebuying tips, how to budget effectively, or investing basics can establish credibility and build trust among this demographic.

Innovative Banking Solutions

Offering innovative banking solutions tailored to the needs of younger generations can set banks apart.

Features such as mobile check deposit, chat features, peer-to-peer payment, and automated savings tools appeal to Millennials and Gen Z who prioritize convenience and efficiency.

Building Trust and Credibility

Trust is vital for Millennials and Gen Z when choosing a financial institution. Build trust by maintaining transparent communication, prioritizing data security, and delivering on promises made in marketing campaigns. Positive online reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers can further bolster credibility to attract this group of consumers.

Digital Engagement and Social Media Presence

Leverage your social media platforms and digital marketing channels to engage Millennials and Gen Z effectively. Regularly updating social media profiles with relevant content, customer testimonials, and community involvement highlights can enhance brand visibility and attract younger customers who are active on these platforms. Engaging with followers through interactive posts, polls, and Q&A sessions is a great way to create a sense of community and responsiveness.

Clemons is VP – marketing at The Peoples Community Bank and member of the 2024–2025 WBA Marketing Committee.

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Strategic Connections: Getting More Done with Less

By Heather Calnin

In the banking industry, operating efficiently is crucial — not just for growth but for survival. Every department, from the front lines of customer service to the backbone of operations, feels the pressure to do more with less. However, the real art lies not in cutting efforts but in crafting smarter, more sustainable strategies to hit our goals.

Discovering Common Challenges

The first step toward efficiency is understanding the main hurdles or questions that pop up again and again, whether from customers or our own team members. Once you’ve identified these, create your helpful materials — think FAQs, how-to videos, or even step-by-step walkthroughs. This is about giving our customers and staff the keys to solve problems on their own, cutting down on those time-consuming calls and emails.

An “A” for Automation

Automation is a powerful tool for increasing efficiency. By automating the everyday stuff, we free up our teams to dive into the deeper end of customer needs and strategic planning. Plus, it’s a game-changer for keeping tasks error-free and consistent.

Choosing What Gets the Green Light

Efficiency isn’t just about doing things faster but also doing the right things. In a world where resources aren’t endless, we’ve got to be choosy about what gets our attention and aligns with our vision. This means saying no to projects that — while might be potentially beneficial — don’t line up with our big-picture goals. Prioritize tasks based on their impact on these goals and the customer experience. Create or use a system that categorizes tasks by urgency and importance, helping to manage resources wisely and make a real difference where it counts.

The Power of Communication & Collaboration

Communication is the glue that holds everything together, especially when you’re trying to get different teams on the same page. Work at breaking down the traditional silos and creating a culture where collaboration is the norm. Setting up clear ways to talk to each other, understanding everyone’s deadlines and needs, and having regular check-ins can smooth out those misunderstandings that slow us down.

Embracing AI

The leap into AI might seem like a giant one for community banks, especially with all the worry about data security and the hassle of integrating new tech. Tools like ChatGPT present a unique opportunity, allowing you to configure your account to reflect your bank’s brand guidelines, roles, and personality; helping out with everything from customer communication to content creation and more. This approach allows your bank to enhance efficiency and maintain a consistent brand voice, all while adhering to strict security standards.

Never Stop Learning

The last thing that is just as critical is nurturing a culture that’s all about learning and evolving. Whether we’re learning from successes or struggles, the goal is always to be open to fresh ideas to tweak processes and offerings. This isn’t just about chasing efficiency; it’s about building a team that’s ready to adapt and thrive, no matter what the world throws our way.

Calnin is director of marketing and business development at BLC Community Bank, Little Chute, and member of the 2023–2024 WBA Marketing Committee.

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Leveraging Company Culture: A Community Bank’s Social Media Asset

By Josh Effinger

Whether it’s internally with your coworkers or externally with your customers and community, community banks create many positive interactions on a daily basis. Capitalizing on these opportunities for social media and digital content can be a game-changer by showcasing your company culture and humanizing your bank.

While this strategy sounds simple and straight forward, this can be challenging for a marketing department or individual limited by time, resources, and other priorities. Consider these four tips to utilize your colleagues efficiently and effectively.

1. Identify what makes your bank culture unique. If your bank has a fun activity or social event, take pictures to capture staff camaraderie, such as volunteering in the community, attending high profile events, employee spotlights and accomplishments, staff wellness initiatives, customer testimonials, thought leadership, and professional growth narratives.

2. Encourage employees to participate. Ask staff to capture day-to-day moments within the bank that reflect its culture, such as team achievements, customer interactions, or community involvement. This can be as simple as capturing a few photos at an event or documenting a positive customer experience. Utilizing your employees outside of the marketing department can create valuable content and expand your reach so the content creation doesn’t fall on one person or department. Seek out fellow co-workers who might have a photography background or passion. By creating a sense of ownership and enthusiasm among employees to showcase the company culture through their lens, marketing managers can foster a more engaging and relatable social media presence for the bank.

3. Train staff. Training should involve clear guidelines on content creation, ensuring it aligns with the brand’s messaging while highlighting the human aspect of the bank. Give clear directions and provide examples with tips to make it fun and easy for staff to be involved. Leading by example will show employees that you also buy into the culture. Meeting with newly hired employees and sending helpful reminders will set expectations right away and reinforce them periodically.

4. Ensure everything runs through marketing and compliance. Ultimately, the marketing department has final say on what content is posted on social media. Limiting employee access to company social media profiles is essential for proper security and ensures compliance guidelines are followed.

Leveraging your staff to help create content not only creates more opportunities to showcase your company culture on social media, but it also generates efficiencies for the marketing department so they can focus on other objectives and not have to be present for every positive customer interaction or event. With proper training and clear guidelines, you can create a fun and inclusive environment that allows employees to proudly showcase their accomplishments and make a difference in the community.

Effinger is marketing officer at Ixonia Bank and member of the 2023–2024 WBA Marketing Committee.

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Committee Chair Spotlight: Grace Bruins

The Bruins Family

The following is a brief interview with Grace Bruins, assistant vice president – marketing officer at Horicon Bank. Bruins is chair of the 2023–2024 Marketing Committee.

How did you first get into the banking industry?

I needed a job! After graduating college into the tail end of a recession, job opportunities were limited. Banking seemed like a great way to not only gain valuable job experience at the center of local economy, but also get to know other local businesses. A position soon opened up in marketing and Horicon Bank gave me the opportunity to grow and sharpen my skill set.

Why did you decide to join a WBA committee? Why should others consider lending their time and expertise to shaping Wisconsin’s banking industry?

I was first encouraged to get involved with the WBA Marketing Committee by a mentor and fellow bank marketer. Each networking opportunity, peer group session, and conference I attended by the WBA strengthened my understanding of the industry and gave me experts to rely on when I had questions. I became involved in the WBA Marketing Committee because I wanted to support those same efforts for young bankers. As leaders, we should want to leave this industry in better hands than our own. If that’s going to happen, it’s up to us to mentor the next generation of community bankers.

How has WBA facilitated the growth you have seen in your career and as a leader?

Community bankers are special. Not only do we all want to see our communities succeed, but we want to see each other succeed. The WBA Marketing Committee are the greatest cheerleaders. We celebrate the successes of our fellow marketers and the industry as a whole. There’s an energy that comes from the FLEX Summit, peer group meetings, and committee involvement that stems from a spirit of collaboration and encouragement. I’m so thankful for Horicon Bank’s membership in this Association that allows me to tap into the knowledge, experience, and successes of my peers. I have grown as a marketer because of the relationships fostered through WBA involvement and educational opportunities they provide. (So if you’re not involved. . .this is your sign to start!)

As a banker, and as a leader, what is the most important lesson that you have learned?

Raise your hand — to ask the question, to volunteer, to take on a new challenge. When we’re afraid to raise our hand, we get complacent. We stop learning; stop growing. Asking tough questions or trying something new can put you in an uncomfortable place, but that’s when true growth happens.

Who (or what) motivates you to succeed?

Faith and family. We as bankers and humans have a purpose to serve others. One day, I hope my two little boys will be proud of the work I did to fulfill that purpose.

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WBA Announces Inaugural Marketing Excellence Award Winner

The WBA is pleased to announce the winner of the inaugural WBA Marketing Excellence Award for 2023: Bank Five Nine and the marketers behind the ‘Tim’s Treat’ campaign, Heather Dewey and Jeff McCarthy!

The WBA and WBA’s Marketing Committee created this new honor with the intention of celebrating marketing teams who excelled in communicating bank products, services, or initiatives through interesting and dynamic campaigns.

Pictured (left to right) are: Jeff McCarthy and Heather Dewey.

Bank Five Nine received the award on November 16 at the 10th annual WBA FLEX Retail and Marketing Summit (formerly LEAD360). Their ‘Tim’s Treat’ campaign garnered community engagement and exemplified the Bank Five Nine mission to “Make Lives Better” while introducing customers and local leaders to Tim Schneider, president and CEO at Bank Five Nine.

Submissions for the 2024 Marketing Excellence Award will open in August 2024!

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Strategic Connections: Tapping into the Power of AI for Bank Marketing

By Lauren Moran

If you are like me, you often consider technology a blessing and a curse. However, when it comes to a small marketing team with an endless to-do list, some recent advancements in technology are welcome conveniences. With staff shortages and conservative budgets becoming more common, artificial intelligence (AI) is allowing marketers to do more with less.

AI: The Game Changer

While the vast capability of AI has yet to be fully uncovered, a variety of industries have benefitted from AI’s automation and agility — especially marketing. Although many banks are approaching AI with caution from a risk perspective, I’d like to share a few AI-driven tools that can help lighten the load of a busy bank marketer. Please be sure to connect with your IT, compliance, and/or risk management teams before diving into any AI platforms.

  • Copywriting

Writer’s block is no longer a threat. Tools like ChatGPT or Bard can help create content or copy for blogs, email campaigns, webpages, social media posts, or even radio ads by simply writing one line of text explaining what you are looking for.

  • Design

Illustrator or Photoshop aren’t your strong suits? No problem. Canva has taken what used to be a tedious creative process and has made it quick and easy with boatloads of design templates, pre-sized canvases, and instant background removers. More recent features like “magic design” allow users to insert a photo and have a multitude of custom templates created within seconds. The “text to image” feature lets users type a description of an image and the AI will generate suggested images instantaneously. Both of these tools have proven to be extremely useful, especially for social media content.

  • Video

My skills as a videographer are limited to filming my kid’s tee ball game, so I need all the help I can get. Have an idea in your head but don’t have the time or film crew to make it a reality? Platforms like Runway can help bring your ideas to life with text-to-video AI-generation. Runway allows users to type in a description of the video footage they’d like to see, and the program generates it on the spot. Other platforms like Fliki can help marketers create a narrated and captioned how-to video that’s ready for the bank’s website or social media in minutes.

  • Headshots

In community banking, our people are our greatest asset. However, it can be tough to keep up with current staff headshots to use in marketing materials. AI apps like Fotor can help. With submission of some current casual photos of your staff members, Fotor can spit out 40 or more professional headshots at a cost that’s likely less than a professional photographer’s studio fee.

  • Presentations

Need an eye-catching presentation in a flash? Platforms like Tome can help build presentations with a simple description of your subject matter.

AI technology is moving even faster than the community banks who stay on the bleeding edge of new technologies. While it can be hard to keep up, AI can provide bank marketers with the tools to be more efficient and effective in their positions. Who knows, one of the platforms mentioned above could be a game changer in your daily work life.

Moran is marketing director at Wolf River Community Bank, Greenville, and vice chair of the 2023–2024 WBA Marketing Committee.

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Introducing FLEX: Retail and Marketing Summit

The newly rebranded event kicks off on November 15

In 2013, the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) brought together retail, sales, marketing, and financial literacy bankers in Wisconsin for its first annual LEAD360 Conference. The event — which focused specifically on education, networking, and idea sharing — has provided thousands of bankers with the opportunity to connect with their peers, learn from industry experts, and return to office with action items. As the event approaches its tenth year, and the banking industry continues to undergo significant development, LEAD360 has now been rebranded as the FLEX: Retail and Marketing Summit.

“In today’s fast paced retail and marketing world, it is only appropriate that the Association continues to provide resources and highlight the efforts of bankers who work diligently to assist their bank in remaining up-to-date and relevant,” stated Miranda Gustafson, WBA assistant director – education. “Although the name has changed, the Summit continues to connect attendees with opportunities to expand their networks, exchange ideas, and deepen their understanding of various industry trends and innovations.”

A familiar face at many WBA events, Lisa Lyon will be attending her eighth FLEX Summit in 2023. Having served in various retail and marketing-support positions since beginning her tenure at Pillar Bank, Baldwin in 2013, Lyon finds significant value in the connections she has had the opportunity to foster and new ideas she has been able to introduce to the bank.

“Every year, WBA’s FLEX Summit provides several general sessions focused on particular, big ideas related to retail and marketing,” highlights Lyon. “These sessions are often complemented by additional round table discussions and peer networking sessions in which attendees have an opportunity to discuss various topics in greater detail, or dive into other ideas. To me, this is the most valuable aspect of the annual event, and why I — and many of my colleagues — return year after year.”

Gustafson notes that attendees can expect over eight hours of presentations — including general and breakout sessions — as well as ample time to network with exhibitors and bankers from across the state during the two-day event. The Summit will kick off in Wisconsin Dells on the morning of November 15 and adjourn at noon the following day.

In addition to attending the annual event, Lyon — who now serves as vice president – treasury management director — is actively involved with the WBF Financial Literacy Advisory Board. The Advisory Board, representing bankers involved with promoting financial literacy and capability throughout their communities, is charged with aiding WBA staff in the planning and organization of the financial literacy track during the Summit.

“Financial literacy often falls to a bank’s retail and marketing team, so tying financial education-focused components into an event like FLEX ensures that bankers who wear many hats are able to make the most out of their time away from their desks,” says Lyon.

Sales, marketing, and retail-focused bankers will also benefit from tracks planned in conjunction with the WBA Retail and Marketing Committees.

In addition to more than a day’s worth of sessions, the FLEX Summit will also feature two award ceremonies during a breakfast program on November 16. The first, which is presented by the Wisconsin Bankers Foundation, will recognize the efforts of bankers involved with financial education in Wisconsin communities from June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023.

The second award ceremony — a new addition to FLEX in 2023 — will recognize one member bank that demonstrated an innovative marketing campaign between August 1, 2022 and July 31, 2023. Submissions for the inaugural WBA Marketing Award are now being accepted at wisbank.com/MarketingExcellence through Saturday, September 30.

Lyon underscores that FLEX is the perfect opportunity for bankers of all levels to get involved. “So much good comes out of events like FLEX. From broadening your knowledge to fostering connections statewide, new and experienced bankers are sure to leave motivated and inspired for the year ahead.”

Learn More and Register Now
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Strategic Connections: Tips for Refreshing Your Website

A website that’s easy to find, readable, and informative is key

By: Ashley Clemons

Now more than ever consumers depend on the internet to have all the answers to their questions. This can be a good thing and a bad thing. Whatever the case, having your website easily findable, readable, and informative is crucial to providing potential and existing customers the information they are searching for.

Ease of Information

Consumers want answers, and they want them now. Ideally, they don’t want to read through a lengthy paragraph with filler material to get the information they’re looking for. Making sure your services and products are easily listed in a concise manner provides the quick service many consumers are looking for.

While keeping things simple is important, it’s also essential to keep the consumer’s interest. This can be done by adding interactive content to your website. Interactive content could be a Q&A section or a quick video explaining a product, service, or offering.

Make sure your website doesn’t require consumers to bounce between too many pages when searching for information. Once consumers have found what they’re looking for, they need to know what’s next. Having a call to action on each page is imperative to keeping consumers on their journey to finding you.

Self-service Options

With almost every product or service out there today, accessibility to that product or service is crucial. While some consumers still like to discuss in person or over the phone, many are moving away from this interaction if at all possible.

Having self-service options such as online account opening, applications, or fillable forms is essential to providing the best website and online experience. Giving consumers the ability to choose which avenue they use to interact with your business is a sign of excellent customer service and shows your commitment to your customers.

Staying Up to Date

Keeping your website up to date does not have to be an overbearing idea. Check in with each department on a schedule that works for you to make sure all information is still current and what consumers are asking for.

Use Google to Your Advantage

The first place a consumer will go to find answers is Google. Being at or near the top of search results is vital to directing consumers to your website as many consumers will not look past the first four search results. Make sure your website is using key words in multiple places that consumers search for. This can be done ‘behind the scenes’ by giving titles to your pictures that are uploaded and links to blogs or other helpful webpages.

Google is a great space to track how consumers are interacting with your website. Google Analytics will show which pages consumers are interacting with most and is a great starting point when deciding which of your webpages to focus on updating first or most often.

Clemons is vice president – marketing at The Peoples Community Bank, Mazomanie, and member of the 2022–2023 WBA Marketing Committee.

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Go Digital on a Budget

How to kick off your digital strategy with a low (or no) budget

By Grace Bruins

When digital marketing options are endless, marketers are left wondering “where do I even start?” (And bank marketers are left wondering “where am I even allowed to start?”) Add in shrinking budgets in preparation for a recession, and it would be easy to throw in the towel on digital and make it 2024’s problem.

Let me encourage you, friends — don’t give in. Even with a low (or no) budget, you can kick off your digital strategy today. Here’s how to start:

Claim Your Bank on Google

Create a Google My Business account and set up a profile for your branch(es). This allows you to own your profile on Google and optimize it for future searches. Which brings me to…

Ask for Reviews

Did you know people are two to three times more likely to leave a negative review than a positive one? But I’d be willing to bet you have two to three times more happy customers than unhappy ones. So, ask.

When a customer has a great experience, or tells you in person: “I love this bank,” take a minute to ask if they’d be willing to leave a Google review. This may feel like a vanity metric at first, but Google will organically serve up those businesses that are more highly rated on their platform than those that aren’t. (And if you’ve ever Googled anything before, you know the importance of appearing highest in the search results.)

Make a Habit of Responding to Reviews

Good or bad — engage with the people taking a few minutes to talk about you. Google ranks those businesses that engage on their platform higher in searches than those that don’t.

Want to take it one step further? Add in key search terms to your responses. Of course, you want your responses to be authentic, so #checking #account may not be the way to go. But responding with:

“Thanks for stopping in our branch in [your city name]! Our team works hard to provide the best customer service possible and we’re proud to be your community bank! If you ever need us,
don’t hesitate to call [your bank’s phone number]. We’re here to help!”

can be genuine, helpful, and includes a few key terms your prospects may use in the future to find you.

Create Relevant Content

Creating content has become status quo — so much so that we may begin to overlook it as a marketing strategy. But if you can show off your expertise and make it your goal to become the single best resource in your field, people will pay attention. (I wish I could say they will pay attention right away, but they probably won’t.) Don’t let that discourage you, friends. Keep at it. Content compounds in a way that other marketing channels can’t.

Lastly, Don’t Forget to Engage

It’s called social media for a reason. Tag local businesses in your area, congratulate people in your community when they accomplish great things, and use hashtags to be included in the conversation. Bring that sense of community customers feel walking into your branch to the online experience.

Friends, let’s not wait for 2024. You can start your digital strategy today. Just remember to be consistent and be present; keep putting out quality content and engaging with your fans and you’ll bring that sense of community you work hard to create in person to your online audience in no time.

Bruins is assistant vice president – marketing officer at Horicon Bank and vice chair of the 2022–2023 WBA Marketing Committee.

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Building Credit for a Better Future

Helping young adults establish credit

By Tammy Tongusi

Financial institutions tend to overlook teens becoming adults, especially when it comes to providing education. Young adults will need to become financially independent, notably to prepare for purchasing a car or buying their first home. In today’s world, young adults plan for their future very differently than thirty years ago. I do not recall hearing from my parents or educators, “You should start thinking about building your credit.” As bankers, we help to start that process by giving our customers the tools they need to reach their financial goals. We know the credit scoring system creditors use to help determine your credit score. This will have an impact on many transactions going forward from whether or not a loan will be approved to the interest rate that will be paid and even the cost of car insurance.

Forte Bank offers a Teens with Green Club account that is designed for 13–17 year olds, and most of them are eager to get a checking account with a debit card. The teenage years are a great time to start the conversation and get them thinking. Many people do not realize that students and other young adults can establish credit through their parents’ credit if their credit card allows authorized users to be added. These card companies report to all three credit bureaus, so credit scores can start to build.

Financial classes for students and young adults, held in schools or at the bank branch, give them the tools needed to establish credit for future purchases and how to budget money to make them financially responsible. By promoting financial awareness, they can start taking steps to be on the path to a brighter future.

A “secured” credit card is a great starting point for customers with no credit or very low credit scores and is an excellent way to start building a credit history. The Forte Bank program requires account holders to have a separate deposit account with the bank and a balance of funds to hold as collateral. This deposit, which must be placed for at least 12 months, will establish the credit limit as a minimum of $250.00 and with no maximum. This will allow them to start understanding how to properly use a credit card. Stressing how important it is to make monthly payments on time and not maxing out the credit card every month is crucial for a young adult building their credit score. We generally recommend using credit cards for minimal purchases two to three times a month.

After they have received their secured card, they should take some time before they start applying for other credit cards. Having a credit use history will help in both building a credit score and gaining access to other lines of credit.

Another way to consider establishing credit is to explore the options of having a joint credit with a co-signer. This can be especially useful with an automobile purchase. Many banks will offer a reduced rate if customers sign up for automatic payments. Additionally, it will ensure their payments will be on time.

Forte Bank is very active in finding ways to ensure that future generations are responsible users of credit. Taking an active role at the start of their credit journey is a great way to help teens and young adults establish a solid credit score and understand how these products can be used to help them on their financial journey throughout life.

Tongusi is assistant vice president – retail banker and consumer lender at Forte Bank, Hartford and a member of the 2021–2022 WBA Marketing Committee.

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questions@wisbank.com

608-441-1200

4721 S Biltmore Ln.
Madison, WI 53718

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