Bank Marketing Campaigns

Whether you are looking to change the corporate image of your bank or introduce a simple new product, we can help you find creative and practical solutions to help you reach your goals.

We start with your bank marketing plan and determine your goals and bank marketing budget. We are very conscientious about saving our clients’ marketing dollars. Therefore, we always look for the most creative and economical means of reaching your goals. And where possible, we try to leverage marketing opportunities within our client base…again saving you money.

You will find that one area where we are fairly strict is with your image. We always make sure we are speaking with one voice. We incorporate the same image with every promotion regardless of size, location or budget.

This is a simple plan we follow to create a bank marketing campaign:

  1. Explore your goals. Your goals determine how we will create a marketing campaign.
  2. Establish your target market. Who is most likely to have the propensity to purchase your product or service?
  3. Consider your current customer base. Your customers are most often your first choice and best source for increasing share of wallet economically.
  4. Determine your current and new markets. Where are you most likely to find your target market and reach your goals?
  5. Prepare a creative brief that outlines your unique marketing situation, proposed campaign, goals, action items and time frames.

Branding, Rebranding and Positioning

In a nutshell, branding is how people perceive you. Positioning your business is how you want people to perceive you. Sometimes they mesh…sometimes you might need to make some changes. But the one thing you can always count on with SA Peters Marketing and Consulting, Inc. is that will offer recommendations that work for you and your budget and the public. We never make changes for the sake of change. We like to always start with the idea that we may need to refresh a name, logo, brand or product.

Many Community Banks are facing name identity crisis today! A lot of community banks were started within a small community or county. Hence they are named after the city or county. When these banks want to expand their footprint they are often hindered by their names. We explore all avenues of branding and rebranding when a bank wants to change its name and image. Our main concern is that the bank doesn’t look as if it has been sold. We will not change a name or image just for the sake of changing. And we will not readily advise using initials. We will explore all possibilities of keeping the name, changing it slightly or refreshing it and transitioning into a name that protects the brand equity you all ready have, agrees with your current customers and complements your growth strategy.

Some banks want to freshen up their image and make more of a statement in their communities. See The State Bank for a look at a complete rebranding strategy. The State Bank wanted a complete rebranding with an edgier look and feel. We created a new mission…You. And a new slogan…Your Financial Partner for Life.

See Fentura Financial Partners for a complete branding strategy. This subsidiary wanted to have their own brand, yet also wanted to identify with the banks they associated with for investment services.

Customized Marketing Materials

Because we believe in building relationships with customers, we only recommend and design marketing materials if they help to build or cement a relationship. We always train and coach about changing customer attitudes one step at a time and how materials fit into this attitude change.

Product Development and Promotion

Every now and then, you have to look at your product line and make sure it is keeping up with your customer needs and the trends in the industry. We always strive to make sure you are offering the right products and services to meet your goals. And just as importantly, that your products and services are easy for your customers to understand and use. Sometimes we can refresh an old product or service with some minor changes and a new campaign look and feel. And other times, it’s best to create new lines of products and services.

Image & Top of Mind Awareness Campaigns

You may also want to promote your products and services with an image campaign. We recommend direct mail as an inexpensive way of marketing directly to your targets and maintaining top of mind awareness so when they are ready to switch banks or buy additional products – they think of you first.

Social Media Marketing

As one of the fastest growing marketing avenues today, we will help you explore the benefits of various social networks to promote your products and services, including Facebook.comLindedIn.com and Twitter.com. Facebook alone has seen over 500% growth in the 55 years and older user category from January 2009 to July 2009. (www.istrategylabs.com)

Oversee Website Developments and Enhancements

Your Web site is a primary source for promoting your Bank. You’ll want to keep your site fresh with regular updates. We recommend a regularly scheduled audit of all pages sectioned out monthly so your site is continually updated.

We can also recommend Web site providers along with quotes for the work needed. In addition, we will write and edit all copy and oversee the changes made to your Web site. We can make the necessary, ongoing changes to your Web site including adding current news. Finally, we will make sure you are on all the search engines necessary to promote your products and services. (See www.mysummitbank.comwww.thestatebank.comwww.fenturafinancial.com and www.fenturafinancialpartners.com for examples.)

Event Planning for Grand Openings, Anniversaries and Community Sponsorships

Whether you are opening a new bank, adding a new branch office, celebrating an important milestone or want more publicity from your bank public relations, particularly associated with your corporate sponsorships, we will create a complete celebration for your Bank.

We usually start by selecting a team of employees to champion your celebration. We will then conduct a Brainstorming and Discovery Session with this team to create your unique celebration. A creative brief is prepared describing every detail necessary and every team member responsibility to carry out the event. The creative brief also includes a calendar and budget.

Some bank events that we have helped plan include:

  • Kalamazoo County State Bank 100 Years of Caring Anniversary Celebration and Chili Cook Off.
  • Livingston Community Bank Grand Opening Celebration.
  • Summit Bank for Branch Grand Opening.
  • Summit Community Bank for Poetry in Motion Bank Sponsorship Event.

Banks Just Wanna Have Fun!

Any time we can involve staff and customers in having a little fun, and accomplish major goals like cross selling all your “sticky” products – we create a win-win for you and your customers.

Ready to Reach Your Goals Creatively and Economically?