With over 5,000 community banks and credit unions in the US, your brand is the only thing that differentiates you in your community and online. “Brand messaging” is the collection of words, imagery, and stories that you use to explain the value your community bank brings to customers. It’s not enough to say that your bank is “better” at something than others—better is unclear and doesn’t help you stand out. Instead, your brand message should answer important questions: What makes your bank different? What problems do you solve that other banks don’t? A strong brand message helps you connect with your audience and clearly show why they should choose you.

In this episode, Chris Bates, Dan Novalis, and Erin Fults discuss community banks' challenges when building a brand message as a team. Your message isn’t just about telling customers what you do—it’s about inviting them into a story they want to be part of. Erin talks about the seven key points that help you create a unique and powerful message and how those points can make a big difference to your bank over time.

By the end of this episode, you’ll see how a strong brand message can help your community bank stand out in the competitive market.

Topics Include:

● Why brand messaging is important for community financial institutions

● The challenge in crafting a brand message as a community banking team

● The process of crafting a brand message

● How to use the seven key messaging points to create unique, compelling brand messages

● The benefit of having an external brand messaging expert

● The current challenges facing community banks

About Erin Fults

Erin Fults is a messaging strategist and communications coach. She helps companies develop a clear way to articulate the value they deliver in the marketplace, align their team around that message, and then coach them to implement it in their marketing and sales to attract and close more of the right customers.

Erin’s background includes over 15 years of experience as a small business owner, where she earned her "street MBA" along with certifications as a StoryBrand Certified Guide and They Ask You Answer Coach. A teacher at heart, she also speaks and facilitates workshops nationwide.

She and her husband have three children and live in central Mississippi.

Resources Mentioned:

• erin@theacornteam.com
• LinkedIn: Erin Fults
• Website: https://theacornteam.com/
• contact@bankmarketingshow.com
• Bank Marketing Minute Newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com
• Website: The Bank Marketing Show: bankmarketingshow.com

Chris and Dan discuss strategies for community banks to enhance their local marketing efforts. They emphasize the importance of connecting digital and brand initiatives with local engagement to build trust and visibility.

This episode provides a checklist for banks to leverage local strategies, use digital tools, and measure ROI effectively. Chris and Dan also discuss the benefits of outsourcing technical marketing tasks to focus more on community involvement while providing practical tips and best practices for amplifying local campaigns.

Topics Include:

• Importance of Local Community Involvement
• Building Trust and Visibility in Your Community
• Intentional Community Engagement Strategies
• Showcasing Community Involvement on Social Media
• Aligning Local Strategy with Overall Branding
• Using Digital Tools to Amplify Local Campaigns
• Learning from Other Banks' Best Practices
• Measuring ROI from Community Engagement

Resources Mentioned:

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

Chris and Dan continue the three-part series by exploring the impact of digital marketing on community banks. Building on the previous episode's discussion on branding, they both dive into digital personalization, emphasizing the importance of creating tailored customer experiences and engaging through multiple digital channels.

This episode offers practical advice on segmentation, automation, the balance between digital strategies and human touch, and the significance of consistency and metrics in tracking success and optimizing marketing efforts. Filled with actionable insights and examples, this episode is a must-listen for any community bank looking to bolster its digital presence while maintaining its personalized service edge.

Topics Include:

• Diving into Digital Marketing
• Personalization in Digital Marketing
• Human Touch in Digital Marketing
• Segmentation and Micro-Segmentation
• Automation in Digital Marketing
• Consistency Across Channels
• Privacy Concerns in Digital Marketing
• Tracking Success and Metrics

Resources Mentioned:

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

In this episode of the Bank Marketing Show, hosts Chris and Dan embark on a deep dive into the critical aspects of brand strategy for banks. They explore the importance of distinguishing between brand and marketing strategies, emphasizing the need for consistent brand presentation and leveraging customer stories to build trust. The discussion includes insights on maintaining 'always-on' awareness campaigns, utilizing visual elements to shape customer perceptions, and differentiating in a competitive market.

Chris and Dan also address the challenge of tracking brand success and the importance of commitment to long-term brand building. This episode is the first of a three-part series that will continue to explore vital topics for financial services marketing professionals.

Topics Include:

• Brand strategy framework
• Importance of consistency in branding
• Leveraging customer stories
• Always-on awareness campaigns
• Elements of brand shaping perception
• Differentiating your brand
• Tracking brand success

Resources Mentioned:

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