Bank Marketing Show Chris Bates & Dan Novalis

Content marketing is an oft-misunderstood thing – most banks just produce blog posts about financial topics, and sometimes collect them into a periodic newsletter.  But are you really adding value to your customers with a blog post on “the difference between fixed and ARM mortgages”, when there are literally hundreds of similar blogs already online?
In this episode, Chris and Dan chat with Hollie Brown, VP of Marketing for Coastal Community Bank.  Hollie leverages her journalism background and the bank’s network to create regular, expert-driven content for her customers. That content “engine” has even led to a system that drives email signups, and a busy calendar of in-person events – truly creating a community where customers can learn more about the bank, network with other similar customers and small businesses, and learn from experts.  And most importantly – this system actually converts readers and attendees to real customers.
Topics Include:
●     How content marketing and digital marketing work together
●     How producing regular content is a resourceful task for local banks
●     How banks can leverage a content strategy to create face-to-face community events
●     How to determine if your content audience becomes customers
●     Why it’s important to involve your internal team in your content strategy
Hollie Brown is Vice President of Marketing for Coastal Community Bank. Coastal provides personal and business banking services for Puget Sound, WA customers, and Banking as a Service (BaaS) for fintech partners. At Coastal, Hollie leads marketing strategy, brand and corporation communication, public relations, and digital marketing.
Hollie earned a BA in Journalism from Western Washington University, an Executive Development Professional certificate from the Washington Bankers Association, a certificate in Bank Marketing from the American Bankers Association, and she is a Certified Financial Management Professional from the American Bankers Association. She is currently enrolled in Pacific Coast Banking School.
Before joining Coastal, she was the Regional Marketing Manager for Moss Adams LLP in Seattle and the Vice President and Director of Marketing for Peoples Bank in Bellingham, WA.
Resources Mentioned:
●     Website: https://www.coastalbank.com/
●     LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holliejoybrown/
●     Website: https://bankmarketingshow.com/   
 
 
 
 
 

SEO is a powerful but often misunderstood tool to improve your bank’s rankings on search engines – which translates directly into being found, especially among younger, digital-first generations. In fact, search rankings are one place that it’s often possible for small local institutions to outrank their larger, national competition...if you know the tricks.
In this episode, Chris and Dan interview Ben Walsh, an SEO expert, about how rankings are a local bank’s most powerful tool.  Ben walks us through the easiest changes to make – literally things that you can do today in just a few minutes.  Plus, we discuss the ongoing things you should be doing (e.g., reviews) that will help you outrank your competition.
Topics Include:
●     How SEO has evolved over recent years
●     The biggest ranking factors that community banks should know about
●     Why images and reviews on your Google My Business profiles are extra important
●     How to improve your website’s SEO
●     How big picture SEO makes local banks competitive with larger banks
Ben Walsh is a local SEO veteran with over ten years of experience. He helps local businesses get more leads, calls, and walk-ins.
Resources Mentioned:
●     Website: https://marketlocalseo.com/
●     LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-walsh-73ab78105/
●     Website: https://bankmarketingshow.com/   
 

Digital advertising has never been more important for community banks – it’s one of the easiest ways to make your brand more visible to younger customers, who spend the most time online.  For many banks, digital ads have become a first conversation of sorts, encouraging prospective customers to research the bank more as they make their decisions.
In this episode, Dan and Chris speak with Matthew Wade, President of Exact Marketing, a digital media agency based in Nashville.  We discuss the four pillars of the digital advertising industry: search engine marketing, retargeting customers, contextual targeting, and behavioral targeting. Utilizing each of these pillars is important to building a robust and versatile digital marketing campaign, and to increase market share from competitors.
Topics Include: 
●     What the digital advertising industry looks like in 2024
●     How digital advertising is a core part of competing effectively in the digital age
●     Some digital advertising tips and strategies for community banks to utilize
●     How to budget for digital advertising 
Matthew Wade is the President of Exact Marketing, a transformative media agency based in West Tennessee focused on improving how people buy digital advertising.
Matthew spent the first decade of his career in Sports Marketing with USA Today’s Sports Media Group, working with household names like Nike, Ford, Ram, Under Armour, Gatorade, American Family Insurance, and the Army National Guard.
Today, Matthew is focused on leading Exact Marketing to deliver those same Madison Avenue advertising capabilities to Main Street businesses and their agencies.
Resources Mentioned:
●     Website: exactmarketing.digital
●     Email: mwade@exactmarketing.digital
●     Website: bankmarketingshow.com 
 

Community banks, it’s time to stand out from the crowd. Rebrands are no small feat – and to make them successful, lots of parts need to align in order to develop something that no other bank can replicate.
In this episode, we interview Jeff McCarthy, SVP and Marketing Director of Bank Five Nine in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.  Jeff led the bank through a major rebranding project that has paid dividends in the last few years since it launched.  Jeff walks us through his process, from the initial idea to the decision to rebrand the bank completely – and the steps they took to get there, including how he navigated obstacles along the way.  And, he shares the successes they’ve seen since the brand launch.
Topics Include: 
●     Why it's important to differentiate your community bank
●     How to prepare your customers for a brand change
●     How a rebrand can help your community bank get better recognition
●     What the process for a rebranding announcement looks like
●     Why it’s important to overcommunicate the reason for a rebrand
  
Jeff McCarthy is the Senior Vice President, Marketing Director at Bank Five Nine. Headquartered in Oconomowoc, WI, Bank Five Nine is a community bank with roughly $1.8 billion in assets and fourteen branch locations.
Jeff has been with the bank for over ten years, leading the organization through a complete rebrand in 2020. For his work, Jeff was recognized as the CMO of the Year by the Milwaukee Business Journal and as a Notable Marketing Executive by BizTimes Milwaukee.
Before joining the bank, he worked primarily in account management for various Milwaukee-based advertising agencies.
Outside of the office, Jeff serves as the President of the Oconomowoc Area Chamber of Commerce and previously served as the Chairperson of the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) Marketing Committee. He has been featured as a speaker at conferences for the WBA and the Washington Bankers Association, as well as at The Financial Brand Forum.
Resources Mentioned:
●     Favorite Book or Resource: The Experience Maker by Dan Gingiss
●     Website: https://www.bankfivenine.com/
●     LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmccarthy427/
●     Email Jeff: jeff.mccarthy@bankfivenine.com
●     Email Chris and Dan: contact@bankmarketingshow.com
●     Get Chris and Dan’s Bank Marketing Minute e-newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com
 

We’re returning with the fourth episode of the Major Marketing Challenge Series – where we discuss the biggest problems facing bank marketing teams.
In our work with banks, we find that many teams end up spending time on tasks that don’t add to the bottom line – like the right shade of orange for your logo. And those same teams breeze through the stuff that matters more – like the right CTA for a landing page or a proper A/B test to figure out what really resonates with customers.  Marketers should be spending time putting themselves in the customers’ shoes and understanding their problems – rather than just trying to crank out the next product-based email or flier content.
 
If you're a community banker looking to enhance customer engagement, drive business growth, and optimize your marketing strategies, tuning into this episode will provide you with some actionable tips and a fresh perspective on creating impactful marketing initiatives that yield measurable results.
 
In this episode:
-       Why you should prioritize Impact Over Perfection
-       How to Align Marketing Efforts with Strategic Goals
-       How to Personalize Communications for Greater Resonance
Resources Mentioned:
-       We’d love to hear your stories!  Email them to contact@bankmarketingshow.com
-       Bank Marketing Minute Newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com
-       Website: The Bank Marketing Show: bankmarketingshow.com
 

We’re returning with the third episode of the Major Marketing Challenge Series – covering the risks of scattered marking tactics.
In this episode, we discuss the common struggle of scattered marketing in the banking industry. We emphasize the importance of having a strategic marketing plan to avoid wasted resources and ineffective tactics, and share real-life examples while stressing the need for a proactive mindset shift, highlighting the benefits of surrendering old habits and embracing intentional strategies.
 
Our conversation also touches on the role of video in marketing and the significance of aligning marketing messages with the overall strategic goals of banks and credit unions. We encourage listeners to reach out for guidance and support in developing strategic marketing plans. If you're a marketing professional in a community bank or credit union and find yourself grappling with scattered marketing tactics, tuning in to this episode could equip you with insights to overcome this challenge and implement more targeted and effective marketing campaigns.
 
In this episode:
·         Uncover the hidden potential in your marketing strategy with a focused approach.
·         Elevate your marketing game and leave behind scattered tactics for good.
·         Craft strategic marketing plans that yield tangible results for your bank or credit union.
·         Align your messaging to resonate with your audience and drive meaningful connections.
·         Embrace a proactive mindset in marketing to stay ahead of the curve and stand out from the competition.
 
Resources Mentioned:
-       We’d love to hear your stories!  Email them to contact@bankmarketingshow.com
-       Bank Marketing Minute Newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com
-       Website: The Bank Marketing Show: bankmarketingshow.com