For the past several years, Franchise Update Media’s annual franchise marketing conference has been a must-attend event for the Vya marketing team. This year was no different. What was different was the name of the event, which rebranded as the “Franchise Marketing Leadership Conference.” With the new name came a revamped focus on leadership and recognizing marketing excellence. The result was a new and meaningful experience.

Tags: marketing leadership, leadership, franchise, franchise local marketing

Marketing organizations at many financial institutions continue to struggle to participate in—and influence—the strategic decision-making processes in their organizations. This is a recurring theme in our discussions with clients, which is why we often examine it on this blog (see Bank Marketing’s Strategic Impact and Future Ready Bank Marketing).

At Vya, we’ve seen how marketing can contribute to a bank’s strategic success. Marketing bridges a bank’s strategic direction and daily execution, with a keen understanding of what matters to today’s banking customers.

Tags: bank marketing, financial services, marketing strategy, strategy, financial services marketing, strategic bank marketing

In a recent post, we touched on the ever-increasing competition for qualified franchisee candidates. According to data cited by the Franchise Performance Group, some 4,000 franchise brands are competing for just under 14,000 new franchisees entering the marketplace. This level of competition requires franchisors to differentiate and create value for franchisees across every aspect of the business.

Tags: brand consistency, growth, franchise, franchise local marketing

Most marketers would agree, color is a vital component of everything they do. Color can be used to represent essential attributes of your brand, express key messages or tap into emotional and psychological impulses, as this infographic by The Logo Company colorfully illustrates.

Tags: Variable Data Printing, print, print best practices, compliant marketing materials, Color Printed Marketing Materials

I recently attended the International Franchise Association’s Annual Convention (IFA 2019) in Las Vegas with my colleague Allan Greer. This was my first time at IFA, which is a bigger conference, with a broader franchise focus than the consumer marketing franchise events I regularly attend. What I liked about IFA 2019 was the chance it provided to learn more about the various roles within franchisor organizations and the challenges they face.

Tags: branding, brand consistency, franchise, franchise marketing software, franchise local marketing

Planning for long-term success while addressing short-term goals isn’t easy for a bank marketing organization. It can feel like a tug-of-war between two opposing forces. A Deloitte Insights post about The Future-Ready CMO put it this way: “Effective marketing leaders often live in two realms—the present and the possible.”

Tags: bank marketing, financial services, marketing strategy

If you’re not already aware, the U.S. Postal Service is ringing in the new year with a postal rate increase. Beginning January 27th, the price of a first-class stamp will go from $.50 to $.55, the largest jump since 1991, when the rate went from $.25 to $.29.

Tags: direct mail, USPS, direct mail marketing

The latest industry research shows, that while national franchise brands continue to invest heavily in national advertising to build brand awareness and favorability, they’re increasingly taking their marketing programs to the local level to drive engagement.

Tags: local marketing budgets, franchise, franchise local marketing

A quarter century – that sure sounds like a long time. Think back 25 years… what do you remember about 1993? Bill Clinton was sworn in as the 42nd president of the United States. Top films were Jurassic Park, Mrs. Doubtfire, Groundhog Day, Sleepless in Seattle and Schindler’s List. The cost of a first-class stamp was $0.29.

Tags: marketing technology, print, Vya

My Vya colleagues and I recently returned from our first BAI Beacon conference (Oct. 9-11 in Orlando), and I have to say, there was a freshness about it that is often lacking at financial services industry events. The format was energizing, the content thought provoking. Here are some of the top ah-ha moments and inventive aspects we experienced.

Tags: bank marketing, strategic marketing, banking customer experience, BAI Beacon