Word-of-mouth referrals and recommendations are the currency of business success today. More than ever, they are key to establishing trust and building awareness. According to Nielsen, 83% of consumers say they either completely or somewhat trust recommendations from family, colleagues, and friends about products and services, making them a powerful resource to amplify your message.  

Tags: marketing process optimization, bank marketing, brand advocacy, MRM, marketing technology, Insurance Marketing, marketing resource management, local marketing, local marketing automation, franchise, franchise local marketing

Today’s technology helps us address our goals of working smarter, faster and better. But even with the latest innovations, are there activities that Marketing continues to spend too much time on? And are these activities getting in the way of Marketing’s ability to contribute strategically to the organization?

Tags: marketing process optimization, bank marketing, bank marketing compliance, MRM, marketing strategy, marketing technology, marketing resource management, CRM, strategic bank 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

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

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

Is it smart to include marketing at the highest levels of strategic planning? At Vya, we think so. Organizations across a wide range of industries are searching for ways to gain their competitive advantage in the face of rapidly changing market dynamics. More than ever, marketing’s influence and insight can and should play a role in high-level business strategy.

Tags: bank marketing, strategic marketing

In its 2018 Banking Outlook report, Deloitte’s Center for Financial Services talks about the multiple challenges banks face as they aim to transform into “more strategically focused, technologically modern and operationally agile institutions.” Among the challenges Deloitte identifies are: complex and diverging regulations, legacy systems, disruptive models and technologies, new competitors, and an often-restive customer base with ever-higher expectations.

Tags: bank marketing, financial services, marketing strategy

Relationships have always been at the core of bank marketing success. While face-to-face transactions and handwritten notes have largely given way to mobile deposits, online bill paying, emails and texts, knowing and connecting with your customer on a personal level is as important as ever.

On the path to building lasting customer relationships, bank marketers must distinguish themselves from ever-increasing competition. There’s also the pressure to rise to elevated consumer expectations that are based on the streamlined, personalized experiences perfected by companies like Amazon and Uber.

Tags: bank marketing, brand consistency, financial services, local marketing, banking customer experience

Whether you’re a bank with local branches or a franchise business with multiple locations, local sponsorships offer a powerful way for your local representatives to build relationships and visibility in the communities they serve. Sponsorships are effective because supporting local sports teams, charitable causes, the arts and other cultural organizations puts your brand in front of the customers and prospects you most want to reach at the local level.

Tags: bank marketing, brand consistency, financial services, local marketing, legal and regulatory compliance, franchise, community sponsorship, local advertising

With the recently signed executive order requesting a review of the Dodd-Frank Act, the Trump administration has taken a first step toward potential regulatory relief for banks and financial services companies. Experts and influencers on both sides of regulation are already fiercely debating the merits and failings of the current law and any possible rollback of it. At this point, the result of such a review is uncertain. What is clear is that change is most definitely in the air.

Tags: bank marketing, bank marketing compliance, brand consistency, financial services, marketing resource management, legal and regulatory compliance, mortgage marketing