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Big banks stand to lose hordes of young and dissatisfied customers to digital banking startups and tech behemoths like Google, Apple and Amazon. Community banks, on the other hand, have a more loyal base.
July 14 -
Community banks need to rethink their technology and marketing to ensure they are snagging a piece of the millennial generation. Big banks have the lead in reaching this demographic, but they are vulnerable, experts said.
July 25 -
Community banks consider customer service their big advantage against larger competitors. But that strategy may not be working.
June 4 -
Community banks need a steady flow of prospects. A partnership with a successful retail concept virtually guarantees constant customer traffic.
April 22
The rush to digital marketing has taken on a life of its own. Search engine optimization, content marketing and social media are hot topics driving bank marketing conversations, financial blogs and campaigns.
Few appreciate the cost-efficiencies of digital channels more than those of us who, in earlier times, wrung our hands over print and electronic advertising that brought little in the way of measurable results. But in the rush to embrace all things digital, many bank marketers have bypassed critical thinking and strategic planning.
The truth is that digital solutions are ideal for some marketing challenges but a poor choice for others. In the financial services industry, digital marketing tactics can sometimes be too expensive, too limiting, or too impersonal. And there are three important customer groups that digital marketing tactics may fail to reach.
High-balance, high-profit customers in community banks tend to be 65 or older. They are also less likely to have mobile accounts, use bill-pay services or even have email addresses. Forty-four percent of people over age 65 do not use the Internet, according to a 2013
Digital marketing efforts may also fail to land with the financially struggling customers who frequent community banks. These customers straddle the line between banks and non-banks. They may have a bank savings account as well as a pre-paid card from Walmart; they might visit banks to cash checks but turn to payday lenders for a loan when their car breaks down. Because people in this group may feel intimidated or uncomfortable using banks, they place a high premium on personal service.
But according to
Millennials, or 18- to 33-year-olds, would seem to be prime candidates for a digital strategy. That's not always true. People in this age group tend to be wary of banks, especially national institutions. They value
Since millennials are constantly on their smartphones, they are assailed with hundreds of daily emails. And what do we do? Send them more emails. They want hand-holding; we send emails. They want advice; we send emails. This strategy is unlikely to spark enthusiasm among an already guarded group.
A better alternative may be to go with old-fashioned snail mail, according to a December 2011 Nielsen
These kinds of communication challenges occur daily at most banks. They demand an exploration of all communication options, not an automatic default to digital.
Marketing managers are abdicating responsibility when they go directly to web developers, digital agencies, email providers and social media gurus. Digital channels are simply communication tools, not strategies in and of themselves.
Social media gurus, web developers and big data analysts aren't marketers. They may understand many key concepts, but they rarely have the depth of experience to create a comprehensive marketing campaign. Nor do they have a deep understanding of a bank's customers, products and goals.
There's still a place for direct mail, public relations, billboards and newspapers in most marketing plans. You've just got to know how to look for them.
Kevin B. Tynan is senior vice president of marketing at Liberty Bank for Savings in Chicago. He can be reached at
