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BAI Retail Delivery 2008 Conference Recap
From General Colin Powell to Thomas Brown, the November 2008 BAI Conference had some pretty decent content, to wit:
You can't fix stupid. Virtually every banking, marketing and behavioral scientist is emphasizing the importance
of proactively positioning/reassuring/selling deposits via your customers now. When you consider that today 24% of your
customers are not really sure if their primary bank is secure, and that the level of trust is the primary indicator for
share of wallet, a head-in-the-sand communication strategy doesn't seem too brilliant.
If your wallet's fat, go shopping. Consolidation is an industry certainty, and there are some dandy acquisition
options out there. Mutual of Omaha Bank's growth strategy is buying troubled banks at a deep discount.
Folks are gullible. To the max. Showing a lock graphic at the end of an online application almost doubles the
completion and close rate of applications. Sounds crazy simple, but why not do it?
The BofA Intranet... Includes BankWatch, a compendium of what competitors are doing, and MediaBuzz, an online
staff resource with current banking/economy topics in talking-point format. It has quickly become the bank's primary
source for information and tools that drive productivity and revenue gains.
The word for '09 . . . authentic. Relevant brand behaviors create big market differentiation . . . which doesn't
sound too hard, but in shop after shop, we still see a lot of poor execution on behaviors beyond order-taking. It's not
rocket science. Set service expectations and relentlessly coach and measure.
I firmly believe 2009 will be a deposit-rich bonanza for healthy banks with enough confidence to go out there and get
the money. Folks aren't looking for rates. They're looking for someone to trust.
Why not you?
Best,
Becki Drahota
We'll help you ... Fine-tune your Business Banking Strategies!
We've just expanded our membership in the Raddon Financial Group's Strategic Planning Study Group to include
their new Small Business National Research, which offers fresh data every six months on products, pricing, the
competition, product demand, average balances, delivery channels, loyalty, interactions with primary financial
institutions, and more.
Here's how you can benefit:
- Ask us for info that aligns with your business growth goals. We'll sift through all the data and get key
information to you – fast.
- Come to one of the two annual "data dump" workshops as our guest. You'll meet 30-40 like-minded bankers
and get an intense briefing.
- Use the Small Business data as a baseline, and survey your own commercial customers (with an eSurvey)
and compare your base with national trends.
For a web or phone briefing, we've got dates available in January and February. On-site visits may need a little
more lead time, so contact Rhonda Handy (rhondah@millsmarketing.com
or 888-733-4899) soon to schedule yours!
The Microsite: Another Tool in Your Marketing Belt
Like any well-planned campaign, using the right tools to reach the right audience is key, which can often require you
to step outside the traditional "toolbox." For example, are you promoting something so big that it deserves (and can support)
its own stand-alone website? If so, a microsite could be the perfect tool.
Why? They're small (typically 2-3 pages), which makes them highly cost efficient to develop and maintain, they're easy to
adjust, and, if necessary, they can be eliminated or realigned quickly.
A microsite can also be a primary driver of traffic to your traditional bank site – as well as create new marketing "buzz"
for customers and prospects.
Q: When do I use a microsite?
A: Consider these scenarios:
- The lead-in to a grand opening of a new location
- Communicating your environmental commitment
- Showcasing your corporate citizenship
- In conjunction with a product promotion
- Celebrating an anniversary
- Housing your online newsroom
- A new brand or image campaign
How do I get started?
- Determine your objective and decide if a microsite is the correct forum for your message.
- Create and purchase a URL.
- Build a microsite map.
- Develop the site with content and design.
- Promote your microsite.
- Launch!
If you have questions about how and when to use a microsite, MFM has the answers. Get a free consultation ...
Contact Stephanie Beck (stephanieb@millsmarketing.com or 888-733-4899) today!
What our clients are saying about myMillsMarketing.com
... our new web-to-print service!
"Now we don't have to wait to order business cards until we meet a minimum quantity."
"We have more control – we can have others do their own ordering (branch managers, department heads, etc.),
but have the overall approval and control of not only what it looks like, but how many and how often they order."
"I'm a one-person show and this will help me tremendously!"
"Your reporting is better than other web-to-print programs. You have more options available where I can choose
the reports I want to see and where I want to see them. Previously, if one of the branches ordered, I couldn't get
that report on my own. And I can export the data to Excel, sort by items, and share reports."
"I like the ability to see proofs immediately online."
If you haven't seen a demo yet, call or email Rhonda Handy (rhondah@millsmarketing.com
or 888-733-4899). Save money. Save time. Save your sanity.
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