Marketing for Banks Made Simple

In the perfect world of a bank marketing director, promotional materials would magically appear in the hands of one’s most promising prospects, audiences would be endlessly enamored with each and every campaign and calls-to-action would be treated as commands rather than mere invitations. In reality, of course, things don’t always turn out this way – but bringing this “perfect world” scenario to life doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might think. Simply follow these top tricks of the trade when marketing for banks and people will think you’re a downright marketing magician!

#1: Develop a consistent brand identity. Placing your logo on every marketing piece is a given – but don’t let it stop there. Try incorporating consistent design elements throughout all your bank marketing pieces to make them even more instantly recognizable. Some people shy away from this due to concerns about becoming “locked in” to a certain look or feel, but the irony of these concerns is that locking in a consistent look is precisely what you should be doing when marketing for banks. Remember: If in doubt, embrace your brand!

#2: Reel ‘em in with enticing bait. Marketers spend an incredible amount of time and money each year trying to identify campaign components that inspire people to act. So far, though, nothing has revealed itself as a better human motivator than the simple promise of free stuff. Use this to your advantage when marketing for banks by offering consumers enticing gifts (such as Starbucks or Target gift cards) when they open a new product or service with you. As another option, you could create campaign giveaways offering customers entry into a drawing for an iPad®, $100 cash bonus, $50 gas card…you name it!

#3: Don’t underestimate the power of humor. Not a natural-born David Letterman or Jay Leno? Find difficulty turning “blah” into “ha”? This is a relatively easy problem to solve. Just take a close look at your marketing budget and consider allocating funds toward hiring a full-time comedian. Kidding!

In all seriousness, your pieces certainly don’t have to be laugh-out-loud funny to elicit the benefits of this trick. Think of it more as taking a lighthearted approach to your marketing for banks. Doing so will not only make your pieces more memorable for audiences, but also help your customers see you as a helpful “pal” or “partner” rather than as a strict, uptight, play-by-the-rules financial institution.

#4: Use appropriate marketing channels. When marketing for banks, make sure your target market not only guides the campaign’s design and copy – but also the actual products and channels you use to share your promotional information. For instance, if you’re targeting elderly individuals for a reverse mortgage campaign, online marketing probably isn’t the way to go. On the other hand, if you’re targeting youth for a student loan or kids account promotion, advertising online is arguably the best thing you can do to grab the attention of this smartphone-obsessed, computer-fixated, tablet-infatuated audience. Always be strategic when planning your campaigns!

So go ahead – use all of the above tips on your next campaign and experience marketing for banks made simple!

About image.works Since 1995, image.works’ innovative marketing materials have been helping financial institutions and healthcare organizations across the country build their brand and enhance their success. With products ranging from newsletters and annual reports to direct mail pieces, brochures and more, image.works consistently produces big-time results while providing all the personal attention of a small company. Experience the image.works difference today by calling 800.777.1663 or exploring www.imageworksdirect.com.