Often in this space, we’ve written about how Washington has made community banks its personal punching bag. Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank, the FDIC and other financial regulators – as well as Congress and the White House -- have not been friendly to community banks, all while bailing out Wall Street big boys. But at last, news hit quietly several weeks ago about a proposed … [Read more...]
Opening Doors At Banks
To hear politicians and social activists and critics tell it, the financial services industry – banks included – is driven by greed. Profit, the critics contend, is the sole motivation for a bank to unlock its doors each morning. But a November 2015 story in the American Bankers Association Banking Journal tells a far different story, of how two executives at a … [Read more...]
10 ideas to boost your bank brand
Ok kids, it’s time to loosen your tie and consider some unconventional ways to boost your bank’s brand. They’re uncomplicated, inexpensive and can spark a buzz among current and prospective customers. These are ideas that shatter the notions of conventional bank marketing: Have a little fun at the expense of your competitors: One major bank brand uses green bicycles and a … [Read more...]
Bank Directors and Officers: How to Prepare for a FDIC Lawsuit
Over the past few weeks many articles have been published about the damage that has been caused by lawsuits the FDIC has filed against bank directors and officers. I know there were some things going on in a few banks that weren’t always done appropriately or legally, but the problem is that much of this activity had been occurring for years. As Warren Buffet once said, “Only … [Read more...]
7 things Chick-fil-A taught us about marketing
If I were the marketing director for Chick-fil-A, I would be buying full-page ads in the Chicago, Boston and San Francisco papers, thanking their local politicians for increasing sales over 100% in one day. With just a few words from Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee, Chick-fil-A had millions of passionate customers all … [Read more...]