What a Week!

What a week!

• Missouri beats Oklahoma for an upset of the third NCAA BCS #1 team in 3 weeks
• The Cleveland Browns beat the defending Super Bowl champion Saints
• The Texas Rangers go the World Series for the first time in team history after defeating the "Beast of the East," the 2009 World Series champion Yankees
• The San Francisco Giants head to the World Series after getting by the 2009 World Series runners-up, Phillies

What a week for upsets!!! What a week for the little guys!!!

What a week to change perceptions!!!

So, if they can do it...

We all have a Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Chase, PNC, Wachovia, Regions, or Citi in our backyard. And they have a marketing budget with zeros that your bank or credit union will never see!!! But with the right game plan, motivation and team training, you can make them practically irrelevant in your market.

Marketing is more important today than ever. As you continue "reviewing the game films," training your team and finalizing your 2011 game plan - take heart in this week's lesson. There's a reason we play the game. The "big guy" can always fall.

Take care,

Eric

This Valentine's Day, Break Up With Your Big Bank

This is funny, click here.

Carpe Diem

Is it possible?  Is there a light at the end of the recession tunnel?  

A slew of economic reports released last week may be hinting at some possible good news.  Out of 12 reports released last week, 7 were better than expected and 2 met expectations.  And investors responded by sending the stock market to a healthy gain last week.

Heck, I watched the news last night and hardly saw anything bad about bankers!!!

The point is that as the economy begins to turn a corner, so will the public eye and focus.  As your community's hometown financial institution, have you done everything you can to capitalize on the mistrust and negative perceptions of the larger banks?

Soon J-Lo or A-Rod or some other far too wealthy person who doesn't use their whole name will do something stupid and, as Americans, we'll focus on the next shiny object that comes along.  People will forget that big banks "are bad," and then the large banks with their enormous marketing budgets will begin to gobble up market share again.

Seize the day, fellow community bankers and credit unioners!  Don't wait.  Get your piece of the market share pie while we still have a competitive advantage!

Happy Trails,

Eric