And the Oscar Goes to... The Customer!

Greetings...

The Oscars were watched by an estimated 1 Billion people globally last night... it must be true-- movies and perhaps a short "escape from reality" brings people together!  I had an "a ha" moment during the 2013 Oscars telecast -- specifically during the "Captain Kirk" intro an it was reinforced throughout the evening.  Giving people a "moment in time" what they really want...escape to Paris in Les Miserables, journey on a boat in the sea with The Life of Pi, or simply see action at its finest with James Bond in Skyfall.

So my Oscar goes to...the Customer and Member!

Our customer, or member, simply wants a "moment in time" when they visit us, too.  They want that new car, the dream vacation, or simply to pay for my child to go to the right college!

And we can give them that moment!!  IF, we have all of our touch points and brand aligned.

As I began to think about this-- and how we can give our customer/member that moment...there were three key lessons that jumped out at me while watching the Oscars last night...

1. Relevance matters:  How can we provide the "right moment" for our customer/member? By asking the "right questions!"  James T. Kirk STILL draws attention and a standing ovation?  He has stayed relevant across time!  How does a make-up artist on a small, low budget film attract any attention?  She/he is relevant to his target audience and blows out their opportunity!  Both important points for marketers in every industry...relevance is the ONLY thing that matters.
2. YOU can win:  How does the small film from Africa make it to the Oscar night with a 9-year old leading star?  Because she has talent! No matter how small, how remote, how unknown you are today...tomorrow can be a different day is you have a true point of difference AND everyone works together to make it a night/day of magic for the customer/member!
3. The Story Matters:  Regardless of age, color, creed, economic, or social status... having a moment in time that is all about "me" is what connects people.  Action film, historical documentary, love story, epic drama..that format has mattered little...the moment that I can "get away" from it all has mattered greatly. Remember, its the STORY people want to hear and connect with!!

Money connects people, too.  Big bank, small bank, savings and loan or credit union....we can ALL connect to our customers/members.  We operate in the banking industry where money is the great connector for us...but that MOMENT of TIME is the sticking point for the customer!  You can get "money" lots of places...but meeting my dreams and having "my time away from it all" is where price is minimized and value enhanced.

Think Starbucks...that's EXACTLY what they provide.   Sure a good cup of coffee...but the WIN is that the cup of coffee is EXACTLY how I want it and WHEN I want it.  People want access to time (mobile deposit)...more of it... security for it.  EXACTLY what we as bankers and credit union folks provide.

Our challenge??

Being Relevant...Realizing that WE CAN win...and connecting people to US how they want and when they want...regardless of the format.  Sure, some formats offer better storytelling or better service but the bottom-line...there is ROOM for each of us to stake our claim and be a Oscar winner.

It just takes focus and energy...

But that is the next blog!

Cheers!

Bruce

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Taking the next step...

Greetings!

As we quickly approach the last week of January...its time for us all to take inventory and get ready to take-- the NEXT STEP!

What is the next stet?

It is...

• Evaluating the 1st three weeks of your year
• Ensuring you are on pace for your 12/31 goals
• Taking inventory of your social media strategies
• Measuring the "true alignment" of sales and marketing at your institution
• Taking stock of your internal communications

It is all about making sure you incrementally are checking in on your progress and doing small tweaks instead of mid-year -- or later -- finding yourself well behind the 8-ball!

Here's to a great week!

Cheers!

Bruce

2011...

Greetings!

It's here...and quickly accelerating! 

2011.

We planned for it...we celebrated its beginning...and now we must maximize the opportunities.  For our bankers and credit unions marketers, the future is here now.  You have to turn on your energy, focus your team and realize the potential into real opportunity!

So where do you start??  Here are the top 4 ideas...

1. Bring the plan from the shelf to the front line- engage your staff in turning the plan into daily actionable goals, duties and accountabilities
2. Move forward- each day that you wait to launch your plans means one less day to make the results occur
3. Measure- everything! Pre-, Post- and during...to ensure your efforts are focused on the best source for success 
4. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate- the more you share, the more broadly it is shared, the more everyone will be on the same page and in unison forward

2011 means opportunity...are ready to seize your share??


Cheers!
Bruce

The Missing Piece For Consistent Cross-Sell

Cross-selling is a popular tactic used at every bank and credit union. Most financial institutions have developed a strategy and created tools to encourage cross-sell, but process shouldn’t end there…

Engaging and motivating employees is the activation piece that is crucial for long-term success. A good place to start is developing acknowledgement and/or rewards for cross-selling or referring. Rewards should commensurate with the profitability of the product or service to the bank.

In order achieve staff buy-in over the long-term, consider involving staff in developing the campaign or promotional ideas that will promote cross-sell. Involving employees in this process will give them a chance to understand the complexities of the product, rules, regulations and compliance issues. Also, getting staff involved early can provide you valuable feedback into the sales process that may provide insight on how to better target customers.

You can also keep cross-sell top-of-mind by ensuring continuous coaching to understand customer's needs and consistently share progress reports towards a goal.

Best,

Jamie