With over 5,000 community banks and credit unions in the US, your brand is the only thing that differentiates you in your community and online. “Brand messaging” is the collection of words, imagery, and stories that you use to explain the value your community bank brings to customers. It’s not enough to say that your bank is “better” at something than others—better is unclear and doesn’t help you stand out. Instead, your brand message should answer important questions: What makes your bank different? What problems do you solve that other banks don’t? A strong brand message helps you connect with your audience and clearly show why they should choose you.
In this episode, Chris Bates, Dan Novalis, and Erin Fults discuss community banks’ challenges when building a brand message as a team. Your message isn’t just about telling customers what you do—it’s about inviting them into a story they want to be part of. Erin talks about the seven key points that help you create a unique and powerful message and how those points can make a big difference to your bank over time.
By the end of this episode, you’ll see how a strong brand message can help your community bank stand out in the competitive market.
Topics Include:
● Why brand messaging is important for community financial institutions
● The challenge in crafting a brand message as a community banking team
● The process of crafting a brand message
● How to use the seven key messaging points to create unique, compelling brand messages
● The benefit of having an external brand messaging expert
● The current challenges facing community banks
About Erin Fults
Erin Fults is a messaging strategist and communications coach. She helps companies develop a clear way to articulate the value they deliver in the marketplace, align their team around that message, and then coach them to implement it in their marketing and sales to attract and close more of the right customers.
Erin’s background includes over 15 years of experience as a small business owner, where she earned her “street MBA” along with certifications as a StoryBrand Certified Guide and They Ask You Answer Coach. A teacher at heart, she also speaks and facilitates workshops nationwide.
She and her husband have three children and live in central Mississippi.
Resources Mentioned:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn: Erin Fults
- Website: https://theacornteam.com/
- [email protected]
- Bank Marketing Minute Newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com
- Website: The Bank Marketing Show: bankmarketingshow.com