Build Your Brand Message
From the Ground Up

For banks, the process of establishing a brand message must begin from the ground up. A successful branding campaign is dependent on the “branding” being a direct extension of the bank’s business plan. The “brand promise” should not be just what the bank wants customers to think, but should truly reflect what customers will experience in their interaction with the bank. This is only true if the brand promise is supported by the business plan.

For example, if a bank is positioning itself as the “premier customer-service provider,” then all facets of the bank from retail banking to commercial banking to the customer-service center must reflect that promise.
If, instead, the bank is positioning itself as a “small-business bank,” then the resources must be in place to back that promise. A great branding campaign can backfire if it is not supported by the organization itself. To promise and not deliver is worse than not promising at all.

In addition, an organization’s successful branding campaign is also dependent on the message being clearly separable from that of its key competitors. With banking relationships often in place for several years, attracting new business usually is based on delivering something to customers that their current bank cannot provide. A clear, concise branding message that cuts through the “noise” of the business world can be the first step in building new business relationships.

Communicate Wisely
Once a sound brand message has been developed, the next step to a successful branding campaign is the communication or media plan. Late local news sports broadcasts featuring popular local teams and the Sunday newspaper all offer audiences larger than normal and can be a cost-effective piece of any brand-message campaign. Just as the number of media opportunities has grown, however, so has their ability to reach targeted audiences within a larger audience. For example, newspapers and cable providers offer the ability to reach segmented geographic populations through local editions or cable feeds. Some business publications will reach segmented audiences simply because of their own targeted content.

The key to any media plan is knowing not only which media but also which media providers have the greatest capability to reach your target audience at the lowest cost. The decision doesn’t end at choosing between TV or radio or print, but must be based upon the individual capabilities of the specific media outlets themselves. For example, a broadcast station may have a much larger audience overall, but only a small percent may represent the target audience. In that case, an ad in a local publication that is heavily read by the target audience may be a more cost-effective solution as part of the media plan.

The Hidden Media
Too often it’s easy to take for granted what you already have—your own customers. Make sure that as you embark on a branding message that you communicate and reinforce the brand message with your own customers. What you may find is that they are actually the most effective in communicating YOUR brand message.

By ensuring that the brand message that you communicate to your customers is backed up by their actual experiences with your organization, you most likely will find an important piece of your branding media plan right in your own backyard. After all, an outstanding customer experience delivered in the customer’s own words may be the most effective media of all.

Formula for Success
Today’s business and retail customers want the same thing—straightforward solutions to their financial needs backed by great customer service. Building a brand message that communicates a bank’s ability to deliver to customers’ expectations is the charge of the marketing department. Building a business plan that drives the ability to deliver to this promise must start from the ground up. Together these two factors can be the driving force in achieving a bank’s desired growth in a very competitive financial sector.

Stuart C. Lang is president of First National Bank. He may be reached by phone at 913.266.9000 or by e-mail at slang@fnbk.com.