As the scope and ease of digital banking grows, it’s important for banks to foster a relationship with their customers. Effectively communicating with and educating your customers is critical to providing a great experience that helps them make smart financial decisions and continue using your services.
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(To the tune of ‘Twas the Night before Christmas…) On a dark night in early February 2013, not a football player was stirring in New Orleans. It was Super Bowl night, and the power was out; all through Facebook and Twitter, people wondered aloud: “Where is our football game? Why won’t it show?” Until one voice responded: “Hey look, an Oreo!” Oreo’s tweet, now famous—“You can still dunk in the dark”—was a smart, timely way to spread branded snark. But take heed, dear reader, should you try to sell your products and solutions on social media “shelves.” No matter how playful your pop-culture roast, readers may not respond to self-promotional posts. They tune out content that doesn’t engage them on platforms designed just for engagement. If you want to increase brand awareness for real, the nine tactics below can help seal the deal: Ask your existing audience on Facebook and Twitter what problems or obstacles they have to feeling good about their finances. The best way to understand a potential client’s problem is to ask your current audience what issues […]
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Step 3: Connect the Dots Banking and financial services marketers have told us the primary goal in their content marketing efforts is to increase brand awareness. (If you haven’t already, download IMN’s 2014 Content Marketing Survey to see more things marketers revealed about their content marketing efforts.) This post is the third in a series to help financial marketers build better awareness for their brands using three easy-to-follow steps. Any brand can apply the general practices and ideas promoted in this series, but we’re addressing banking and financial services marketers directly. What have we learned so far? Before you talk about your brand, understand your target audience. That includes understanding audience members’ problems, and even helping them understand the problems in their situation. Before you talk about your brand, guide your audience through possible solutions to those problems. (To learn more about these steps, read the first and second posts in the series.) So far, you’ve helped potential policy holders or members understand the need to improve their current situation, and shown them that help is out there. They want […]
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Step 2: Show Possible Solutions When banking and financial services marketers took IMN’s 2014 Content Marketing Survey, they said increasing brand awareness is their primary content marketing goal. IMN wants to break down building brand awareness into three easy-to-follow steps. Although these steps are geared toward banking and financial services brands, any brand can apply the general practices and ideas promoted. As discussed in the previous post, successful brand awareness happens first when consumers understand they have a problem. Until they believe their situation is lacking in some area, they won’t feel motivated to seek solutions—including your solutions—to their problem. So what happens after your potential clients determine they have financial problems or need a new or additional financial service? Before you present your solution to their problems, guide them through some possible solutions. Your audience understands: Their current financial status isn’t meeting their needs. They feel dissatisfied with their current financial status. Maybe they’re reconsidering their choice of agent, or they wish they had more selection in financial products. However, they aren’t quite ready to switch to your brand. […]
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Step 1: Challenge the Mindset IMN’s 2014 Content Marketing Survey uncovered some interesting content marketing issues specifically for the banking and financial services industry. Overall, banking and financial services marketers seem less confident in their content marketing efforts, strategy, and compliance than other industry marketers. They have unique struggles and concerns: Navigating legal compliance while developing compelling marketing messages. Handling a delicate subject matter (money). Representing clients ranging widely in personal wealth and financial intelligence. When asked for their primary content marketing goal, these marketers said they want to increase brand awareness. IMN wants to help them by breaking down that goal into three easy-to-follow steps. Although this series is geared towards banking and financial services brands, any brand can apply the general practices and ideas promoted. We hope this series helps marketers find a better way to build awareness for their brands. Before you build brand awareness, become aware of your audience’s problem. Your brand has a claim to fame: You offer a unique solution or service to help current and potential clients manage their financial matters. Naturally, you […]
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Content Marketing Survey Report
Download a copy of our survey report to learn how fellow marketers implement their content marketing efforts.