Independent Banker - November 2018 - 62

a community bank sending a targeted follow-up email
when a customer clicks a link about a certain product in an
initial, broader-based email from the bank.
" Better yet, have one of the bank's salespeople pick up
the phone and contact that person, " Reynolds says. " I'd
wait an hour or two after
they click, or they might get
a little freaked out. "
Community banks
can also use Facebook
to target prospective
customers using many
factors, including their
email address or phone
number, Reynolds adds,
and banks only pay when
" Marketing in the
digital space is vital
to our growth in
the marketplace. "
-Michael Carroll,
Dean Bank
the prospects click on their ads.
For example, a bank could target customers who
purchase remodeling materials on Home Depot's website,
and then, using cookies, place home equity ads on
Facebook that those customers would see when visiting
that site.
Be where they are
Geotargeting and geofencing are emerging digital
technologies that can be very powerful, Reynolds says.
Geotargeting uses GPS to present local ads to someone
based on their geographic location. Geofencing uses GPS
or radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to
make a boundary line. When the GPS on someone's phone
recognizes that they have entered or left the determined
boundary, it will trigger an action. That action could be
almost anything, from a coupon text to a targeted ad on
social media, to automatically turning on the lights when a
person arrives home.
Community banks can also use geotargeting or
geofencing to target new employees of companies that
are entering or expanding into a community, Reynolds
adds. For example, Atlanta is on Amazon's list of
prospective cities in which to build a second $5 billion
headquarters complex, which would add 50,000 jobs. If
chosen, many people will likely move from out of town to
work at Amazon.
" A smart bank can use geotargeting to reach those
employees at that one location, promoting multiple bank
products and services, including checking accounts and
home loans, " Reynolds says.
Add some ads
Expert tip: Invest in mortgage
mobile, remarketing and
retargeting
To keep up with its mobile customers, Farmers
National Bank in Canfield, Ohio, has become laserfocused
on digital strategies that include mortgage
mobile, remarketing and retargeting, says Marla
Pieton, vice president, marketing manager at the
$2.2 billion-asset community bank.
Through a partnership with Segmint Inc., Pieton
says Farmers is retargeting by running " always-on
campaigns, " which use customers' product data,
product utilization, transactions and website visitor
information to produce personalized experiences.
" We then remarket to our customers based on
personalized data, their interactions and behavior on
our website, " she says. " The data enables us to then
build email communications based on products
and/or services the customer has shown interest in. "
62 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q November 2018
One of the most effective methods of connecting
with prospects is buying online advertising based on
demographics, geographics and customer internet
activity. The ad should present users with an immediate
opportunity to " take action " with a simple click or tap, says
Jeffrey V. Bibb, managing partner at BLF Marketing in
Clarksville, Tenn. With the help of an agency, community
banks can create dedicated webpages for selected product
promotions, complete with engaging graphics, video,
animation and " take action " links.
" This strategy gets your message, brand and 'call to
action' in front of potential customers who are in the mood
to buy, " Bibb says. " You will also have valuable online
activity reports, so you will be even better with your next
online campaign. "
Short videos can be effective methods of communication,
but community banks should think through the many ways
they can use segments of the video in 10- to 20-second
increments, so they can deliver a relevant visual message to
their intended audience and provide the option for them to
take immediate action via click or tap, Bibb advises. Some
deployment examples include online advertising, targeted
Independent Banker - November 2018

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