Multichannel Marketing for Financial Services Institutions

Learn the four essential elements of effective multichannel marketing strategies for financial services institutions.
Tips for Multichannel Marketing for Financial Services Institutions

Consumers today demand trusted relationships with the brands and service providers they choose to work with. They look for companies with clear, consistent interactions across all channels, whose communications provide up-to-date information and personalized value. And this demand for trust and consistency is especially potent when it comes to the financial service institutions customers rely on to keep their hard-earned money—not to mention their personal information—safe and secure.

So how can financial services marketing and communication leaders ensure their institutions are engaging with current and potential clients in a meaningful way? In short, by creating engaging multichannel marketing campaigns that meet their audiences where they are—online or in person—and provide the customized, localized, and personalized information they need to recognize the value your brand has to offer.

It sounds like a lot to manage, and it is. But when we distill the process into four key elements—internal organization, print outreach, online engagement, and the in-branch experience—the prospect of planning and implementing global and local multichannel marketing campaigns becomes a whole lot more feasible.

Internal Organization: A Brand Command Center

For banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions, tight industry regulations mean any new marketing communications must go through careful approval processes to ensure messaging meets guidelines and restrictions. That’s a lot of pressure, and when there are many “cooks” in the marketing kitchen—representing various branches, regions, departments, etc.—ensuring every piece of collateral is not only up to quality standards but also up to legal standards is a full-time job in and of itself. If a local branch leader creates a new brochure with not-quite-right language or accidentally sends out an outdated notice to customers, the consequences could be significant.

That’s why the first essential element of successful multichannel marketing for financial services institutions is getting organized internally, with a brand hub and content asset management platform, that keeps approved assets at every marketer’s fingertips.

Imagine: rather than having to spend time hunting down the latest assets or ping a single global marketing leader (whose plate is likely too full as it is) with every single collateral request, local marketers can simply log in to the command center, grab what they need, and personalize the details for their particular audiences based on pre-approved templates. No concerns about compliance or brand integrity (as this information can be locked down), and no need for any one leader to micromanage the process for every marketing team member.

Print Outreach: Personal and Confidential

From brochures highlighting new offerings to highly sensitive documents like financial statements, print outreach is a significant piece of a savvy financial services institution’s multichannel marketing strategy. However, many of these print communications require strict adherence to privacy standards, and this compliance burden often gets in the way of effective, personalized communication.

A printing and distribution partner with world-class data security protocols, such as SOC 2 compliance, 100% match mailing capabilities, and quality control processes can empower financial services institutions to ensure every mailing—from Every Door Direct Mail postcard to end-of-year financial statements—maintains confidentiality while also building trust, nurturing client relationships, and reflecting a high standard of customer service.

Online Engagement

While print outreach is a critical piece of the multichannel marketing puzzle, financial services institutions that want to engage consistently with their audiences must embrace digital outreach as well, as customers want to interact with their banks and credit unions—and every other organization they patronize—on the go.

Research has shown that more than half of financial product purchases originate online, whether on a computer or a mobile phone (and 41 percent close online, too). Customers want to engage with their banks online, which means those that want to remain competitive need to ensure they’re visible via social media, search engine advertisements, landing pages, etc. If an institution is not connecting through those channels, customers are likely to find another that is.

The Local, In-person Experience

Finally, marketing communication doesn’t stop at your local office or branch’s front door. With customers still relying heavily on brick-and-mortar banking locations for ATM withdrawals, complex products like mortgages and loans, investments and other services, it’s critical that financial services institutions extend that branding and messaging from their direct mail and digital channels all the way into each location. This includes everything from floor stickers and window clings featuring local promotions to directional signage making onsite, in-person navigation easier. And, of course, these in-store marketing pieces must adhere to the same quality and regulatory standards as every other communication in every other channel.

How are multi-location financial services institutions managing all these moving parts to ensure effective and compliant customer engagement through every channel? At OneTouchPoint, we pride ourselves on making it easy. We give financial service marketers control of their brand by simplifying access to branded materials through our U.Connect platform, and we manage the entire digital and physical marketing supply chain, from creation to distribution, all while keeping you compliant.

Learn more about how we work with financial services institutions to create and implement multichannel marketing campaigns, and when you’re ready, we invite you to contact us or request a quote on your next project. Our experts will provide insight and ideas to deliver phenomenal results at a great price.

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