About marketing, Henry Ford once famously said, “The man who stops advertising to save money is the man who stops the clock to save time.”
Since automakers are expected to spend $31 billion on marketing this year, it’s clear that message got through. But does the same thinking apply to other products in different industries? How can we advertise, for example, personal and business checks in a cost-effective way?
As it turns out, our parent company, Main Street, has the answer.
These days, community banks and credit unions are stuck between two competing pressures. The first is doing whatever it takes to keep up with nationwide institutions and fintech startups. The second is to save money by limiting marketing budgets, trusting word of mouth and local positioning to drive results instead.
Our colleagues at Main Street help institutions split the difference while holding true to Henry Ford’s wisdom.
Every Main Street partner receives free in-branch and digital ads to support their check program. Main Street also sells custom currency envelopes and other promotional print products to drive engagement and boost awareness. Check it out.
Marketing Materials
Traditionally, foot traffic has been the major driver of engagement for community financial institutions. While a modern approach is needed to keep pace with larger competitors, significant value remains in in-person marketing.
To start, all Main Street clients receive their own dedicated Account Manager. Account Managers can review check program performance and recommend training or policy changes to boost revenue. They also communicate marketing needs to Main Street’s design team, resulting in customized print collateral.
When requested, Main Street adds your brand colors and logo to:
- Table Tents
- Lobby Displays
- Statements Stuffers
- Collegiate & High School Sports Checks
Collegiate & High School Sports Checks
To stay ahead of nationwide competition, it helps to offer something unique to your community. Main Street is here to help by adding a hyper-local flare to your check products.
Main Street’s collegiate sports checks leverage local passions by adding team logos, colors, and mascots to check designs – all branded for your institution. Connect your brand to some of the biggest names in college sports with check products your community will love.
The same can be done for local high school teams and your very own hometown heroes. Capture the magic of sitting beneath Friday night lights and become the cheerleader your community deserves.
Digital Ads for In-Branch & Online
Print marketing still has a lot to offer – there’s no doubt about it. By most measurements, print delivers the highest ROI of nearly any channel. But in the 21st century, the best results come when print and digital work together.
To help their clients, Main Street creates free digital ads for in-branch TV screens and free social media ads for online promotion. Here again, your logo and brand colors play a starring role. These ads are especially effective when they feature the college and high school sport checks mentioned above.
Custom Print Solutions
The digital transformation of the financial services industry is closing some doors while opening others. It may be true, for instance, that online and mobile banking result in less foot traffic. But digital channels also allow us to reach a wider audience and serve more communities with fewer resources.
Ultimately, success at this moment comes down to recognizing opportunity and adapting to it. This is where custom print solutions come in. As time spent with individual customers shortens, what you say takes a back seat to what you leave them with.
Main Street designs, customizes, and prints numerous bank-use items, from holiday-themed gift envelopes to currency envelopes promoting auto loans and mortgages. Their print solutions ensure you make the most of every interaction, regardless of how long it lasts.
Wish your community a happy 4th of July with patriotic envelopes or remind a drive-thru customer about your HELOC loans. Looking to say something unique to your institution? No problem. Main Street’s award-winning design team will work with you to create a custom envelope from scratch.
At the end of the day, the print products you already use could be working harder to increase brand awareness and cross-sell your products.
Boost Check Program Performance with Main Street
Even Henry Ford would acknowledge that marketing for credit unions and banks differs from advertising in the auto industry. That said, consistent awareness and engagement campaigns can be more affordable than you think – especially when the materials are free.
Main Street understands that your success is their success. They go beyond offering premium check products, using Strategic Account Management to boost check program performance and help their partners market. Can your current check vendor say the same? If not, reach out to Main Street today.
Ready for a Check Vendor Who’s Invested in Your Success?
Since 1998, Main Street has pulled countless check programs from the red to the black. Their dedication to customer service, no-fee culture, and holistic approach to Strategic Account Management set them apart. If you’re ready for a different check vendor relationship, reach out to a Main Street representative today.