Ep 73 - The Great Brand Refresh Tale of A Community Bank with Dave Peters and Marty Heger
Release Date: 11/25/2024
Ep 88 - Skill Building In The Age of AI
Bank Marketing Show
In this episode, Dan and Chris explore how AI is reshaping the bank marketing world— and what marketing professionals need to do to stay ahead. From prompting effectively in ChatGPT to building efficient workflows and bringing human insight to the table, this episode outlines the skills that will define the next generation of marketing leaders. You’ll hear how to shift from tactical task execution to strategic input, and how banks can stand out in a sea of generic AI content by focusing on what makes them truly different. Key Topics Covered: Why AI won't...
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Ep 87 - Essential Website Strategy Insights with Brent Feldman
Bank Marketing Show
Ep 87 – Essential Website Strategy Insights with Brent Feldman Many community banks don’t hesitate to invest hundreds of thousands, or even millions, in a new brick and mortar branch—but balk at the cost of a new website. In this episode, we dive into why that mindset needs to change—and what a modern bank website should actually do. Brent Feldman, CEO of Matchbox Design Group, joins us to unpack what makes a website work for banks, how to shift your team's mindset, and the most common traps banks fall into when building or rebuilding their sites. Topics we cover: ...
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Ep 86 - Banking on Knowledge: How Teaching Builds Trust
Bank Marketing Show
Financial education isn't just about blogging — it’s one of the most powerful tools a community bank can use to connect with its audience, build trust, and drive long-term growth. And, it’s one that many customers are requesting – information and education from an institution they already trust. In this episode, Dan and Chris unpack the real “why” behind financial education and dive deep into practical ways banks can use it to boost engagement and loyalty. We discuss: *Why financial education works better than promotional fluff *Real-world delivery formats: blogs, workshops,...
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Ep 85 - Turning Stories Into Strategy - Humanize Your Brand
Bank Marketing Show
Turning Stories Into Strategy: Humanizing Your Brand Think you need a massive ad budget to stand out? Think again. This episode is all about how community banks can turn everyday staff and customer stories into powerful, memorable marketing—while keeping spend to a minimum. If your team’s struggling with content ideas, this is your playbook. In this episode, Chris and Dan cover: Why stories beat stock photos every time How to encourage employees to share small, real moments Turning everyday experiences into community trust Mixing personal + professional for maximum impact ...
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Ep 84 - Guerrilla Marketing - High-Impact Engagement & Tactics
Bank Marketing Show
Forget billboards and banner ads — this episode is all about unexpected, low-cost, high-impact marketing moves that big banks simply can’t pull off. Chris and Dan share real-life guerrilla marketing campaigns from community banks that sparked attention, built goodwill, and drove serious local engagement. In this episode: What guerrilla marketing is (and why it works for banks) How surprise and delight builds brand loyalty Real examples: food trucks, cookbooks, classroom giveaways & more Ways to turn offline buzz into social media momentum Compliance watch-outs and how to...
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Ep 83 - The Future of Community Bank Marketing with Caleb Stevens
Bank Marketing Show
Podcasting isn’t just for influencers anymore—banks are getting in the game. In this episode, Chris and Dan sit down with Caleb Stevens, VP of Marketing at SouthState Bank’s Capital Markets Division and host of the Community Bank Podcast. From demand generation to practical AI use, Caleb breaks down how banks can modernize without losing sight of what really matters. In this episode, we cover: - The rise of podcasting as a bank marketing tool - How digital lead gen is changing—and how demand creation is in ...
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Ep 82 - Building an Army of Brand Ambassadors
Bank Marketing Show
How do you grow your bank’s social media presence without relying on your bank's own profiles? Most banks don't - but in this episode, Chris and Dan explore a different strategy: using your own staff as influencers and brand ambassadors. You’ll learn why employee-led content consistently outperforms corporate posts—and how to turn your team into your most powerful marketing channel. Here’s what we cover: - Why your employees’ social media reach outperforms bank official pages - Creating a culture of brand ambassadorship, not just marketing...
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Ep 81 - Traits of a Successful Marketing Director
Bank Marketing Show
We’ve met a lot of bank and credit union marketing teams – and we’ve noticed some commonalities among those that see more success in their efforts. In this episode, we talk about the role of a marketing director (or VP, or manager, or any lead marketer at a bank) – and the things we see in our work that are most impactful to personal career growth and organizational success (which are highly correlated!). This episode covers a lot of ground – the essential traits that define top-performing marketing professionals, the importance of building strong internal relationships, and...
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Ep 80 - Marketing in a Cookieless Future with Hollie Brown
Bank Marketing Show
Many community banks are missing out on valuable marketing opportunities. Statistics show that many community banks aren’t currently utilizing cookies, which used to put them at a disadvantage. However, with cookies being increasingly phased out, updating your website pop-ups and refining your other marketing strategies is crucial. While some data will be lost in a cookieless environment, there are ways to continue engaging with customers. In this episode, Chris Bates, Dan Novalis, and Hollie Brown explore what a cookieless future means for community banks. Email marketing is one...
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Ep 79 - How Much Should You Spend on Marketing
Bank Marketing Show
Regardless of your asset size and marketing bandwidth, budgeting is a challenge. Marketers never have as much as they would like, and those setting the budgets might see it as an expense (hint: it's not! It's an investment!). In this episode Chris and Dan discuss the crucial strategies for effective bank marketing budgeting. They emphasize the importance of digital marketing, the evolving role of bank marketers, and the significance of holding a portion of the budget for unplanned opportunities. Key insights are drawn from the American Bankers Association (ABA) article...
info_outlineIt’s time to rebrand your community bank. Where do you start? Rebranding a community bank involves a simple four-step process: identifying the problem, taking time to plan, checking your resources, and then acting on your plan. First, it’s about recognizing that something isn’t working. Many banks face issues like dropping deposits and having a smaller credit pipeline. While these banks are trusted locally, they might struggle to reach younger audiences or keep up digitally. This isn’t just about offering competitive rates but making real improvements to stay valuable and relevant to the community.
In this episode, Chris Bates, Dan Novalis, Dave Peters, and Marty Heger discuss the four steps to rebranding. The next step is to pause and plan, often with a consultant who understands the industry and can offer a fresh view. This planning stage is all about defining the bank’s brand message, creating a guide for brand voice, and deciding on important and doable changes.
Some actions, like updating signage and the website, may take more effort but have a big impact. Smaller updates, like changing email signatures, require less work but still boost brand consistency. Successful rebranding needs everyone involved, from leadership to every staff member, and careful progress tracking. By following these steps, banks can align internally and make a stronger connection with their communities.
Topics Include:
- The four-step narrative to a rebrand
- Who do you serve uniquely well
- Why a community bank’s rebrand needs to be an entire staff effort, not just the CEO
- How to deliver a brand refresh
- Why you have to schedule/block out time to work on your rebrand
About Marty Heger
Martin “Marty” Heger, Jr., is the President and CEO of Dearborn Federal Savings Bank, a true community bank that has served Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, and the surrounding communities since 1936. Marty joined the Bank in 2002 as its Chief Lending Officer, where he was responsible for all aspects of residential and commercial lending. In 2022, Marty assumed the role of President and CEO. He is responsible for all Bank operations and reports directly to the Office of the Chairman.
Marty graduated from The University of Michigan with an A.B. degree in Economics and earned an M.B.A. with a Finance concentration from Wayne State University.
Before joining Dearborn Federal Savings Bank, Marty began his banking career with the National Bank of Detroit (now J.P. Morgan Chase). With NBD, he progressed quickly from Branch Management Trainee to Corporate Cash Management Officer, Vice President, and Commercial Credit Officer in the Middle Market Division.
Marty has held several leadership positions with various professional, civic, and social organizations, including the Michigan Bankers Service Corporation, the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce, the Exchange Club of Dearborn, the Dearborn Centurions, and the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra. He has also volunteered his time and effort at the Festival of Trees organization, which supports pediatric research at Children’s Hospital of Michigan.
When not involved in his professional and civic duties, Marty and his wife, Vicky, enjoy following the active lives of their two adult children, Trey and Zachary. In addition, Marty is an accomplished musician who dedicates his musical talents to various charitable organizations.
About Dave Peters
Dave Peters majored in Accounting at Hillsdale College and began working for a regional Accounting firm in the Metro Detroit area a few months later. After licensing as a CPA just over a year later, Dave continued to grow in his responsibilities with the firm by leading client meetings, preparing complex analyses and returns, conducting CPE training sessions, leading various technology initiatives, and even sporting a tux as an emcee for the firm’s first “work-from-homies” paper plate award show in the midst of 2020’s tax season.
After several years, Dave moved to Dearborn Federal Savings Bank as its Chief Financial Officer, trading tax optimization strategies for interest rate risk analysis, call reports, and reconciliations. Throughout his almost three years at the Bank, Dave continued to modernize its efficiencies and processes while strategizing and leading ways for future asset growth and revenue development.
Resources Mentioned:
- Email Martin Heger: [email protected]
- LinkedIn: David Peters
- Website: https://bankmarketingshow.com/