Monday Morning Quarterback

Greetings...

Can you believe its November 17th!!! Thanksgiving is around the corner and the year is speeding to a close. On Mondays, I always read the paper and am constantly puzzled and irritated by the editorial comments and articles written about the weekends football games. Nothing like being a Monday morning quarterback. You know, sitting at the table, drinking a cup of coffee and thinking about the decisions coaches made, plays the players did not make and the state of the game. I have all the answers!

Well, that is exactly what is occurring on ALL of our markets...by the newspapers and TV news. How do we counteract it?? Get ahead of the curve!

You need to be proactive with your messaging NOW more than ever! A constant flow of positive press releases, making your senior executives available to the press at any time (with even a moment's notice), and proactively suggesting topical ideas. These are all ideas to get ahead of the powerful PR curve. We know the stories of ill-conceived sub-prime lending, lax credit reviews, and overly aggressive lending tactics. However, we know we are NOT part of it...yet, if we don't communicate and get ahead of that curve, we will be lumped into the same category and pulled into the same articles.

Hold yourself up as a positive example...share stories of your lending staying local, community assistance, credit assistance programs...anything that will counteract the negative press.

As Marketers, we have to be both strategic and tactical in our thoughts, planning and approach. Within our bank and externally to those that talk about us. That includes the press, our customers, and our staff!

Constantly review the "talk" and provide your staff with talking points, Q&As, and other information to prepare them for potential questions. The questions asked in the office are only a small portion of the questions asked....Don't forget that you and your staff are representatives of the bank and are probably asked MORE questions are football games, dinner parties and at the mall that anywhere else...remind your staff to be prepared and direct people to credible resources for information (your website hopefully is one of those resources!)

With preparation, planning, and getting ahead of the curve, you can position your bank to be a leader now and in a strong leading position when the economy and industry eventual turnaround.

Cheers!

Bruce