Blogging for Bankers

Bankers that RAP! Could Your Bank Do This?

In a prior post, Jeff introduced you to his dog Patches via online video. I too am the proud owner of a Flip HD video camera and have used it to capture some great video, both for personal and business use. In fact, I caught my niece's soccer team's winning overtime goal in the Michigan Class A State Championships and put that up on Google for friends, family and teammates to see. What a great game. But, I digress...

The reason for this post is to further what Jeff was saying about keeping your message interesting. while teaching at the Graduate School of Banking recently, one of my students came up after class and asked if I had ever seen the Landmark Bank YouTube videos? Seems they were in the process of combining banks under their holding company and adopting a new "single name" for all the offices and a few creative employees came up with the following video.

Landmark4Life Bank Rap

So, do you think their customers and the community talked about this video for a while? There may be "cooler" videos out there done by community banks, but I haven't seen them. Seems their employees were encouraged to post these videos to their Facebook pages, which only further spread the "viral" nature of the videos for the bank. What a great idea to stand out from the crowd of "typical" financial service providers...

What can YOU do to be different and get your message across. Don't talk about rates, fees or what you're giving away for free this week... What it is that "really" makes you special - then talk about it (or, create your own video).

Enjoy,
Eric

Creating Interest With Video

Here is an example of using video in a blog to create interest in your blog content. It took less than ten minutes to shoot, upload and tag this video using a Flip video camera (under $200) and YouTube.
 

Make Blogging Interesting with Video

The last thing anyone wants is a boring blog!  Pictures and video keep blogs fun and interesting.  I suggest using a variety of types of posts on a blog to keep readers coming back for more.

Current technology offers us very high quality tools at extremely affordable prices.  Many cost nothing!

I shot the above sample video using my FlipVideo UltraHD, purchased at Amazon.com for well under $200 including overnight shipping with Saturday delivery.  I pulled the video onto my computer using the FlipShare software included on the camera.  I uploaded the movie to YouTube, where it is hosted for free.

Video is a great way to capture community events, client testimonials, produce a short tip to deliver on your blog, etc.  There is so much you can do with video and blogging so inexpensively.

Enjoy my short sample video... and enjoy meeting my dog Patches!

Tell Your Story: Change The World

Jeff Simpkins recently interviewed Annie Hart.  Listen to the podcast here.

If you are not aware, Annie is a story expert...storytelling is certainly a part of what she works with her clients on, but her work is much broader and deeper.

I believe that Annie's work is critical to our ability to change our world and especially our world economic situation, and who is a better fit to begin telling a story that could reverse our current economic situation than bankers?

I believe that the people steeped in the financial industry have many stories of both victory and defeat...stories that we can all learn from.  It's a bit like sharing with your kids about both your successes in high school and the time you were grounded for a month for skipping school (yep...that was me!) 

I believe that the public can learn a great deal from hearing the stories of the leaders in our banking and finance industry.  If you are visiting this blog today, and if you are a banker or a leader in the financial industry, I encourage you to listen to Annie's podcast, visit her site and begin to look closely at your story.

If you could tell a story that would completely change our financial institution (something from your heart,) what story would you tell?  Write it out and then spend some time talking about it...even if it's just to your kids, spouse or close confidant.  You will be so surprised at what you have inside you!

Blogging and Social Media Thoughts from a Non-Banker

I interviewed Annie Hart this afternoon on BankTalkRadio.net.

Annie and I met in March; she immediately told me she did not do technical... including blogging and social media.  Less than six months from the day she made that statement she has a blog that she built herself.  She posts to her blog multiple times each week.  She has received attention internationally as a result of her blog.

Blogging and social media is an amazing way to build networks, whether it be locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally.

Listen and learn as I interview Annie on BankTalkRadio.net and she shares her insights on using blogging and social media in the community banks.

Dave Thomas Would Have Been Proud… A Lesson From Wendy’s

The late founder of Wendy’s, Dave Thomas, was famous for appearing in his own television commercials and bringing a “personal touch” to the Wendy’s brand. When you visited a Wendy’s and dined on their characteristic square burgers, it almost felt as if Dave was right there with you. While the shape of their burgers was one way they tried to stand apart from the other fast food restaurants, Dave’s appearances were unique to the industry in an attempt to make that all-important connection with their customers.

Dave’s been gone for several years, long before the arrival of blogs, Facebook and Twitter, but that hasn’t stopped the company from forging ahead and using “web 2.0” techniques to continue making personal connections. Recently, I got a direct message from @MichWendysDeals via Twitter, reaching out to let me know they wanted to send me a $5 gift card if I sent them back my name and address. I responded with the information and sent along a note to the effect of “I’ll take my wife out for a Frosty”.

What makes this story interesting, is within three minutes I had a response (via Twitter directly to me at @EricCook) thanking me for the information and letting me know that my $5 gift card was on its way. But the best part is they picked up on the comment about taking my wife out for her Frosty and said I must be the best husband ever. This personalized response was vital to the “conversation” since I knew it was not simply and auto-responder thanking me for my name and address. There was someone on the “other end” actually reading (and responding) to my note and we carried the conversation on for a few more exchanges.

So, why do I think Wendy’s founder, Dave Thomas, would be proud? Well, this is the “Internet age” version of making a personal connection with customers. Not only will we likely spend over the $5 @MichWendysDeals sent me when we visit for that “Frosty date”, but I’ve told this story to several folks as an example of how a business can make a connection – a personal connection – via the Internet.

Chances are, in your marketing plan making a personal connection with your customers is a priority and one of the many ways that you try to differentiate your institution from your competition. While you may not have the lure of a cold, creamy Frosty at your bank, do you have some other way to connect with your customers and do something out of the ordinary and get people talking? Sure, you could offer up gift cards (assuming your institution offers them), but what other things of “value” do you have at your disposal that you can provide? As financial experts and community leaders, we have a lot to offer, maybe we just need to do a better job of “how” we let the world know about it.

Eric Cook
http://www.poweredbywsi.com

Wells Fargo Does It Up Right With a Great Blog

If you have not yet had a chance to check out the Wells Fargo Blog (and blogs), I encourage you to do so:

http://blog.wellsfargo.com/Wachovia/index.html

As a Wachovia customer, it actually gives me a great sense of peace knowing that the company cares enough to keep me informed of what they are up to...not only products and services but volunteer hours they are giving, a bit about the history of the company and FAQs about the merger.

So, if you are a banker, and you are considering joining Blogging For Bankers, check out what Wells Fargo is up to with their blogs.  I think you will see the great value being offered by this group of authors.

5 Strategies for Being a Successful Blogger: From a Former Technophobe

Introduction by Jeff Simpkins

I had the great pleasure of adding Annie Hart to my circle of friends in March of this year.  We were in Philadelphia becoming Book Yourself Solid Certified Coaches.  Annie is one of those people that is easy to love the moment you meet her!

This was a six day certification program and there were only 25 people in the group, so we became pretty well acquainted with one another.  Social media is a topic that I have a lot of interest in and have become quite familiar with over the past year.

On one of our breaks Annie approached me and asked how she could get a website up and running without spending thousands of dollars.  I suggested she do it herself using a blogging platform.  She proceeded to tell me how that was impossible because she is a technophobe.   I'll let my friend and partner in Blogging For Bankers Bea Fields take it from here...

Continued by Bea Fields

Back in March of 2009, I had the pure pleasure of meeting Annie Hart .  She was referred to me by Jeff Simpkins .  I think she sent me about 10 e-mails with questions about the Become a Blogging Maniac course...like "I've never blogged...I don't think I can do this" and so forth.  Hmmm...I immediately thought  "This one is going to be a huge success.  She's asking all the right questions."

So, low and behold,  Annie Hart is now a blogging sensation.  She is being contacted from folks all over the world AND she is now teaching blogging in her local community and getting paid to do it.

So...out of the heart of Annie Hart (who calls herself a former technophobe,) here is a bit of advice to help you be successful with blogging.  Read this and take it in...it comes from someone who in 3 short months went from not knowing the first thing about blogging to now being viewed as a true expert in her field:

Thank-you Annie for the success you are modeling for the world!

On to success by Annie Hart...

Strategies for Success to Become A Successful Blogger: Advice from a former technophobe

By:  Annie Hart

Just so you know about me, only a few short months ago back in March, I was a virtual technophobe. Yes I had a computer but that was about it. As I looked into the future, I saw that if I didn't do something soon that my business, which I love, was not going to be sustainable into the future! Yikes!

I took training in marketing for small businesses but I still didn't know where to start. They were all good ideas but it seemed overwhelming and unmanageable. But luckily in the course I met Jeff Simpkins who told me about Bea's course . I trusted Jeff enough to give it a try and Bea's blogging course totally opened up my life and my business in ways that I never could have imagined.

I am completely in love with my website/blog! I've already gotten several new clients and notice from all over the world. And I was just featured as a Story Expert on someone else's site. This would have all been impossible just months ago.

So how was I able to create this success in blogging? I used my background in NLP, which is called the structure of mastery, to set myself up for success. I knew that I could potentially fail at this because technology was so hard for me. So I thought it out in advance and I am so glad that I did. It really worked. So I thought that I would pass on my secrets for success, so that you can be a happy blogger too. I'm a fan of Bea's and a blogger for life!

1. Organize Yourself - create time in your life and in your calendar for blogging. Put yourself fully into it to succeed. Try not to miss any calls unless you absolutely have to. Don't tell yourself that you will listen to them later. You won't. You can get bogged down very quickly. Definitely make time during the week to work on your blog. That is essential too. I say at least an hour or more a week outside of the class. Put it into your schedule if you must. When people ask me how much time I put into my blog I say "24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the first few months!" Now I'm not suggesting that you do as I do. I was so determined to succeed that I had to just blast through all my resistance and go full guns. But the point is to be committed to success and to make time for it.

2. Think Ahead - think about what your strengths and weaknesses are.  If you know in advance that some things will be tough for you, then take it slow in those areas and get help where you need it. This is one of my biggest strategies for success, to always get help where I need it. You can't possibly learn everything at once, nor can you do well at everything immediately.  Learning comes in phases. Pick things you can do and start to do right away and then let your skills and knowledge build over time.

3. Set Your Mind for Success - honestly this is the most important part of all.  Are you seeing, feeling and intending success?  Or are you saying to yourself, "Oh this is too hard, I can't do this?" etc. etc. I had to catch a hold of my old stories about myself the 'former technophobe' and remind myself of all the things I've succeeded at. So be aware of your inner stories and change them to be what you really want which is to do well at your business via blogging.

4. Create a Buddy System - this is my #1 secret for success in my business life.  I have a buddy for everything. This is most important for the difficult things. I suggest start with even one buddy. I've set a few of my friends up in advance of the course for this.  Find a buddy and talk once a week on the phone if you can.  Your buddy doesn't need technical expertise or advice.  They just need to be listened to and to be encouraged to keep going on matter what.  Let them talk about their ups and downs but overall support their vision.  I have many buddies I work with and a small group whom I talk to every week.  We literally don't let each other fail!  If you wonder where to find a buddy, find someone in the course or look for someone else you know that might want to succeed as well.  If you need ideas of how to work with each other, just ask me.

5. Last but not least -   Have Fun! Believe it or not, after taking Bea's course, I was so excited about this technology, that I actually went out and taught a small course to some of my local business owners.  They thought blogging was irrelevant and most of them hate being on the computer!  So I knew I had to hold their hands and get them over the hump.  I said to them up front  . Technology can feel completely overwhelming at times, so our goal is to always have FUN! They thought I was crazy but I didn't care. Every time I would see them look bogged down, I would make them laugh or say, "Remember our motto" and make them shout, "Have fun!"  So make fun your motto.  Yes it's hard.  Some days I wanted to head out to a cave and never come back to my computer. So I would go away for awhile, have a nice cup of tea and then come back and try again.  I tried to laugh or at least smile into my computer.  Honestly this is not just a nice idea, but a real-life strategy for success.

Good luck fellow bloggers and let me know if I can help you in any way. Your friend in happily blogging to business success,

Annie Hart
Stories Change the World
http://anniehart.com

Conclusion by Jeff Simpkins

I am happy to announce that blogging expert and teacher extraordinaire Bea Fields has joined Eric Cook and me to design and teach a class specifically for community bankers.  In Blogging For Bankers we'll address how to get started, security considerations when choosing a blogging platform, promoting a blog, finding enough content to keep a blog active, and many more topics crucial to the success of blogging in a community bank.  If you are interested in joining our upcoming class, click here for course details.

Sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option - Reputation management with social media

Anyone with enough time in the day to get everything done please raise your hand. If you’re like me, chances are both hands are at your side saying to yourself  “yeah, right”. With more and more “things to do” cropping up every day, but still only having 24 hours to work with, it’s a challenge to sort out all of the tasks that need to get accomplished on a daily basis.

Personally, I think the advent of the Internet and e-mail has been a wonderful thing… to a certain extent. Certainly the amount of information that is now available at your fingertips is amazing and we can quickly find answers to questions that would have taken days (or even weeks) to research the “old” way. However, the evolution of the web to “2.0” has proven to be a challenge to many individuals as they try to decide if they take on more “to do” tasks and try and work blogging or some other social networking into their daily routine.

While many organizations may think they can remain on the sidelines and not participate (hoping that keeping out of the ring will ensure they don’t get into the fight), the reality is that customers and the general public IS embracing the social networking world and there’s no sign of it slowing down.

The risk to a business that decides to adopt the ostrich’s strategy of burying their head in the sand in hope that it will all go away may find themselves in trouble by not being aware of what’s going on (and what’s being said about them in the social realm). Take Kryptonite, as an example (and I’m not talking about the material that immobilizes Superman, I’m talking about the bicycle lock company)…

As a cyclist, the name Kryptonite historically instilled confidence and security, as I thought of them as the manufacturers of some of the best bicycle locks in the industry. However, that was until I saw this video that shows how you can pick one of their locks with the open end of a stick pen! Talk about brand management and damage control! What if your company had a weakness such as this aired on YouTube for the rest of the world to see. Keeping in mind that nobody is perfect, are there things that your organization would not want distributed on the Internet (remember Domino’s Pizza)? Do you know what your employees are doing or what the general public is saying about you these days?

Before the Internet and the ease (and immediacy) of the Internet and web 2.0 tools like free blogs, message boards, Facebook walls and Twitter posts bad news may have still spread, but it took a lot longer and gave a business time to put damage control efforts in place. However, today something like this can make to the other side of the globe in a matter of minutes and is just one of the many reasons why businesses should at least attempt to “plug in” and monitor what’s going on, even if it’s only for brand and reputation management purposes.

So, are you sitting on the sidelines and hoping this all passes you by or are you interested in taking a proactive look at what’s going on and at least getting in the game? The answer to that question may be more important than you think.

Eric Cook
http://www.PoweredByWSI.com

P.S. What you may not realize is that before the Kryptonite video appeared on YouTube (and exposed the “pen” weakness), this vulnerability was exposed in 1992 in the UK and the BBC even covered the issue, but the news didn’t surface until a dozen years later.