The monster lurking around the corner isn’t the economy or absence of a marketing budget. It’s a lack of strategy that keeps you from achieving your business development goals.
While Jack had magic beans, you don't.
Branded swag, a fancy marquee and 20 locations do you no good whatsoever if you don’t have a proactive, well planned business development effort.
Here are 5 steps to get you on the right path:
- Stop talking about a CRM and get one in place.
You can use a system with bells and whistles like Salesforce, or you can create an in-house database that’s sharable. Don’t you dare hand out another set of measuring cups with your logo until you have a database in place. - Set measurable goals.
Let everyone in your institution know what to shoot for and how they must help. Be the Pied Piper. Inspire and bring everyone along with you, and you’ll become an unstoppable force. - Make sure you’re not leaving money on the table.
Are renewals of lines of credit or safe deposit boxes languishing because of your inattention? Fee income is hard to come by. Make sure you’re realizing the revenue from what you already have in place. - Institute a service culture.
Do all your customers take advantage of products and services you offer—that they really need? If not, you should be having significant conversations with them. (In person.) Listen, then recommend. - Get out of the bank.
Emailing prospects may make you feel like you’re accomplishing something, but those emails are buried as easily as a pea under a mattress. Work your database. Pick up the phone. Call. Set appointments, then go listen. Bankers who make house calls are rare, so it’s not that hard to set yourself apart.
Stop wasting time looking for the magic genie that makes business materialize. That’s just for kids. Dig deep inside yourself and find the guts to meet giant goals head-on—and slay them!
For help with a smart, branded business development plan call Martha Bartlett Piland at 785.969.6203
