Listen Now

Physical or digital? Human or bot? Technology or customer experience? These questions pose a dangerous false dichotomy for financial institutions. A sustainable competitive advantage over time emerges from people — human beings — who can pull together a technologically-driven solution drawn from disparate sources. In this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I talk with Matt Monge, the brand and marketing agency director for On the Mark Strategies. Matt helps financial brands be more human, particularly in the post-COVID digital world. We talked about: The difference between employee experience and employee engagement Where people are getting stuck in digital transformation How to create a competitive advantage for your financial brand You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here. 

In this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, we go inside digital growth as I share my recent conversation with Joe Welu, CEO of Total Expert, during a Fireside Chat hosted by The Financial Brand. Joe asked me good questions about what digital growth really is, the need to define digital consumer journeys, and how to maximize growth and build trust through technology. Here's what we talked about: How COVID-19 has changed the way banks and credit unions are doing business What the digital journey has in common with a Shel Silverstein poem How to unpack the acronyms from my book You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here. 

We want to whip out the digital growth checklist in 2021: Online banking - check Mobile banking - check Tech tools - check But nothing's happening. Why? Because we still hold a legacy mindset. In this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, Ron Shevlin, director of research at Cornerstone Advisors and senior contributor at Forbes, joins me to discuss how to prioritize the digital mindset. Here's what Ron and I talked about: Why financial brands fall behind even when they have top technology How traditional incumbent financial brands can capture the digital market Ron's views on financial health scores The one thing we should focus on in 2021 You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

We struggled to make progress in 2020 thanks to COVID. Where should we focus our digital growth efforts and energy in 2021? In this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I answered this question from Mark, CEO for a community financial brand in the south. Here's what I had to say: Learn the three Rs for digital growth in 2021 Discover the three key elements to help you leap ahead and see the future you want to create Remember my top 12 trends and predictions opportunities for 2020 and beyond You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

When’s the last time you went into a bank to pay bills? Even if that’s your preferred method of payment, the pandemic has probably brought it to a screeching halt. In this Exponential Insights episode of Banking On Digital Growth, James Robert Lay chats with Blip co-founders, Michael Bank and Seth Fenster, about improving payments UX. They also discuss… How accelerated digital transformation has affected financial institutions Ways banks can appeal to the digitally native consumer How Blip helps financial institutions improve customer experiences You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

What are the top digital marketing and sales trends for banks and credit unions in 2021? That question came to me from Marilyn, a VP of Marketing for a financial brand on the east coast. I answered Marilyn's question and reflected on where we've been over the last 9-10 months on this episode of Banking on Digital Growth. Here's what I talked about: The top 12 digital marketing and sales trends for 2021 What I got right (and wrong) about my projections for 2020 And why the best is yet to comeYou can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

We saw five years of progress during the last eight months of 2020 as an industry. We didn't mean to, but it happened anyway. What do you need to make that kind of progress in your own personal digital journey? On this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I chatted with Kara Yaquinta, content strategist at Tropical Financial Credit Union. We discussed her remarkable digital journey and how she's helping lead her institution forward. Kara and I talk about: Getting the right message to the right people at the right time Why financial coaching is the next big thing for brands The role culture plays on the digital growth journey You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

What have been COVID's greatest effects on digital transformation? Brett King, guest editor for the FinTech Times, asked me that question on LinkedIn. I answer Brett's question and share why COVID isn't the end of the road for FinTechs on this episode of Banking on Digital Growth. Here's what I discuss: How COVID has exposed experience and communication capability gaps for incumbent financial brands Opportunities that COVID creates for FinTech collaboration The future COVID offers us all You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

We all like buying new things; it’s human nature. We know we shouldn’t spend frivolously — but we do anyway. Why can’t saving money be as fun as spending it? That’s the question that led Ben Soppitt, Founder and CEO at Unifimoney, to create a financial product that motivates people to save. What we talked about: How young affluent professionals are being gouged by traditional banks Why poor financial habits are caused by lack of motivation, not lack of infrastructure How Unifimoney makes finance fun You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

Business leaders haven't figured out how to have productive, meaningful conversations with high-value individuals online. They still think LinkedIn is a pipe you can shove a marketing message down. In fact, it's another place to make friends. In this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I talk with Jay Pater, Chief Engagement Officer at Jay Pater Social Advisory, about humanizing the digital experience. Jay and I discuss: Challenges financial brands face when humanizing the digital experience Building local relationships in a digital world The future of influencer marketing and how to maintain those influencer relationships How to strike a healthy balance between the digital world and the physical world You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

On this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, we continue our Digital Growth Journey series, as we talk with Jonathan Clay, the Digital Marketing Associate at Louisiana Federal Credit Union. Jonathan and his team are relentlessly focused on two things: People and purpose. In this episode, we talk all about: Why every team member is required to have a “What’s my why?” story. How a brand-new process allowed them to close 74 additional loans, and why that process nearly came to a halt. How the “pre-app” process is allowing them to get to know their customers better than ever before. Why perfection is often the enemy of progress, and what Jonathan and his team are doing to combat that mindset. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

As we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more financial institutions are going to be working with slimmer budgets. We can no longer count on doing things like they’ve always been done, and adaptability is the name of the game. But what does that mean for smaller banking institutions, who may not have the marketing budgets of the big banks? How can you leverage your resources and compete with the big banks when you’re operating on a limited marketing budget? On this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I sit down with a conversation with Jim Ruse, founder and CEO of the Digital Growth Institute, for a discussion around: The four types of content to think about as a financial brand The biggest barrier to success when it comes to content marketing Why understanding the hero’s journey is crucial to getting content marketing nailed How content marketing can empower both community financial brands, as well as regional banks, to compete with the big banks. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

Are you stuck in the cave of complacency? It may feel safe and secure. But it's a deadly place to hide especially given the exponential factors we're dealing with in this new, post-COVID world. No matter what happens in the world, you have to keep making progress along your digital growth journey. In this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I talk with Mina Worthington, President/CEO at Solarity Credit Union, about building a bigger, better, and brighter future in banking. Mina and I discuss: How vision sets the tone for any financial brand on a digital journey Mastering the lead conversion ecosystem The way to get results without spending a fortune on digital marketing strategies You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

The pandemic has created an opportunity. Financial brands, which had been moving toward a digital-first approach at a snail's pace, have suddenly hit the fast-forward button. Now we have to work on making products and services easier with digitalization. What will leadership look like in this new digital and post-pandemic world? In this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I talk with Rich Jones, president and principal at Leading2Leadership, about leadership in a post-COVID, digital-first world. Rich and I discuss: Why leadership does not belong to a chosen few The role of culture in digital growth The one thing a financial brand must commit to do in the next 12-18 months You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

You've thought about your financial brand's purpose and your culture because as the ancient wisdom says, without purpose — without vision — you have no future. You need a future because we're not going back to the way things were pre-pandemic. But how can you create purpose and culture for the digital world we're entering? In this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I talk with James Carbary, founder of Sweet Fish Media, about education, empowerment, and elevation as we build digital teams for the future. James and I discuss: How to value relationships over transactions when you're working digitally The core definition of digital growth Why the best sales and marketing pros will transform into micro-media teams You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

During the pandemic, we should ask our customers three questions: How can we make sure you feel comfortable? How can we help your neighbor? How can we help your business partner? Our goal is to bring those resources to everybody through our online content. In this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I talk with Lynne Jarman-Johnson, chief marketing officer at Consumers Credit Union, about how to create servant-oriented content. Lynne and I discuss: How to offer empathy through digital content Why our best solutions are our simplest What needs to happen right now for financial brands to make progress along their digital growth journeys You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

The first two questions we ask a prospective customer are: Do you feel like you can trust this institution? How does what you're looking at on the website make you feel? Financial brands that use stock photography almost inevitably raise a red flag. Yet about 9 in 10 financial brand websites show at least one stock photo. In this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I talk with Andy Janning, president and CEO at NO NET Solutions, about the role of images in financial brand storytelling. Andy and I discuss: Why it's important to have a conversation around imagery How images, pictures, and videos communicate empathy The critical value of taking action on imagery in financial brand storytelling You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

Marketing sees the value of digital, but sales culture can be heavily entrenched around the branches. How can we begin to bridge the gap between marketing and sales teams? In this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I answer this question from Tyler, a marketing director for a bank in the Midwest. I talk about: Why financial brand CEOs don't trust marketers and marketing teams How chief marketing officers are transforming their role into chief growth officers Why marketing teams need to hold themselves to higher standards You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

Purpose can power your financial brand. But your purpose is fragile if it's not backed up by process and by proof. On this episode of Banking on Digital Growth, I continued our earlier conversation about the idea of banking on purpose. This time, we talked about the internal power of purpose. I discussed: Why purpose-driven thinking is key for internal stakeholders The four elements of a purpose statement The story of Aspiration, a purpose-driven financial brand that began in 2015 and has raised $100 million in capital You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that people want two things in their personal financial journey: They want help and hope. And more often than not, hope has to come before help. But if your digital marketing consists of only saying you can offer a loan at X%. What hope are you offering? That’s something my guest today, Mia Perez, Chief Administrative Officer at Louisiana Federal Credit Union, learned on her digital growth journey. And unlike others, she had the courage to act on the information. On today’s show, Mia goes over: Why you should have the courage to change what you know isn’t working The importance of taking risks to try new things Why we should admit when we don’t know everything about something newYou can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Banking on Digital Growth on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.