Is your brand synchronized with today's market trends?

• Author: Motley, L. Biff
• Position: Column

During times like these, smart marketers are revisiting their brand to ensure that it is in harmony with current market trends. The banking industry is built on trust, and today this trust is being challenged by a flow of confusing media information about all the various government programs generally referred to as "the Bailout."

While these bailout efforts are largely aimed at the financial mega-conglomerates that are at the epicenter of toxic financial product creation, the negative image arising from the collapse of these companies, unfortunately often referred to as "banks," has impacted all of us.

Recognizing that the core of customer satisfaction with a bank is rooted in the trust clients place with their bankers, it would be a timely strategy for community banks to go through a process to reconnect their brand to the institution's core trusting values. Here are five steps to consider.

1. Ensure that all employees understand the difference between the basics of community banking--taking deposits and making sound local loans--and the activities in the capital markets that are causing such a furor today. This story is simple and important, but needs to be told by your CEO for it to have the branding impact you want.

2. Involve everybody in the bank--especially your top management. Ultimately, this effort may turn into a public-relations initiative where you run some informative newspapers ads describing your commitments to your local community. But in the beginning, be sure to get your story down clearly and simply: It should be about bankers helping customers.

3. Once you have the basics of your story, break your employees into teams and get their help in fleshing out the story with real-life examples of how, everyday, your bank helps people and businesses. The story needs to be one of people, not products and pricing. These team-building sessions should become an ongoing part of your effort and can be an effective way to educate employees, get their feedback, and involve...