KEVIN DUNIGAN
Executive vice president, City National Bank
We are first and foremost a relationship bank, and that is how we attract most of our business. It’s the old-fashioned way—positive word of mouth. That said, our marketing efforts have been consistent through the recession. In Orange County we’ve taken a more significant role in recent years by putting our name on the well-known landmark venue, The City National Grove of Anaheim.
We support many powerful organizations in Orange County, including public television, Chapman University, Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine, Children’s Hospital Orange County, Orange County United Way … and the South Coast Repertory
BRIAN HALLE
President, Pacific Enterprise Bank
RICK GANULIN
Chief executive officer, Pacific Enterprise Bank
The economic conditions certainly influence our marketing initiatives. Our biggest effort was to market government- and state-assisted lending programs, including the Small Business Admin-istration’s 504 refinance loans and Cali-fornia Capital Ac-cess Program.
The government [increased the guarantee on] SBA 7(a) loans to 90%. We took that and ran with it. Our bank became a top SBA production bank because of that. We’ve done SBA loans prior to that, but we weren’t at the same volume. The 90% guarantee went away, but the government came up with a 504-pooling program, of which we’re No. 1. We jumped into the pooling market.
So overall through the past couple of years, Pacific Enterprise Bank has focused on delivering these programs to companies.
We have a huge channel of networks of people, those we’ve known over the years. We have ex-bankers, loan brokers, commercial real estate people. That’s key to our market. But we do the other things where we do email or direct mails to people we know. We also use a marketing firm that does a lot of telemarketing and sets up calls for us. We don’t do mass mailing.
STEVEN GARDNER
Chief executive officer, Pacific Premier Bank
Pacific Premier Bank’s marketing initiatives remain consistent over the past several years. We focus on two primary areas: the bank’s strength, as evidenced by our five-star rating from BauerFi-nancial Inc. and the highest level of customer service to small and medium-sized businesses.
Throughout the Great Recession and the past few years, we have consistently made credit available to business owners throughout Southern California, and our marketing speaks to this fact. Our marketing efforts support and complement the work of our business bankers who serve as the primary contacts for our business customers.
Both business and consumer customers are utilizing the branch network less often.
In fact, many customers have never set foot in a branch. Recognizing this trend, we recently implemented a strategic initiative to enhance our online and mobile banking experience to better serve our customers’ desires in how they want to bank with us.
To oversee this effort, we are actively recruiting an executive that will not only possess the technical knowledge but understands our core philosophy of delivering [an] unparalleled banking experience 24/7.Â
Even though we are enhancing our electronic capabilities, we realize that our greatest strength lies in intangibles such as offering business customers access to senior management, timely credit decisions and remaining very responsive to our clients. Although hard to measure, these core business practices are woven into all of our marketing and branding efforts.
GENE GALLOWAY
Chief executive officer, Plaza Bank
Plaza Bank’s marketing approach has adhered mostly to established principles throughout the recent years of economic turbulence.
LinkedIn and other social media are contemporary ways to connect with the market. Advertising campaigns advance our brand and raise awareness about Plaza Bank. And promotions are an attractive way to increase specific products.
Yet personal relationships established over many years are at the true foundation of how we market our small-business bank. In-person interaction with community business leaders is an irreplaceable practice. Personally knowing whom we do business with helps build and grow trust, which is integral to quality business alliances.
Since Plaza Bank is a niche-focused bank compared to major banks, our marketing approach points towards understanding the businesses we work with. Plaza Bank tends to concentrate on tradeshows and conferences to connect with like-minded business leaders in our regions of Orange County and Las Vegas. Interacting with a variety of local businesses allows us to find relationships befitting to both the business and the bank.
Mixing modern forms of marketing along with a traditional handshake is essential. The personalized manner in which we do business with our customers is at the core of our marketing strategy.
Like any business, Plaza Bank recognizes that one size does not fit all and adapts to the overall market conditions, adjusting our marketing channels accordingly.
CHRIS WALSH
Chief executive officer, Sunwest Bank
Over the last few years, from 2009 to 2011, we’ve really spent a lot of money on trying to brand the bank and be out with a lot of exposure, just getting everybody fa-miliar with Sun-west Bank. We’ve emphasized the bank’s health from the get-go in 2009. Other areas we emphasize are our liquidity and capital quality, such as tier 1 and tier 2 capital ratios.
So those years were the time of branding of our name. In 2012, we’re doing a little bit of that, but now we’re more focused on talking about what we do. We are focused on small and midsize business, and we are talking about the markets we penetrate. For example, we work with doctors and senior-assisted living facilities, and we’re trying to get people to know the business-bank aspect of Sunwest.
On dollars, we’ve actually reduced a little bit from the 2009 to 2011 years. We were very profitable during that time, while a lot of banks were struggling. It was an opportunity to get out in the marketplace and brand us. One thing we are trying to do more of is social media. The younger generation, those in their 30s and 40s, are increasingly going online. I’m looking to pipe more dollars into that in the future.
MAHA MADAIN
Senior vice president, head of consumer deposits, Union Bank
In every industry, the economy often drives business initiatives, including marketing initiatives and the development of new products and services. Union Bank has remained strong and stable throughout [the recent economic downturn] because of sound and responsible banking and business practices.
It’s an exciting time for the bank as we not only expand our footprint, but the products and services offerings for our existing customers as well as new prospects.
One new product we’re especially excited about is Banking By De-sign, an innovative new way of banking that allows customers to design a checking account that fits their needs. The program “un-bundles” the traditional checking ac-count and offers a wide range of optional features, each with the associated cost clearly visible, and many at no cost.
Examples of personal features that can be implemented into an account are text alerts, safe-deposit boxes and non-Union Bank ATM transactions.
The campaign was driven by consumer research and demand for consumer control and transparency, especially in issues regarding banking fees.
We also are launching a new advertising campaign for Banking By Design, in which users will be able to create a commercial, with an opportunity for it to air on television next year.
To further enhance the bank’s marketing efforts, Union Bank has formed a website design team, including former Apple Inc. engineer Michael Neuman.
BEN ALVARADO
Senior vice president, president of OC community bank division, Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo has a very clear vision: We want to help all our customers succeed financially. All we do is centered around that. In the current climate, we’re pushing education for our customers.
We want to tell them how to get and manage credit. We’ve got some great tools.
From a marketing perspective, we have been marketing these things to our customers. My Money Map helps them see where they are spending their money, how to budget, how to get mobile alerts.
Another campaign is a free credit report. It’s a tool to help customers understand how to read the report, so they understand what potential qualities lenders are going to be looking for.
Our marketing model has been very consistent over the years. And that has helped our company.
We don’t get too overzealous with marketing when the economy is doing well. It helps keep us out of trouble. And when things are tough in the economy, we don’t have to change that protocol. That gives confidence to the customer.
