We are a 100 mil National Bank in a small community. Our competitors are a State bank & Credit Union. Now we have a New Credit Union being build right next door.
If you have any marketing ideas would you please share. Most all of our fees are lower and we've been around 26 years, but you know how people flock to anything new. Any advice is welcome. I've been doing marketing about a year (no experience ha) Any Advice is welcome!!!!!! Thanks

In today's economy, I think that stability in the area is important. Perhaps you can focus on satisfied customers and your long-term community involvement. Why risk the unknown...go with who you know.

Thanks! My supervisors are looking for new inventive marketing ideas. I appreciate your thoughts....

I agree with BrendaC. Coming from the oldest bank in our small community, stability and consistancy go a long way. If your staff is very familiar faces in the community, push the "we know our customer and you know us" approach.
Do you all ever advertise your Bauer Financial Rating? If you have a good rating, it can be a good marketing tool, especially in these times. Here's the link: http://www.bauerfinancial.com/home.html
Hope this helps!

If I were in your shoes I would focus on communications to my biggest and best current customers. Let them know you care about them, want to please them and appreciate their business. Next I would hold 3 focus group sessions one with customers, one with non-customers and one with the other credit union members. Ask them what they think, believe about the new credit union. Then I would plan a big public activity for my bank to hit just about the time the new credit union plans to open. DON"T be directing your event to the new credit union, just take a little wind out of their grand opening sail.