NEFMA Spring Conference

With 75% of people reporting they fear public speaking MORE than they fear death, it’s easy to see why so many dread the idea of presenting to their executive management teams. But there are many professional benefits to being able to present effectively including career advancement. During this presentation, Kristin Sundin Brandt will review the many facets that go into preparing for speaking to your executive team, including planning, slide development, speaking style and potential pitfalls.

In today’s competitive landscape, strong data, insightful analytics, and a sound strategy are undeniably vital to the success of any marketing campaign. They provide the foundation, the roadmap, and the metrics needed to measure progress and optimize outcomes. But, as WordCom’s most successful clients have demonstrated time and again, there’s an additional and often overlooked ingredient that contributes to the highest levels of performance: community involvement.

Deep, authentic engagement with communities truly sets top-performing FIs apart. These brands don’t just operate within the confines of their industry; they actively participate in the lives and concerns of the people they serve.

Key takeaways - you will:

-Hear about unique and impactful initiatives designed to inspire.
-Walk away with actionable ideas that can be implemented right away, no matter your asset size or budget.
-Learn how the strategies shared can help maximize impact and drive meaningful results, whether you’re working with limited resources or have a larger marketing footprint.

Financial institutions have long been cornerstones in local communities and markets. Oftentimes, Marketing Professionals at financial institutions are charged with fostering relationships with local businesses, schools, and nonprofit organizations. This is usually administered through charitable giving, donations, scholarships, event sponsorships, and encouraging employee volunteerism. Community involvement likely remains a key pillar in your institution's public image and outreach efforts. While it is important to serve those in need, what if these initiatives could do more? What if they could become a key driver of business development and revenue growth?

And, what if you could utilize community involvement as a KPI (Key Performance Indicator) to tell your story to senior leadership?

In this session, you’ll uncover how to transform your community engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives into strategic opportunities for business growth. We’ll explore actionable strategies to align community involvement with measurable business development goals—helping you identify, nurture, and capitalize on relationships that benefit both your organization and the communities you serve.

Track the Right Impact Data: Learn how to effectively capture and measure meaningful data from your charitable activities, sponsorships, events, and volunteer programs. Understand which metrics can be used to identify new business opportunities and lead to revenue growth.

Turn Community Partnerships into Opportunities: Discover practical ways to leverage relationships with nonprofits, schools, and businesses to create mutually beneficial outcomes. We’ll discuss how charitable initiatives can help uncover leads for lending and accounts, build trust, and expand your customer base.

Align CSR Initiatives with Business Goals: Learn how to connect community outreach with your organization’s broader growth strategy. Whether it’s identifying new markets, enhancing visibility, or engaging local organizations, you’ll see how CSR can directly impact your bottom line. We'll also discuss how these metrics can be shared with senior leaders for you to tell the story and quantify the value community outreach brings.

Tell Stories That Resonate: A compelling community impact story or Annual Report can be a powerful tool to win over potential customers and strengthen existing relationships. You’ll learn how to craft and share narratives that highlight your institution’s role as a trusted partner in your community while showcasing your commitment to growth.

Engage Your Team for Greater Results: Employee volunteerism is more than just a “feel-good” activity—it’s a strategic way to increase community presence, build stronger relationships, and demonstrate leadership in your industry. We’ll discuss how fostering a culture of engagement and encouraging Relationship Managers and Lenders to sit on boards or volunteer can drive new business.

Through real-world examples, you’ll see how financial institutions like yours have successfully aligned their CSR and business development strategies to drive measurable growth. By tracking the right data, telling better stories, and identifying actionable opportunities, you can turn your community involvement into a powerful tool for revenue generation.

This session is ideal for Marketing Professionals who have been tasked with tracking and managing a charitable giving budget, Community Relations Managers who are building a program, or anyone who is looking to elevate their community outreach efforts and tie them directly to growth metrics.

Join us to learn how you can bridge the gap between community impact and business success—ensuring your institution thrives while serving those who matter most: your community.

In today's competitive banking landscape, Customer Experience (CX) is no longer enough. The true power lies in how your brand is embedded within every customer interaction - Customer Brand Experience (CBX) is the new north star. As community banks strive to create deeper connections with customers, it's essential that the customer experience is not just functional, but also aligns with your bank's brand identity, values, and mission.

This session will explore the shift from CX to CBX and provide actionable insights for marketing executives to ensure their brand is driving meaningful, memorable, and personalized customer experiences and engagement. We'll dive into the top strategies that are vital to integrating your brand into every customer touchpoint, showcase in- and out-of-category organizations that are excelling in this area, and discuss how to measure the impact of your brand-driven customer experiences.