Rethinking Deposit Growth

In today’s environment, deposit growth isn’t about who can offer the highest promotional rate. That strategy attracts rate-sensitive customers who are quick to leave when another offer appears. The banks that win are those that run structured, data-driven campaigns that consistently deliver balances at an attractive cost, strengthen net interest margin, create fee income, and build primacy.

The key is unlocking the untapped potential within your customer base. Every bank already has signals inside its database that point to opportunity. By aligning the right campaign with the right customer at the right time, deposit growth becomes sustainable and predictable.

Here are 7 campaign strategies that will lead your institution to deposit generating wins:

While younger generations gravitate towards fintech brands and digital-only banking solutions, significant opportunity still exists for community banks marketing to Millennials and Gen Z.

Yes, the next generation of depositors take a different approach to banking than their parents. And they certainly stray away from traditional banking norms in many ways. But they’re also growing up, facing fresh life challenges, and entering the prime earning years of their careers.

Here’s how community banks can compete effectively with digital-first alternatives and win over Millennial and Gen Z customers.

Millennial Banking Habits are Driven by a New Set of Priorities

With the right engagement strategy, community banks can be the go-to source for Millennial and Gen Z customers balancing major financial decisions like buying a home, starting families, or launching businesses. Especially when both generations are the most likely to switch financial institutions or open a new account for the right offer.

But there’s more to understanding Millennial banking habits than delivering digital convenience or a compelling incentive. Community banks must do a better job of understanding their unique values, financial priorities, and the economic realities that shape the next generation of banking decisions.

The Banking Mindset of Younger Generations

Millennial banking habits are tech driven, but surprisingly, their values are more traditional than you might think.

• Customer surveys indicate that the number one driver of banking satisfaction remains customer service, trust, and responsive support
• Community banks have a marketing edge in this arena, as even younger generations equate in-person, human interactions with customer service
• Even those who rarely choose to engage with in-person support are influenced by the concept

That doesn’t mean you can sidestep the tech issue. Quite the opposite. It’s that a seamless digital experience is no longer a selling point, it’s an expectation. You won’t impress Millennials and Gen Z with cutting-edge digital interfaces, you’ll just lose them immediately if you don’t have them.

Provide the tech. Focus brand messaging on service and support.

What They Hate Matters as Much as What They Love

No generation likes hidden fees or junk fees, but unlike older customers who begrudgingly tolerate them, younger generations are highly resistant to fees. The aversion is so strong that a single “unfair” fee can lead to account closure and “no fees” messaging is all but a must on some level when marketing to Millennials.

This point is particularly poignant when you consider that large fintech companies regularly cite online-only banking as a core driver of what makes fee-free banking possible. Community banks must combat this misconception as younger depositors may incorrectly presume that physical branch = more expensive.

A Generation of Switchers, for Better and for Worse

Both Gen Z and Millennial banking habits are driven by incentives, sign-up bonuses, and enhanced rewards. It’s easy to convince younger customers to switch banks, open new accounts, or refinance loans. You just need to provide a strong enough offer.

But acquiring customers by gifting monetary value is expensive. Especially if this demographic is likely to jump at the next available bonus.

Having a long-term retention strategy is key:

• Bundle incentives to encourage customers to open multiple accounts simultaneously
• Build deeper relationships that deliver long-term planning and support
• Provide ongoing financial education in the form of workshops, webinars, and interactive tools

When it comes to financial literacy, younger generations tend to fit into one of two buckets. They’re either highly advanced and capable of managing their own investment portfolios or woefully behind. This second group represents an incredible opportunity for community banks who can provide education and ongoing guidance.

The question is, “How can community banks present themselves to younger generations as financial knowledge centers?”

Reimagining Brick & Mortar Banks as Financial Education Hubs

Community banks must reframe the value of the physical branch.

Today, most consumers see the physical branch as a relic. A place old people go to make deposits and withdrawals. To complete transactions.

By shifting this narrative to present in-person banks as financial knowledge centers, community banks can deliver something no online-only solution can: multi-channel financial education and advisory.

A dual-channel strategy means:

• Highlighting digital wellness tools such as budgeting apps, automated savings features, or credit score tracking
• Using branches as community education hubs with classes on budgeting, debt management, and first-time homebuying
• Promoting savings products to match the most sought-after financial education topics
• Mobile-first banking with intuitive navigation, strong security, and real-time communication
• Seamless, fast account opening processes

Empower the next generation of depositors to bank how they want to while encouraging in-branch engagement by revolutionizing what in-branch engagement looks like.

Developing Your Gen Z and Millennial Marketing Strategy

Millennials and Gen Z represent both a tremendous growth opportunity and a retention challenge for community banks. They will switch for better incentives, lower costs, or superior service. But they will also reward institutions that provide ongoing value, education, and personalized support.

Let’s have a conversation about how Whale can help you better engage with the next generation of depositors. Fill out the form below and our team will be in touch!

Economic uncertainty, rising interest rates, more selective borrowers, and increased competition have made credit marketing strategy more complex than ever, but as personal loan marketers adapt, the right way to reach prospective customers is coming into view.

At Whale, we’re diving into the key insights we’ve uncovered working on credit marketing for community banks. Winning and growing lending relationships is all about sharper targeting, timely messaging, and a focus on borrower intent

Data-Driven Hyper-Segmentation

Blanket loan offers are no longer good enough. Successful credit marketing for community banks relies on data-driven segmentation and predictive analytics to zero in on borrowers most likely to qualify and engage.

This type of data goes beyond credit scores to include:

• Income level
• Employment stability
• Recent life changes
• Expressed product interest
• Micro-segmentation – prime borrowers, debt consolidators, home improvers, or small business owners, etc.

Precision targeting lowers acquisition costs, boosts conversions, and improves the ROI from your marketing spend.

Offers Must Emotionally Connect Borrows to Real-Life Needs

For loan offers to resonate, messaging must reflect real-life needs like weddings, medical bills, or business growth. Outreach that hits borrowers emotionally feels more like you’re providing a supportive, lifestyle-enhancing tool than a line of credit.

Community banks can stand out by emphasizing local decision-making, transparent terms, and personalized service in credit marketing campaigns.

• Align messaging with real-life financial moments
• Highlight local authority and complementary financial guidance
• Frame loans as tools for lifestyle goals
• Use incentives to build long-term loyalty

Avoid generic calls to action by tying the application process to moving forward in life, not borrowing money to cover an expense.

Look to Fintechs for Application Perfection

Not every borrower wants a fintech, but they do all want the same fast, seamless, frictionless application process. Community banks that streamline the loan application process see higher completion rates and stronger customer trust.

At a bare minimum, your application journey should be:

• Mobile-optimized and intuitive for users of all experience levels
• Capable of instant or same-day approvals wherever possible
• Transparent, with real-time status updates via email or SMS to reduce anxiety

Highlighting fast funding timelines and competitive APRs is important but so is reducing friction.

Relate to High-Intent Borrowers with “Creator Style” Content

Intent-driven paid advertising should feature candid videos and relatable storytelling that feel like the recommendation of a friend, and not a banking advertisement. Building trust with digitally native audiences requires that your message mirrors the events, emotions, and challenges buyers are facing.

Gen Z and Millennial borrowers are far more likely to connect with your brand through a well-thought-out Instagram reel where they see themselves in the story than a generic ad, even if the terms of the offer are very attractive.

Expanding and personalizing your lending product mix complements this credit marketing strategy. Consider adding more targeted loan products to your portfolio that specifically match unique borrower needs, such as:

• Small business loans and lines of credit designed for low capital entrepreneurs
• Green loans supporting energy-efficient home improvements
• Specialized student loan refinancing or targeted debt consolidation
• Outside the box offerings such a birthday or wedding anniversary themed consumer loan, as these products are ideal for hyper personalization

Lean in Heavily on Trust

Trust is a community bank’s most valuable asset. Build an authentic local presence by showcasing testimonials from satisfied local borrowers, spotlighting community outreach initiatives, and going all-in on educational content that demystifies lending.

Generate blogs, webinars, and in-branch workshops that cover:

• Credit scores
• Product types and structures
• Repayment options
• Smart borrowing strategy

High Loan Amounts Distinguish Your Offer

In addition to quick funding and low APRs, high loan amount is a benefit that captures the attention of borrowers more than usual in 2025. As more borrowers look to consolidate and refinance their debt or seek financial security during uncertain times, those who are in the market for credit tend to be seeking a higher total loan compared to similar buyers from years’ past.

Putting it All Together

Success with credit marketing in 2025 comes down to delivering messaging that meets the moment. From debt stress to big life events, the lenders that win are those who tap into emotion and timing to make personal loans feel relevant, immediate, and human.

If you’re looking for a partner who can help you achieve goals and foster long-term growth for your institution, Whale would love to talk about our experience with our community bank partners across the county.

Every bank has them. Most banks ignore them. If you’re smart, you’ll do whatever it takes to take care of them.

Low engagers are customers with a single account, a couple accounts but with low deposits, a loan that’s almost paid off, or a credit card that’s all but inactive. They drive next to no profit for your institution but hold untapped growth potential for community bank marketing teams with vision.

Marketing agencies for banks understand that these dormant relationships can transform into profitable, multi-product households. These are people who already know your brand, liked it enough to engage in the past, and are sufficiently sticky to not have closed their account. The path to success here is so much easier than starting from scratch.

Spotting Low Engagers Early

Data is your best friend when it comes to identifying low engagers early. The sooner you act on low-profit accounts, the better your targeted outreach resonates.

Flag customers who:

• Have only one product
• Rarely log in or use online/mobile banking
• Show minimal transaction activity
• Are nearing the payoff date for their loan
• Are approaching the award date for a signup bonus and only engaged in the minimum transactions to qualify for the incentive

Understanding Why Engagement Drops

Crafting compelling messaging to combat low engagement and support relationship building starts with gaining a stronger gasp on what causes low engagement to begin with.

Low engagement typically boils down to:

• Unawareness of your full product lineup
• Fear that adding or switching accounts is complicated
• Strong ties to competitors
• Rate sensitivity (they keep larger deposits in other accounts earning more interest)

It’s a mistake to presume low engagers aren’t in the market for more services or bigger deposits. They’re simply doing these transactions elsewhere. If you send the right offer, they will respond, and you’ve already got their contact information.

Personalization Wins Every Time

One-size-fits-all offers fall flat. To re-engage low-value customers, banks need to focus on relationship building, aligning products and services with a customer’s life stage and existing accounts while delivering communications that feel timely and relevant.

Effective segmentation allows you to group low engagers into distinct audiences and match each with tailored offers. With this approach, outreach becomes both relatable and actionable, turning underutilized relationships into profitable ones.

Building Lasting Relationships

Community bank marketing isn’t about pushing products. It’s about solving problems. And unlike bigger brands that struggle to make a local connection, your team lives, works, and plays in the same community as your customers. Leverage this to build stronger relationships.

Consider investing resources in more robust low engager outreach:

• Assign relationship managers to promising households, providing upfront value with no hard sells
• Offer financial check-ups to help customers identify financial gaps and opportunities
• Invite low-profit customers to exclusive educational events

If you want a low engager to care about your bank, show that you care about them with no strings attached.

How a Marketing Agency for Banks Can Help

Successfully creating and executing on a strategy to convert low engagers to valuable households can be difficult for smaller banks with limited in-house marketing resources, especially when it comes to developing creative, crafting targeted campaigns, optimizing segmentation, and staying on top of the data.

If you’re looking for a partner who can help you achieve goals and foster long-term growth for your institution, Whale would love to talk about our experience with our community bank partners across the county.

Let’s set up a time to talk. Call 585-967-2422, email isabella@whitewhalesolutions.com or fill out the form below.

1. Hyper Personalization Powered by Data
   AI and predictive modeling are redefining how banks engage customers. Instead of one size fits all campaigns, predictive tools allow banks to anticipate needs and deliver timely, relevant offers. Segmentation models such as Claritas P$YCLE enable banks to group households by financial behavior and life stage, guiding highly personalized outreach. Contextual offers can also be delivered in real time, such as suggesting travel-friendly checking accounts to frequent travelers. Hyper personalization is improving conversion rates and helping banks proactively meet customer needs.

2. Mobile First and Seamless Omnichannel Experiences
   Mobile is now the primary banking channel for Gen Z and Millennial customers. They expect intuitive apps that include features like peer-to-peer payments, budgeting tools, and frictionless digital account opening. Customers also demand seamless transitions between devices and channels, whether they start an application on mobile, continue on desktop, or finish in a branch. Banks that create consistent, user-friendly experiences across platforms will win checking account growth in 2025.

3. Content Marketing and Financial Literacy
   Banks are positioning themselves as trusted advisors through educational content and storytelling. Short form videos on TikTok or Instagram simplify financial concepts for younger audiences. Blogs, webinars, and calculators guide customers through key decisions like budgeting, credit building, and buying a home. Highlighting community involvement further strengthens trust. This approach positions retail checking as part of a holistic financial wellness journey rather than just another account.

4. Trust and Security as Core Marketing Messages
   With rising concerns about fraud and privacy, banks must market security and transparency as differentiators. Proactive communication about data use, ethical AI, and cybersecurity features builds confidence. Tools like debit card lock/unlock, biometric authentication, and real-time fraud alerts are becoming central to checking account marketing. In a competitive environment, trust is as valuable as product features.

5. Incentives and Embedded Finance
   To compete with fintechs, banks are exploring high yield checking accounts, referral programs, and embedded finance partnerships. Offering checking products bundled with attractive incentives can boost deposits, while embedded finance integrates banking services into nonbank platforms such as ecommerce sites. The embedded finance market is forecast to reach $7.2 trillion by 2030, making it an important growth lever for checking account acquisition and retention.

Retail checking marketing in 2025 is no longer about rates and promotions. The winning strategies are hyper personalization, mobile first journeys, financial literacy, trust-based messaging, and embedded finance. Banks that lean into these trends will stand out from fintech competitors, attract new customers, and build deeper, long-term relationships.

For more on community bank marketing strategies, explore our case studies like b1BANK’s 325% ROI campaign or The Sound of Success campaign.

Want to bring these trends to life at your bank? Fill out the form below or contact Isabella Ponticello to explore how we can help transform retail checking marketing into measurable growth.

isabella@whitewhalesolutions.com

585-967-2422

Start With Segmentation: Know Who You’re Talking To

The first step in any successful campaign is deeply understanding your audience. It’s important to know what your ideal customer really looks like—how they live, spend, bank, and what they value.

That’s where tools like PRIZM, P$YCLE, and Personicx come into play. We use these segmentation systems to create lifestyle-based clusters that go far beyond basic demographics. Combined with account-level performance data, this helps identify not just who is most likely to open a new account, but who will bring long-term value to the bank.

Segmentation also informs every other decision:

• Which channels will best reach your audience?
• What message and creative will resonate most?
• How should you expand your reach through lookalike modeling?

A segmentation-first approach ensures your budget is spent wisely—and your message lands with the right people.

Choose Channels That Match Your Audience

Once you’ve identified your key segments, it’s time to meet them where they are. That might mean a mix of email, digital ads, direct mail, social media, or even in-branch signage. The key is to rely on data, not assumptions, about which channels will drive the most engagement.

Effective campaigns are integrated and personalized, using each channel’s strengths to tell a consistent story.

Make Creative That Stops the Scroll

In today’s crowded media landscape, grabbing attention is everything. Your creative needs to earn a second look—visually and emotionally. The message should be clear, compelling, and aligned with your brand voice. Don’t be afraid to inject warmth, clarity, or even a little boldness. People remember how you made them feel.

Focus on the Metrics That Matter

When measuring success, it’s important to track both the obvious and the overlooked. Deposits and account openings are direct indicators, but they don’t tell the whole story.

We encourage banks to look at:

• Customer “Venn” performance: Where do high-deposit, loan-engaged, and digitally active customers overlap?
• Channel ROI: Which channels drove the best cost-per-conversion?
• Marketing return: Are dollars spent translating to real dollars earned?

The key isn’t discarding metrics—it’s identifying which ones align with your goals. Establish clear success criteria from the start to keep your analysis focused and actionable.

Digital Isn’t Optional, It’s Essential

Since COVID, digital marketing has evolved from a “nice to have” into a cornerstone of any effective strategy. Today’s customers expect banks to show up online—with relevance, ease, and clarity.

Digital channels offer unmatched precision: you can target micro-segments, test messages, and optimize in real time. Pair that with good data, and you’ve got a marketing machine that learns and improves with every click.

Stay Sharp, Stay Current

The pace of change in marketing can feel relentless, but staying informed doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

• Attend industry events
• Subscribe to relevant publications
• Set up Google Alerts for market trends
• Lean on your partners for insights and best practices

Vendors like Whale often have a bird’s eye view of what’s working across the industry—and we’re always happy to share.

Don’t Forget the Human Side

Even in a data-driven world, marketing is still about people. Strengthening your brand within the community means showing up—authentically and consistently. Sponsor local events. Highlight your team’s volunteer work. Educate your customers, especially on complex financial topics. And always, always listen.

When you combine data with humanity, strategy with empathy—that’s when the magic happens.