The trademark on your bat, that is. What are we talking about? Be patient, I’m getting to it!
Last week, we talked about the challenges that bankers seem to face on a continual basis. No matter what bankers do, it appears, it’s never enough. Then I thought, well, there are two ways we can feel about these continuous challenges; we can either let them defeat us or we can learn from them and achieve great things.
What makes the difference between the two? I think it depends on how you see the world. My theory is that we’re all better off when we have faith… and share faith. Every day, I encounter people who think that faith is just something we use to get to heaven. For some reason we forget that we should have faith in everything that we do. And, that we should also put our faith in others. By that, I mean that we should transfer the faith we have to those who are struggling to find their own.
Just look at what’s going on right now. Many people, many of them your customers, are going through tough times. The economy is struggling and so are they. And, as we all know too well, the holiday season can make this even tougher.
Yes, these are hard times for many and, sadly, the “experts” (so-called) are predicting that things will only get worse before getting better. This is where faith comes in; faith that no matter what the future holds that we’ll face it with optimism… making our best effort to, looking forward instead of back, turn those challenges into opportunities. And in all of our encounters, personal and professional, to transfer our faith to others. Community bankers are in a unique position to do this, having personal relationships with individuals that are built on an aspect of their lives that can truly define the way they look at life: Their financial well-being.
Next time you’re meeting with a customer who’s struggling financially, think of Hank Aaron.
It was, I think, the 1958 World Series between the Yankees and the Braves, and Aaron was at the plate to bat. One of the game’s most iconic players, Yogi Berra, was behind the plate. As a catcher, Berra was well-known for doing his best to taunt and distract opposing team batters. The story is told that when Aaron took a practice swing, Berra told him that he was holding the bat the wrong way, that when held properly the logo should face skyward. This is, of course, something that anyone who has ever played Little League knows. When the first pitch came, Aaron connected solidly with the ball and rocketed it over the left field fence. He rounded the bases for a home run and as he crossed home plate, he paused to tell Berra, "I came here to play baseball. I didn't come here to read!” Much later, in an interview, Aaron said, "I always enjoyed coming to bat when Yogi was catching. He helped me relax, and I hit better. I had no problem talking to him. I just wasn't very interested in talking about the label on my bat. I just wished he had talked to me about movies, or fishing, or something else."
Sure, life requires hard work. In the case of baseball, it’s practice. But it’s also faith. Faith that we’ve put in the hard work and for that reason, we’re prepared. We have what it takes to succeed, no matter the odds. So, next time you meet with a customer who is facing adversity and batting with the label down, encourage them to give the bat a spin and have a little faith. Who knows? With your help, they may just knock it out of the park.
As always, I look forward to your thoughts.
About Bank Marketing Center
Here at BankMarketingCenter.com, our goal is to help you with that topical, compelling communication with customers; the messaging — developed by banking industry marketing professionals, well trained in the thinking behind effective marketing communication — that will help you build trust, relationships, and revenue. In short, build your brand.
To view our marketing creative, both print and digital – ranging from product and brand ads to social media and in branch signage – visit bankmarketingcenter.com. You can also contact me directly by phone at 678-528-6688 or via email at nreynolds@bankmarketingcenter.com.