National Volunteer Week starts on April 20 and with it comes an excellent opportunity for community banks to build both their brand and their business. By actively promoting volunteerism and community engagement, local banks can leverage this observance to continue distinguishing themselves from their larger fintech, regional, and national competitors.
This can be accomplished relatively easily by utilizing marketing tactics already in their toolbox. Social media platforms and in-branch digital signage, to name just a few, can effectively communicate a bank’s community commitment, foster stronger connections with customers, and build trusted relationships in the broader community.
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Make Community Participation an Integral Brand Trait
While National Volunteer Week is indeed a great time to market a bank’s commitment to the community, volunteerism must be an integral component of the bank’s identity every day of the year. Dedicating a web page to community commitment keeps this message front and center all year long - a continual reminder that local banks are laser focused on supporting their neighbors.
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Encourage Customers to Share Their Stories
Sharing personal stories of volunteerism can inspire others to engage in community service. Community banks can:
- Create social media campaigns: Launch campaigns encouraging customers to share their volunteer experiences using a dedicated hashtag or, perhaps, motivating them to participate with an incentive such as a raffle.
- Feature customer stories: Highlight select stories on the bank's social media pages and in-branch screens, celebrating the contributions of community members and fostering a culture of recognition and appreciation.
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Showcase Employee Volunteerism
Employees' involvement in community service reflects the bank's values and commitment to societal well-being. To highlight this banks can:
- Share employee stories: Leverage your social media platforms and digital signage to post photos and narratives of employees participating in volunteer activities. Doing so contributes not only to attracting and retaining customers - it also contributes to attracting and retaining top talent.
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Keep the Community Informed
Effective communication about upcoming community events is crucial for maximizing participation and demonstrating a commitment to the community. Banks can utilize Bank Marketing Center’s web-based platform, and put content out to their audience in real time with:
- Digital signage: Display event details prominently within bank branches to inform customers about opportunities to get involved, such as upcoming charity drives, community clean-ups, and fundraising events. Bank Marketing Center’s Digital Signage, with its vast content library and user-friendly content creation tools, enables banks to display tailored in-branch messaging within minutes.
- Social media: Regularly post information about upcoming events such as food drives and volunteer days, including dates, times, and ways to participate. Our Social+ social media management solution simplifies and expedites the entire creation, posting, and engagement measurement functions. Social messaging can be created, scheduled, and analyzed with this single, user-friendly solution.
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Sustain Community Engagement Beyond National Volunteer Week
While National Volunteer Week surely serves as a focal point, maintaining year-round community engagement is vital. Community banks should:
- Establish ongoing programs: Develop initiatives that support local causes throughout the year, ensuring continuous involvement and impact.
- Regularly update content: Keep social media and in-branch displays current with information about upcoming events, opportunities, and success stories.
- Foster partnerships: Collaborate with local organizations and nonprofits to support sustained community development efforts.
Start Now!
National Volunteer Week 2025 offers community banks a strategic opportunity to demonstrate their unwavering commitment to local communities. By effectively utilizing social media and in-branch signage to promote “community care,” share inspiring stories, and keep audiences informed about upcoming events, banks can differentiate themselves from their competitors. Sustaining these efforts throughout the year further solidifies their role as essential members of the community. And what can be more beneficial than that?
Bank Marketing Center
We’re Bank Marketing Center, the leading, subscription-based provider of automated marketing services to community banks. Our goal is to help bank marketers with topical, compelling communication with customers that builds trust, relationships, and revenue. And we do this through automating critical bank marketing functions, such as content creation, social media management and digital asset management, as well as regulatory and brand compliance.
We also want to share what we know – and learn along the way – with all our community banking friends. Whether it’s the latest on AI technology, suggestions on how to attract and retain top talent, or the importance of data protection, we’re here to make bank marketing the best that it can be.
Want to learn more about what we can do for your community bank and your marketing efforts? You can start by visiting bankmarketingcenter.com. Then, feel free to contact me directly by phone at 678-528-6688 or via email at nreynolds@bankmarketingcenter.com. As always, I welcome your thoughts.