We recently sat down with Shannon Dobson of Table Rock Community Bank to talk about how the bank’s marketing strategy has evolved and the role BMC’s Social+ has played in that evolution.  Table Rock is a small but growing community bank with seven branches across three counties. Like many community institutions, it operates with limited resources and a lean team. Shannon is the bank’s Marketing and Business Development Officer, and manages the bank’s rapid merger-driven growth, as well as “anything marketing related, from digital to print to social media, including graphic design.” In addition, “on the business development side,” Shannon adds, “I’m out in the community meeting new businesses and developing those relationships.”  Needless to say, Shannon wears a host of hats and appreciates any application that might make an operation function more efficient.

As Table Rock has grown, Shannon’s responsibilities have, of course, grown with it. “When I started, we were already using Bank Marketing Center (BMC), but we weren’t taking full advantage of all of the platform’s capabilities,” he recounts. “Especially when it comes to social media.” That’s because one of Shannon’s greatest day-to-day challenges is creating and distributing social media and digital ad content consistently, across multiple platforms and formats, while maintaining brand standards and regulatory agency compliance.

“Sometimes I need to develop four different versions of the same digital display ad in different sizes,” he says. While his design skills are “a plus,” Shannon appreciates a platform that facilitates quick, professional output while eliminating the need for an in-house design team or a costly outside resource. “BMC manages everything from creation to distribution and the user-friendly interface is a real game-changer,” he says. “I’d used Canva and find BMC’s interface very user friendly.” 

One of the most valuable components of the platform, he says, is the platform’s integrated social media management tool. “I use Social+ almost exclusively for all our social posts,” he says. “Everything from creation to scheduling is right there in one dashboard. When I’m creating posts, I can simply access my archive, grab the previous version, change the wording or the photo, and I’m done. All of our brand elements are already in place, as well as the required logos. When the content is ready for stakeholder review, Social+ will automatically route it to the individuals I’ve designated, instead of having to send multiple emails and keep track of responses. It’s a massive time-saver and it helps ensure that any marketing material that is distributed is accurate, on brand, and regulatory agency compliant.”

Another benefit that Social+ offers and Shannon finds useful is its AI-powered content generation.  “I use the AI feature frequently when creating social posts,” he explains. “It’s a great idea generator. Even if I have something in mind, it’s nice to have another perspective or a starting point.” The platform’s template archiving and reuse features are also important to him. “Knowing I can start from an existing layout saves me a ton of time.”

A team of one... for now.

At the moment, Shannon is a team of one, but he’s always thinking ahead. “We plan on additional growth here at Table Rock and that could very well mean bringing another user on board, especially when it comes to managing our growing social media marketing. Luckily, the BMC product makes that easy. “Social+ has been a big plus for us,” Shannon says. “Time is money and BMC’s Social+ is saving me both.”

Bank Marketing Center

We’re Bank Marketing Center, the leading subscription-based, automated marketing platform designed especially for community banks. We are presently helping the marketers at over 300 financial institutions craft and distribute topical, compelling marketing communication that builds trust in their brand, deepen customer relationships, and grow revenue. 

We do this by automating the essential marketing functions banks rely upon; content creation, social media scheduling and monitoring, digital asset management, compliance routing, and more.

We also believe in sharing what we know and learn. Whether it’s insights on the latest AI tools, tips for attracting and retaining top talent, a webinar on operational efficiency, or what experts are saying about the future of banking, we’re committed to helping community banks thrive.

Want to learn more about what we do for bank marketers to help them succeed? 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.