It’s once again that most wonderful time of the year! Or, is it? Despite the 24/7 predictions of an economic collapse, of cows going extinct and American families bankrupting themselves by eating eggs, experts feel this really could be a wonderful time of the year for retailers. What does this mean for community bankers?
According to The Conference Board Holiday Spending Survey, the average US consumer intends to spend $1,063 on holiday-related purchases between mid-November and year’s end, up nearly 8% from 2023. Consumers plan to spend an average of $677 on gifts and $387 on non-gift items such as food, decorations, and wrapping paper. Gallup says that Americans “plan generous holiday spending, with an average expenditure of $1,014 on Christmas or other holiday gifts.” Estimates from other sources put the average holiday spend even higher, at roughly $1,373. Collectively, that’s $990 billion on gifts and $300 billion on travel.
And while experts can’t quite seem to agree on just how much we’ll spend during the holidays, they all agree on one thing: This spending will cause many to go further into debt.
“One of the most alarming aspects of our study” said Erica Sandberg, Consumer Finance Expert for CardRates, “is the acceptance of debt. 28% surveyed are concerned that their holiday spending might put them in debt, while 16% of the respondents said they plan on spending more than they have for the holidays. If you’re among them, I urge caution. Unless you know that you can and will repay the amount you borrowed very quickly, you may regret that decision. You’ll be dealing with monthly payments that can make other expenses difficult to manage, and the interest can pile on fast.”1
So, what’s a community bank to do? During this holiday season, your community bank has a unique opportunity to engage customers with messaging that highlights not just your products and services, but your role as a trusted financial partner and valued member of the community. In other words, a tremendous number of opportunities to build upon that all-important brand. Here are a few key themes and suggested strategies to do it. Make use of those social platforms!
Holiday spending tips: Provide practical advice to help customers manage their finances during the holidays with: Budgeting tools: Promote budgeting calculators. Debt management: Share tips for avoiding debt, such as “shopping responsibly”. Savings promotions: Highlight holiday-specific savings accounts or cashback rewards on your debit/credit cards.
Fraud prevention and security: Unfortunately, the holiday season is also a wonderful time of the year for bad actors who run sophisticated scams to steal money and identities. Educate customers on how to protect themselves with: Alerts: Offer or promote fraud alerts for account activity. Safe online shopping: Share tips for secure transactions. Awareness campaigns: Warn customers about phishing emails and fake charities.
Community involvement: Market your bank’s role in supporting the local community with: Charitable giving: Highlight donations to local charities and organizations. Local business support: Promote partnerships with local businesses for special discounts. Events: Sponsor or participate in holiday events like toy drives or parades.
Convenient banking options: Promote the convenience of your services during the busy holiday season with: Digital Banking: Emphasize mobile deposits, online bill pay, or card management features. Extended Hours: Announce special branch hours to accommodate holiday schedules.
Special promotions: Offer tailored products or services with: Holiday loans: Introduce low-interest personal loans for holiday expenses. Gift cards: Offer prepaid gift cards with incentives for purchasing through your bank. Savings campaigns: Encourage participation in holiday savings accounts.
Customer appreciation: Take the holiday time to thank customers for their loyalty with: Personalized messages: Send thank-you notes or holiday cards. Loyalty rewards: Offer small gifts, such as waived fees or interest bonuses. Exclusive events: Host customer appreciation events, like coffee mornings.
Preparing for the holiday and New Year: Encourage customers to set financial goals with:Financial planning: Offer free financial consultations or promote goal-setting tools. Savings challenges: Introduce Christmas savings plans or New Year’s debt-reduction “resolutions”. Education resources: Share tips or webinars on financial health.
Final thoughts
By addressing holiday-specific financial challenges while spreading holiday cheer, this can be a time of year when your community bank can strengthen its customer relationships and reinforce your role as a supportive, trusted partner.
Bank Marketing Center
We’re bankmarketingcenter.com, the leading, subscription-based provider of marketing services to community banks. Our goal is to help bank marketers with that topical, compelling communication with customers that builds trust, relationships, and revenue; like these holiday observance campaigns that you can quickly customize for posting during the month of January.
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. 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.
1Cardrate. “2024 Holiday Shopping: Nearly 1 in 4 Americans Expect to Go Into Credit Card Debt.” November 13, 2024.