Independent Banker - April 2022 - 5

FLOURISH
" This Community Banking Month, I invite
you to try something new to spread
your story. Share a new development,
community project or initiative. "
Rebeca Romero Rainey
President and CEO, ICBA
s community bankers, we
know relationships matter.
Our actions in support of local
schools, nonprofits, businesses
and other community institutions
make a difference, and when our
customers see our commitment to
our communities, it deepens their
connection with us.
A
That strengthened engagement
translates to stronger business as
well. A 2015 Harvard Business
Review study found that emotional
connection is twice as valuable as
customer satisfaction, and a 2017
Capgemini report concluded that
emotional ties can drive a 5% increase
in annual revenue.
But when I think back on my days
as a community banker, it's not the
dollars and cents that stick with me;
it's the customer stories I remember.
I used to love collecting customer
testimonials, because I would hear
stories of how, for example, a local
business that opened a deposit
account on the day the bank opened
was now a community fixture being
run by the second or third generation.
In my experience, there's nothing
more gratifying than to see a local
business thriving and know that
your bank was part of that.
These are the stories worth telling,
the ones that show our commitment
to our communities and the people
in them, and they extend far beyond
the banking relationship. Consider
Watermark Bank in Oklahoma City,
Okla., and how it trained its team to
serve as substitute teachers during a
staffing shortage.
Or look at our new chairman's
bank, Community Spirit Bank in Red
Bay, Ala. Like many of your banks,
it celebrates with the community-
whether it's chocolates on Valentine's
Day, tree trimmings at Christmas or
pumpkin carvings at Halloween-and
captures a snapshot of those activities
on social media.
Sharing our stories is as simple
as documenting what we're already
doing. For example, as new customers
are opening accounts, we can make
note of why they chose our banks and
use that feedback. When our teams
are out at board meetings, service
events or community gatherings,
they can take pictures and post what
they're doing on social channels.
We can also use employee surveys
to learn how they support the
community and empower them to
recount those experiences. It's about
taking that next step to communicate
how we engage.
So, this Community Banking
Month, I invite you to try something
new to spread your story. Share a new
development, community project or
initiative. And tag ICBA in your social
media posts by using the hashtag
#BankLocally so we can help tell
your story and further that message.
Together, we will ensure the entire
nation knows exactly what it means to
be a community bank.
Connect with Rebeca @romerorainey
Where I'll be this month
I'm headed to Memphis to meet with our state and
regional partners, and then I'll be engaging with the
team at CRA Partners.
independentbanker.org Q 5
Photo by Chris Williams
http://www.independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - April 2022

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