MAKING SPECIALTY ADVERTISING WORK

SPECIALTY ADVERTISING CONSTITUTES A VERY IMPORTANT AND VERY POPULAR PART OF BANKS' ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS. TWO IMPORTANT ADVANTAGES OF SPECIALTY ADVERTISING ARE - 1. SPECIALTIES ARE RETAINED BY RECIPIENTS AND THUS GIVE THE ADVERTISER LONG-LASTING EXPOSURE. 2. CUSTOMERS LIKE TO RECEIVE USEFUL SPECIALTIES. ONCE THE MARKETING OBJECTIVE OF A SPECIALTY ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN CAREFULLY ESTABLISHED, AT LEAST FIVE ADDITIONAL STEPS ARE REQUIRED - PINPOINT THE AUDIENCE, DESIGNATE A PLAN FOR DISTRIBUTING THE SPECIALTIES, CREATE A THEME FOR THE PROMOTION, DEVELOP A MESSAGE TO SUPPORT THAT THEME, AND SELECT THE SPECIALTIES TO BE USED. PREFERABLY, THESE ITEMS WILL BEAR A NATURAL RELATIONSHIP TO THE PRODUCT, SERVICE, OR THEME. ONE BANK EXPERIENCED A 17 PERCENT INCREASE IN DEPOSITS AFTER A SPECIALTY ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN PROMOTING COMPUTERIZATION OF ITS ACCOUNTS. ANOTHER BANK REALIZED $6 MILLION NEW TRUST BUSINESS.