Your bank statements are stuffed with brochures, your branch has so much collateral material customers are tripping over it and your Facebook page is now up to 27 “fans.” You’ve got ads in the local newspapers and broadcast outlets. All of this is good. But little of it is as good as actually standing face-to-face with potential customers.

One area many banks stumble over is event marketing. They’re not sure how to build it into their overall strategy. They’re afraid to commit resources to it. And they often feel they’ve done enough by sponsoring a local Rotary Club breakfast.

But Jim Briand knows better. He’s the senior vice president and director of marketing at Middlesex Savings Bank in Natick. His institution does all of the usual stuff (and he’s got several honors from the American Bankers Association for doing it very well). But Briand also knows the value of event marketing. That’s why Middlesex is involved with more than 500 events per year.

Some of that falls in line with the usual: Middlesex takes the lead on a number of Chamber of Commerce events, and since Middlesex operates in 30 communities, there are a lot of chamber functions to sponsor. But Briand understands that event marketing is a unique opportunity to finely hone a brand, and to be able to micro-market the bank.

“I argue that community events are potentially the most powerful brand channel,” says Briand. He points out that community banks can’t out-shout and “out-quality” the big guys in big media. So they need to “play where the quality of the competition is low and opportunity high.”

He thinks community banks can get a lot more bang by helping organizations hone their events, improve their program brochures and give the bank a more focused, serious channel. “Research shows this may be the most powerful marketing dollar you spend all year.”

He compares bank events to the fan base for Downton Abbey, arguing that banks ought to approach these not with the attitude of ABC, CBS or NBC, but of the BBC.

“In America we judge everything by eyeballs,” Briand says. “Over in the UK, they have a different standard. It’s either a lot of people or a small audience that’s really passionate. Community events are our opportunity to combat eyeballs with passion and creativity.”

Parading Their Smarts

For Concord’s 375th Anniversary parade, Middlesex Savings teamed up with the Discovery Museum in Acton on a key promise theme, “Middlesex Means Education,” with the bank hammering home that education makes communities stronger. It used the web to promote the parade, created custom giveaways, and leveraged the investment with a permanent display. It measured its success in PR hits, cross-sell of “Kids Club” accounts and crowds of kids at the event itself.

The event encapsulates a number of Briand’s rules. The tie-in with the Discovery Museum, for example, showcases Briand’s strategy to “borrow brand power.” He explains that “banks are not sexy. Find a brand that fits your audience, complements your own and strategically advances your message.”

With an asset base of $4 billion, Middlesex Savings is a pretty big bank by most community bank standards. But Briand is steadfast in his belief that smaller community banks can do as well as Middlesex, even if they don’t do as much.

“Bundle your sponsorship investments with your events for more impact and return,” he advises. “Don’t confuse community spirit with equality of outcome … have the biggest float (or the only float) in the parade.” And use events to reach more targeted markets in your community. “Don’t be a little local. Nobody cares about community as a general concept. They care about their little corner of community … research proves this.”

For banks who say they believe in their towns, event marketing is a great way to really be part of the community. Put up all the billboards you want. But there’s nothing like handing a t-shirt and an ice cream cone to a kid while his parent is filling out an account application in front of you.

Vincent Michael Valvo is CEO of Agility Resources Group LLC. He can be reached at vvalvo@agilityresourcesgroup.com.