In the world of banking, mistakes sometimes happen. We know, because crafting apology communications is a challenge we often encounter here at MKP! We call them “Oops” communications, and over the years we’ve developed several key guidelines for dealing with errors. Read on, and learn how you can turn an unfortunate snafu into an opportunity to cement an even stronger relationship with your customers.

First, don’t overreact.

Running a promotion in today’s super-saturated media environment can be a tough challenge. It’s like trying to have a conversation in the middle of a big, loud party: the room is packed, the action has spilled out onto the street (or onto the web), and noise is deafening. Which means you’ve got to amp up your volume accordingly, or you’ll never get your message across! Here are a few suggestions that can help you get noticed in our distracted world.

1. Use quick-hit headlines.

On the surface, a direct mail (DM) campaign may be more expensive than other forms of marketing communications, but that doesn’t mean it should cost more than it needs to. What follows are suggestions to improve ROI and make direct mail a more cost-effective choice as compared to other marketing alternatives.

Improve deliverability by making sure your mail is processed by the USPS as efficiently and accurately as possible.

A few decades ago, Dolly Parton wrote a famous song about the challenges of working 9 to 5. Little did she know what was coming! In today’s world of smart phones, texts and instant messaging apps, it seems like we are always connected to the workplace. 24/7 is the new normal, and for many of us, staying connected is part of the job description. Workin’ 9 to 5? If only!

How do you react when a letter from your bank addresses you as “Dear Valued Customer”? Does it make you feel valued? Probably not! Still, we readily admit, there are many instances when a generic salutation may be the best way to go.

After more than 22 years of experience in developing bank communications and working closely with bank data files, MKP communications inc. has gained a unique perspective on the pros and cons of personalized vs. standardized salutations.

At MKP, we believe that brands need to keep growing and adapting over time. After all, your brand supports your company’s performance by helping to retain existing customers and attract new customers for your products and services.

Keeping your brand fresh is especially important given the influx of new technologies, ever-shifting customer demographics and consumer desires. It’s when your brand stops evolving that the challenges begin!

“U.S employee data breach tied to Chinese intelligence” & “I.R.S. Data Breach May Be Sign of More Personalized Schemes.” These headlines could make you believe that someone stealing your clients’ data is inevitable. The scary thing is, it’s not the hackers that are the largest source of data breaches. The 2015 Cost of Data Breach Study by the Ponemon Institute, a data-protection think tank, indicates that two-thirds of all global data breaches stemmed from human error and internal system problems.

Let’s face it, as marketers we face a big challenge these days getting our message across to our target audiences. In the Mad Men era, all we had to worry about was print, radio and a dozen TV channels. But today, consumers are researching and making purchase decisions across many, many different platforms/channels including:

It’s safe to say that most small businesses don’t have big marketing budgets. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t have big marketing needs. In today’s competitive business environment, small businesses need to be more proactive than ever to ensure that their brand is front and center and their message is heard. Following are tips on marketing your small business without breaking the bank.