Outmaneuver Your Competition: Competing Against Giants Starts Here

Your customers or members are being targeted every day by your competition, and you never see it happen. National banks, credit card brands, and fintech apps are quietly showing up in inboxes, mobile apps, and social feeds with tailored messages, helpful content, and offers that are hard to ignore. Their messages are polished, persistent, and timely. And with most consumers juggling 6–10 financial providers, your customers or members are constantly exposed to offers that are personalized, pervasive, and persuasive. 

Community banks and credit unions are not falling behind because they lack relationships. They are falling behind because they are too passive, not using their resources, and struggling to find consistent engagement. Many hesitate to engage proactively, fearing they’ll annoy or overwhelm their customers or members. But in a world where financial institutions compete on attention and relevance, this caution has created a dangerous gap. 

Community banks and credit unions can win with visibility, engagement, and data. Institutions like yours can build momentum with structured outreach, omnichannel presence, and personalized messaging that makes customers or members feel known and supported. 

It is time to stop waiting and start competing. The longer you stay passive, the harder it becomes to earn back attention. The good news? That local connection is your superpower. And if you need help putting these strategies into action, Marquis' strategic consulting team is ready to partner with you. 

Are You Playing Too Passively? 

Community banks and credit unions are often hesitant to market proactively, fearing they’ll overwhelm or annoy their customers or members. But in reality, what feels "aggressive" internally often doesn’t even register externally. That caution has led to inconsistent, sporadic communication, disjointed outreach, and too narrow a focus on product promotion.  

Without a structured engagement strategy, many community banks and credit unions are invisible in a marketplace where larger players never stop showing up. Sue Schabert, VP of Strategy, Reporting and Analytics at Marquis, sees this regularly. "When we work with new clients, they’re surprised, but relieved when we lay out a plan that touches customers or members across multiple channels, with messages that match specific needs. Just creating the game plan is a big first step. The real work is in executing consistently." 

Meanwhile, national banks and fintechs have mastered the art of always being present. They’re not just selling products. They’re selling expertise, education, and ease. Their digital communications deliver financial tips, security alerts, and product nudges that build trust without feeling pushy. Over time, those touchpoints accumulate into awareness, then loyalty. When a customer or member needs something new, they turn to the provider that’s been showing up all along. 

The good news? Community banks and credit unions don’t need massive budgets to compete. They need structure, intent, and tools that make smart marketing easier to execute. Marquis clients are making this easier by automating outreach, aligning campaigns across digital channels, and personalizing content in a way that feels natural and valuable. 

Financial literacy, service tips, and security education are simple, authentic ways to reinforce your role as their primary financial institution. If you're not consistently showing up, someone else is. And once your customers or members begin shifting their habits elsewhere, it’s much harder to bring them back.  

Winning with Visibility 

The largest banks and fintechs have perfected the omnichannel playbook. Their messaging shows up everywhere, web, mobile, email, social, and even inside customer apps. They stay top of mind because they never stop showing up. Community banks and credit unions often feel like they’re at a disadvantage without the same marketing muscle. But visibility is not about size. It is about strategy. 

Smaller financial institutions have a built-in advantage. You can move faster, target more precisely, and speak directly to the needs of your local market. The key is to be intentional. Every email, postcard, social media post, or in-app alert should add value and reinforce your brand and what makes your bank or credit union different. 

Visibility without relevance falls flat. But when a customer or member receives content that actually helps, like budgeting tips, mortgage readiness checklists, or timely security alerts, they start to see you as more than just a financial provider. You become a trusted guide. That builds long-term loyalty without ever feeling pushy. 

A coordinated, value-driven strategy should include: 

• Cross-selling within relationships:
  A customer or member with a mortgage receives personalized credit card offers based on real usage and benefits. Use what you already know to introduce products that make sense. 
• Behavior-driven marketing:
  Auto loan holders nearing payoff receive a timely offer for refinancing or a new vehicle loan. When you act before the next purchase cycle begins, you increase your chances of being chosen. 
• Financial literacy as a valuable touchpoint:
  First-time homebuyers receive budgeting tools and planning resources tailored to their situation. Educating your customers or members positions you as a long-term partner, not just a product provider. 

With the right tools and marketing strategy, community banks and credit unions can compete and win on visibility. Your Marquis Strategist can help you put these strategies into action by making it easy to automate outreach, deliver value-driven content, and stay connected through every channel that matters. When you lead with relevance, you earn trust. And when you show up consistently, you stay top of mind.  

Data-Driven Engagement: The Advantage You’re Overlooking 

Larger financial institutions are not winning because they have more resources. They are winning because they use their data collection. They anticipate customer or member needs, spot early signs of disengagement, and act quickly with personalized outreach. They turn information into action, which then builds stronger relationships. 

Community banks and credit unions have access to the same types of marketing data. But many hesitate to use it, often due to cost concerns or lack of internal expertise. That hesitation is costly. Because the real risk is not overspending. It is inaction. Every disengaged customer or member is an opportunity lost. Data-driven engagement is no longer optional. It is foundational. 

At Marquis, we see this clearly in the results our clients achieve. Reducing churn, increasing product usage, and deepening relationships all start with one thing: consistent, data-informed communication. And it does not have to be complicated. With the right platform, every bank or credit union can automate outreach with a plan that makes sense for their size and goals. 

Sue Schabert puts it simply, "When we automate marketing and integrate email, digital, and direct mail, our clients see a big lift in results. Staying consistently focused on customer needs is what drives real growth and retention."  To compete effectively, community banks and credit unions need a structured approach to engagement that puts data to work: 

• Consistent, targeted outreach:
  Do not wait for customers or members to come to you. Use transaction activity, product usage, and life-stage triggers to anticipate their needs and stay ahead. If data analysis is a hurdle, start with financial literacy content. It keeps you relevant even when customers or members are not buying. 
• Omnichannel presence:
  Show up across multiple touchpoints. Email, mobile apps, digital banking, direct mail, social channels, and in-person conversations all matter. Your customers or members need to see you often to remember you when it counts. Don’t be afraid to be more consistent with your engagement, your competitors are already filling this space.  
• Personalization through data insights:
  Even small cues like a shift in deposit behavior or reduced debit card use can prompt meaningful outreach. Tailor your message. Make it timely. Start simple and scale from there. 
• Financial literacy as relationship currency:
  You do not always need a product pitch. Offer budgeting guides, fraud prevention tips, and savings checklists. These build trust and turn your bank or credit union into a resource, not just a provider. 
• Community banks and credit unions have something the big players can never match: the ability to be personal, nimble, and deeply relevant. But without using your data strategy to guide engagement, that advantage fades. If you are not actively marketing to your customers or members, someone else is. 

Take Action So You Don’t Fall Behind

Community banks and credit unions need a smarter, more consistent strategy for staying visible and relevant. While big banks and fintechs use automation, data, and relentless messaging to win attention, community institutions have their own powerful edge: local knowledge, real relationships, and the ability to move quickly. 

But that edge only matters if you use it. 

Winning back visibility and engagement starts with intentional action. Be present across channels. Lead with value. Use your data detection to understand what your customers or members need before they ask. And when possible, use technology to scale that effort without sacrificing personalization. 

The competition is not slowing down. But you already have what it takes to stay in the game and win. You just need to show up with purpose, persistence, and a plan. 

Contact us online to take your bank or credit union’s marketing to the next level.