Hit Record Podcast - FI GROW Solutions

 In this episode of FI GROW Solutions' inaugural client feature, Meredith Olmstead, CEO and Founder of FI GROW Solutions, discusses with Christin Vaughn, CMO at Allegiance Credit Union, the transformative digital marketing strategies they've implemented. The focus is on leveraging real, engaging content created by Allegiance Credit Union's staff to significantly reduce the cost of d...

In this information-packed episode, Meredith Olmstead, CEO of FI GROW Solutions, and Ida Burr, Director of Digital Ads Management, dive into the nuances of budgeting for digital ads in the banking and credit union sectors. They discuss the strategic allocation of funds across various types of digital advertising, including social media, pay-per-click, display, and YouTube pre-roll ads, to optimize...

In this episode, Meredith Olmstead, CEO of FI GROW Solutions, and Nida Ajaz, Senior Vice President of Marketing, discuss strategies for integrating marketing and sales within financial institutions. They highlight the importance of Google reviews for enhancing business reputation and SEO, and share effective methods for deepening customer relationships through automated referrals and targeted mark...

In this episode, Meredith Olmstead, CEO of FI GROW Solutions, and Kristin Mock, an inbound marketing strategist at the company, explore real-world challenges and solutions in data management for digital marketing. They discuss a specific incident involving data upload errors at a financial institution and provide practical advice for avoiding similar issues. Key Takeaways: 1. Importance of Automat...

In this conversation, Meredith Olmstead, CEO of FI GROW Solutions, and Rebecca Gwaltney, FI Grow's inbound marketing manager, delve into the critical role of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for banks and credit unions. They explore the latest trends in consumer search behavior and discuss strategic SEO practices aimed at boosting the online presence of financial institutions. Key Takeaways:...

In this episode, Meredith Olmstead and Sophie Bawany, of  FI GROW Solutions, are chatting about how to build trust and credibility through social media specifically for banks and credit unions. The conversation delves into the evolving landscape of social media for financial institutions. Their discussion highlights the enduring importance of social media for banks and credit unions, focusing on b...

Meredith Olmstead and Kristin Mock, of  FI GROW Solutions,  dive deep into the crux of enhancing user experience on digital platforms for banks and credit unions. Their insightful dialogue sheds light on common pitfalls and strategic maneuvers essential for any financial institution aiming to refine its digital branch. Key Takeaways: Monitor Key Indicators to Spot UX Issues: A high bounce rate and...

Meredith Olmstead and Ida Burr, of FI GROW Solutions, delve into the evolving landscape of digital marketing for financial institutions, focusing on the impactful role of YouTube Pre-Roll ads. Their discussion sheds light on this innovative strategy, emphasizing its potential to significantly enhance the marketing efforts of banks and credit unions.  Key Takeaways: 1. High Conversion Potential: Yo...

Meredith Olmstead, CEO and founder of FI GROW Solutions, and Dean DeCarlo, President of Mission Disrupt, engage in a discussion about the increasing significance of user-generated content (UGC) in the financial sector, specifically focusing on banks and credit unions. This conversation provides a deep dive into the strategic use of UGC as a tool for building trust, enhancing customer engagement, a...

Meredith Olmstead and Ida Burr, of FI GROW Solutions, explore the dynamic intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital advertising, shedding light on how this technology can be leveraged to enhance marketing strategies. They discuss the practical applications of AI in creating and optimizing digital ad campaigns, emphasizing its role in not just streamlining the process but also in add...

Meredith Olmstead and Rebecca Gwaltney from FI GROW Solutions delve into the world of content creation for your community bank or credit union. Learn more about how to effectively become an authority and trusted resource for your members or customers through effective content campaigns.  Key Takeaways: 1. Content Campaigns for Financial Institutions: The importance of content campaigns for banks a...

Meredith Olmstead and Nida Ajaz from FI GROW Solutions delve into the critical signs that indicate a financial institution’s brand may need rejuvenation, highlighting that a brand extends far beyond mere aesthetics to encompass customer perceptions and company culture. Key Takeaways: 1. Community Connection: If your target audience is unfamiliar with your brand or if you're failing to attract...

Meredith Olmstead, CEO of FI GROW Solutions, and Duncan Craig, leader of agency Raka, discuss the importance and budgeting for websites, especially for financial institutions. Key Takeaways: A well-budgeted website for financial institutions should range around $150,000 to ensure quality, strategy, and flexibility. Underspending on websites can lead to reduced functionality, lesser shelf life, and...

Meredith Olmstead of FI GROW Solutions and Sophie Bawany discuss evolving social media strategies for financial institutions. Three Key Takeaways : Know Your Audience : Different age groups favor different platforms; younger users lean towards TikTok and Instagram, while older ones use Facebook. Tailor Content : Platforms require unique content to match their specific audience and algorithms. Inve...

In a discussion between Meredith Olmsted, CEO of FI GROW Solutions, and Stephanie Chadwick, CEO and COO of Edge, the two experts delve into the complexities and nuances of multicultural marketing for banks and credit unions. They emphasize three key takeaways: the importance of "transcreating" rather than merely translating content to resonate culturally, the need for institutions to aut...

Meredith Olmstead and Kristin Mock from FI GROW Solutions discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) can benefit and hinder marketing strategies, particularly in the context of banks and credit unions. Three Takeaways: AI can be a valuable tool for generating content ideas and doing keyword research but should not be relied upon to write entire articles or webpages. AI can analyze customer reviews a...

In a detailed discussion, Meredith Olmstead, CEO of FI GROW Solutions, and Nida Ajaz, VP of Marketing, explore the complexities and strategies involved in combining traditional and digital advertising for banks and credit unions, emphasizing the need for clear messaging and budget balance. Key Takeaways: Importance of Messaging: When it comes to ad placement, special attention should be given to t...

Meredith Olmstead, CEO of FI GROW Solutions, and Ben Bauer, Executive Director of Exclamation Services, discuss various topics related to leading creative teams at financial institutions, including: Adapting to Change: They talk about how the global pandemic has forced credit unions and community banks to rethink traditional work models, leading to more flexible and remote work arrangements. Leade...

The FI GROW team discusses crucial factors in choosing a digital marketing agency. Key concerns include maintaining access to your own Google Ads account and avoiding agencies that lock clients into long-term commitments or charge based on ad spend. They emphasize the need for agencies to provide personalized ad strategies and focus on actual conversions, not just click numbers. Finally, they caut...

What is the difference between Brand Ambassadors and Social Media Influencers?  A brand ambassador represents the institution they're working for, building their name, and their trust. A brand influencer is someone who is a brand on their own. So when they work with a credit union or a bank, they're coming in as a partner for a short-term campaign and providing agreed-to deliverables. Tu...

Your bank or credit union should be better leveraging the people in your community to spread the word of the quality customer service and community support your institution provides. In this episode we discuss how to: Set a clear expectation of influencer deliverables based on what you need for your financial institution. The different types of content you'll want the influencer to create. Wh...

What is a NPS Survey? NPS stands for Net Promoter Score, and you survey your customers with this metric to measure the likelihood of retaining those customers. In this episode the FIGROW team discusses how to really leverage those survey results to help improve products and services for banks and credit unions

Facebook scammers continuously evolve and figure out new ways to attack our clients' Facebook pages. In this episode we discuss what types of scams are currently trending and best practices to mitigate any negative effects it may have on your bank or credit union's social presence.

When it comes to sales enablement there are three areas we try to help our client team members with, those being saving time, being more effective, and more successful in following up with leads that are coming in. So how do we accomplish this? The FI GROW team discusses: Sales tools that are great to use Automating the sales process How to make time, especially for digital sales priorities

What is the difference between content writing and copywriting? Content writing is used to inform. It is all of the details that you're trying to educate someone on. Versus copywriting, which is meant to persuade. It's going to be your sales and how you grab their attention, speaking to those emotions. In this episode, the FI GROW team discusses best practices and case uses of content wr...