Article

Boost brand awareness with effective ad strategies

For many FIs and IADs, promotional messages at the ATM can generate the extra jolt of power that moves a current or potential customer to action.

August 26, 2014

by Mike Andrews
VP of sales and marketing, Graphic Tickets & Systems

One of the keys to effective advertising is to get your ad message as close as possible to the point of purchase. Doing so ensures that the message is reaching a prospective customer when your product or service is most likely to be top-of-mind.

For financial institutions and independent ATM distributors, the ATM provides the ideal outlet. No other form of media is as targeted or as capable of reaching a current or potential customer when money is as top of mind.

Many FIs and IADs do not take advantage of this optimal advertising channel, though. Not because they lack the knowledge, budget, or desire, but rather because they lack the strategy and creative ideas required to execute an effective campaign.

Don't let a lack of ideas stop you. Here are some creative ways to utilize your paper ATM receipt to promote your product or services.

Promotions

Customers are consistently drawn to promotions, whether it is a limited time discount on a product or service, or the chance to win something based on a purchase. Promotions create a sense of urgency in customers — they realize that unless they act quickly, they might miss out on a rare opportunity to get a great deal.

When using an ATM receipt to advertise a promotion, consider these tips:

• Create a coupon. Turn the paper receipt into a coupon to be redeemed at a branch location for a special, limited-time offer. This puts something tangible in customers' hands that they can hold onto, and serves as a reminder until they are ready to take action. Customer are familiar with coupons; they understand their value and method of exchange. They know that with a coupon, they are getting a special deal.
• Get personal. Customers like to know who they are doing business with and want to feel as though they are more than just a number. Consider personalizing your promotional message by including a specific contact name, or a special promotional Web page that will direct the customer to the appropriate person at his or her local branch.
• Work with pros. To eliminate (or at least minimize) user fraud in a coupon campaign, be sure to partner with a promotions company and experienced receipt paper manufacturer.

Drive customers online

The ATM receipt is an effective way to drive website traffic, to encourage people to sign up for email communications, and to prompt customers to become fans and followers of your social media networks.

Here are a couple of suggestions:

• Drive database opt-ins. Many companies collect a list of people who have opted to receive communications from the brand. Use the ATM receipt to let people know about the value delivered through these communications and invite them to sign up to receive them. 
• Build your fan base. Social media is another excellent way to build relationships and communicate with customers. Consider providing sample posts on the back of ATM receipts, previewing the type of valuable content the customer can expect to receive through your social media channels.
• Conduct a promotion to entice people to join your social media channel. Consider printing trivia questions, preferably about the brand or industry, and ask people to post their answers to your Facebook page, or to your Twitter account using a special #hashtag. This initiative can not only help build a fan base, but also, it can help create a sense of community around your brand as well. 

Deliver added value

A great way to create affinity for your brand is to add value to your customer’s life without asking anything in return. Here are a few ways to use your ATM receipts to help brighten your customer’s day and elevate your brand in their mind.

• offer financial tips;
• inspire them with famous quotations;
• make them smile with a cartoon; or
• provide a recipe they can try at home.

While advertising agencies can be a great source of creative ideas, it's not essential to retain one in order to develop an effective campaign. When it comes to using ATM receipts for promotional purposes, an experienced and innovative paper manufacturer knows how to maximize the potential of this media space and is prepared to deliver actionable ideas.

Considering the nominal cost to custom print on the back of a receipt, it’s something every FI and IAD should incorporate into their marketing plan.

Graphic Tickets & Systems is a provider of stock and custom ATM paper solutions. The company helps FIs enhance ATM paper transactions by making them more meaningful, valuable, effective and profitable.

photo courtesy of pat pilon | flickr