PremiumAdvertising games of banks

Occurred world financial crisis warms up public interest to the news from bank sector. How do banks` PR-services use this situation, we can observe in a mode of real time when crisis has forced world banks and Azerbaijan banks in particular, with the purpose of attraction of investors and deduction of panic- stricken clients, to pay special attention to marketing, developing strategic marketing plans to adapt environment changes, and also to provide success in competitive struggle. In the conditions of the decreased trust of investors, the struggle for investors between banks is developed in sphere of granting to clients the most comfortable conditions of the service, parallel granting of other bank products on favorable terms, carrying out the advertising measures directed on attraction of their attention. One of the most widespread and effective ways are such marketing actions, as advantageous investments in frameworks of which the banks promise their clients additional bonuses in the form of various gifts in addition to open contribution or taken credit.

Advantageous investments, as well as other depositary actions, are a part of global advertising - image strategy of banks, and attraction means of population is a bright indicator of bank trust. As bankers mark, the important role at carrying out actions plays prize-winning fund. Simply speaking, the principle operates: the better and more expensive the prizes are, the more advanced the bank is - concerning opinion of clients. For example, in Azerbaijan the expensive prizes are offered by Bank Respublika, monthly raffling 2 gold ingots of 20 grams and 5 gold ingots of 10 grams of the highest 999, 9 hallmark, and the main prize of advantageous campaign of Bank Respublika - car Subaru Forester which will be raffled among investors on July, 1st, 2009.

Traditional depositary actions can be divided relatively into three categories. The first are investments with possibility of winning memorable gift. As, for example, in Bank Standard, offering holders of MasterCard or Maestro card, emitted in this bank to become the owner of a gift in form of possibility of participation in Final of UEFA Champions League 2009 which will take place on May, 27th in Rome.

Second category concerns investments, upon which clients offered to win any financial products or reduced rates on any bank services. Here the example of next draw of depositary campaign of Аzеrdеmiryolbank upon campaign conditions of which the physical person who has opened depositary account in bank for the sum (irrespective of currency kind) equivalent to two thousand US dollars and more, automatically becomes the participant of monthly monetary raffle of 200 dollars, 300 dollars, 500 and 1500 dollars.   

Third category concerns deposits with possibility to win raised or to receive the advanced percents. In the first case the client is guaranteed with declared interest rate, but is given possibility (for example, to every fourth investor) after having won, to receive higher percents upon the deposit. For example, additional 1-4 percents to the declared rate upon investment. In the second case, physical persons, having put money for certain term are offered to receive due percent at once. Meanwhile the basic sum of the investment can't    be withdrawn until the contract expiry date (lets tell, during a year).

Example of such draw today is operating campaign of Unibank where participate the investment made on deposit "Millionaire" till July, 31st, 2009 and have lain on the account for minimum a year or till the moment of raffling. In particular, for investors the bonus system is developed, having possibility to get plastic cards of various types on which percent will be charged. 

Or the depositary campaign of Rabitabank offering client possibility to boundlessly increase the interest rate of his investment, involving friends and acquaintances to make investments to bank, or himself. Placing additional means in Rabitabank, clients can increase percent depending on the sum of additive deposits or deposits placed by the client; meanwhile the maximum percent is unlimited. Lets suppose, if the investor has placed on the deposit "Friend" the sum of 1000 manat, with the interest rate of 14 percent and someone from his friends or acquaintances according to his advice, place in Rabitabank deposit for the sum of 5 000 manat, then annual percent of client who has involved the deposit, will increase on 5 percent (5000 manats divides on 1000 manats) and will make 19 percents (14 percents+5 percent) annual. If sum involved by the client is equal to 50 000 manats his percent will increase on 50 percent (50 000 manats divides on 1000 manats) and will make 64 annual interest rates. If the involved sum makes 500 000 manats the percent will increase on 500 percent (500 000 manats divides on 1000 manats) and will make 514 annual interest rates. And so on.

Bankers admit, that many clients more gladly "peck" on the raised depositary rates. They are unaffected by prizes (even expensive enough). Investors profess the well-known principle about titmouse in hands and crane in the sky, others simply do not trust in honesty at raffle of declared prizes. Many people consider that vouchers, cars and gold ingots are won exclusively by friends or relatives of bank managers. 

For advanced belief the bank involves TV, inviting jurymen who carefully trace course of raffling. But creation of special agency engaged in audit of prizes and winnings could solve raffle honesty mistrust problem. Such practice exists, for example, in Poland. Here, before raffle of any large gift, bankers show it (or contract on acquisition) to experts of such agency. Thus the similar structure acts as guarantor of objectivity and honesty at carrying out of various raffles and actions.

Nevertheless the effect from carrying out of advantageous investments do present for all that. The main thing is their competent and estimate realization. If depositary actions are thought well over, considered and competently realized, they always bring considerable return. According to financiers, such actions allow to increase in celebratory or holiday days volume of means on accounts of physical persons at least for 1,5-2 times.

Thus expenses on carrying out of actions, as a rule, repay themselves with interest. All the more so recently financiers have learnt to minimize them. It occurs as follows. The bank agrees about joint carrying out of the action, for example, with travel agency. Last one allocates certain quantity of vouchers as prize to clients who have put money into celebratory accounts. In turn the bank incurs all expenses upon advertising action. In all television reels, on big-boards and in booklets "is shone" both bank and tour agency. Or the very with insurance companies - raffling insurance policies. Besides, taking part in similar actions, tourist, insurance or other companies expect that bank clients in perspective will also avail of their services.

Though trust level doesn't allow yet to involve capitals which by different estimations, are available on population to banks, nevertheless, in Azerbaijan the quite positive relation of investors to banks had already formed.

Clients deposits

(source: informational portal Ratings.az)

Basic indicators and profitableness are specified in thousands AZN

1 - comparison of current month with previous

2 - comparison of current month with the end of previous year

Considering rating, it is possible to see which bank is more active in attraction of clients in Azerbaijan market. Domestic banks should be wished to put more efforts, fantasy for achievement of the highest successes. At carrying out of all these actions the competing banks ought to understand main thing - that loyal clients are the most valuable and expensive property of any bank, it is important not to forget about clients even after the action has ended. For example, banks could suit conditions on which all investors participating in the last year's marketing action, after investment expiry term would have possibility to prolong pleasure from reception of additional income within frame of other investment on beneficial terms, differing from standard. And that fact is even more important, that actually all these carried out actions can increase insignificant percent of potential investors. Only positive reputation of bank, enough number of service points and high qualification of personnel can attract serious clients.