There’s lots of hype in the marketplace about how AI is taking over – and while the promise is that AI can help personalize customer experiences at scale, community banks are worried that it will actually make customer service feel more generic and less personal.

This week, Chris and Dan talk with Sharveen Kumar, former NVIDIA-backed founder and ex-marketing leader at Amex, about the opportunity for banks to use AI to gain more personal touch with AI. By using AI in the right ways, it takes the mundane, repeatable tasks off your plate and actually creates more opportunities for you to do what you do best: build customer relationships.

Main Topics Covered

· Personalization is the differentiator: banks have rare, long-term 1:1 relationships—most banks focus on protecting and scaling that edge.

· Start with data, not tools: CRM usage, clean legacy data, and connected sources are the foundation for any AI win.

· Beware shiny objects: many enterprise AI POCs fail; map processes and decide where AI should (and shouldn’t) play.

· Where AI actually helps: automate the 30–40% “one-liner” service requests so teams can focus on deeper conversations.

· Practical workflow moves: capture conversation notes, let AI surface opportunities, and free humans for high-value outreach.

· Tiered experiences without losing the human touch: segment service levels thoughtfully, then invest saved time into relationship banking.

Books Mentioned

· On the Road — Jack Kerouac

· Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art — James Nestor

Guest Bio

Sharveen is a former NVIDIA-backed AI startup founder, now pioneering multi-agent solutions for finance and technology enterprises. He previously led marketing at global powerhouses including Singapore Airlines, American Express, LinkedIn, and The Trade Desk. Beyond building companies, Sharveen invests in emerging ventures and mentors the next generation of professionals.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharveenkumarl/

Links & Resources

Website: bankmarketingshow.com

Sign up for our newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com

Contact Chris and Dan: contact@bankmarketingshow.com

EP 93: Use AI to Build a 90-Day Content Calendar (in Real Time)

In this second hands-on demo (see Ep 89: AI Starter Kit for the first one), Dan shares his screen to walk through a real example: how a custom GPT can take just three real customer questions and instantly generate 90 days of social posts, blog topics, and image suggestions—all formatted and ready to use.

If you've been using ChatGPT or another LLM, but haven't started building repeatable processes yet, this episode will get you started. Here, we talk about content creation - but there's so much more you can do with custom GPTs.

***Haven’t subscribed to our YouTube channel yet? This is a great episode to watch there!***

What We Cover:

- Why good prompts still matter (even with automation)

- How to build a reusable, branded custom GPT - Generating a full 90-day content calendar from 3 questions

- Downloadable CSVs, stock images, and blog ideas—all prepped for execution

- Tips for keeping your content local, human, and brand-consistent

- Bonus: how to turn this into a repeatable quarterly process

Want access to the exact GPT we used in this episode? Email us at contact@bankmarketingshow.com with subject line "Content Calendar GPT" and we’ll send you the link.

Links & Resources:

· Website: bankmarketingshow.com

· Sign up for the companion newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com

· Contact Chris and Dan: contact@bankmarketingshow.com

AI isn’t just for the big players—it might be your small bank’s biggest advantage.

In this episode, Chris and Dan interview Justin Stayrook, Chief Growth Officer at EYEMAGINE, about how AI is transforming operations for lean marketing teams in community banks and credit unions. From cutting project timelines to boosting output without increasing staff, Justin shares why now is the time to act.

What we cover:

· Why AI adoption is moving faster than any technology shift before it

· How small marketing teams can outperform larger competitors with AI tools

· Quality vs. speed: why AI can actually improve both

· The “AI as an operating system” approach to business processes

· Why your agency partners should have a clear AI plan—and how to start that conversation

· Real examples of community financial institutions using AI to lead innovation

About Justin

Justin Stayrook is a growth-focused executive and AI strategist who helps companies scale profitably in the age of GenAI. With a track record of driving transformation from early-stage ventures to large enterprises, Justin blends deep experience in private equity, customer experience, and digital commerce. As Chief Growth Officer at EYEMAGINE and founder of Joint Journeys, he advises firms on how to modernize their go-to-market strategy, optimize operations, and compete with intelligence. His leadership has shaped partnerships and earned him recognition for innovation and revenue growth.

Links & Resources:

Justin’s Email: justin@eyemaginetech.com

Justin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinstayrook/

Book: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Website: bankmarketingshow.com

Sign up for our newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com

Contact Chris and Dan: contact@bankmarketingshow.com

Can your employees become your most powerful marketing tool?

In this episode, we sit down with Autumn Jose, AVP and Brand Marketing Coordinator of Civista Bank to talk about how she turned a simple idea into a thriving employee advocacy program—and what it takes to grow a brand from the inside out. Autumn shares how she created Civista’s “Social Stars” initiative to drive social media engagement for the brand, what worked (and didn’t), and how banks of any size can replicate it.

What we cover in this episode:

· Why traditional marketing no longer cuts it—and what’s replaced it

· The origin story of Civista Bank’s “Social Stars” program

· How to empower employees to become brand ambassadors on social media

· Tools and processes to keep compliance teams happy

· The surprising ROI and engagement metrics they’ve seen

· Tips for scaling employee advocacy across branch locations

This is a must-listen for anyone looking to grow their bank’s social media engagement.

Links & Resources:

Autumn’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/autumnjose/

Favorite Book: Be Where Your Feet Are, by Scott O’Neil

https://www.amazon.com/Where-Your-Feet-Are-Principles/dp/1250769876

Website: bankmarketingshow.com

Sign up for our newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com

Contact Chris and Dan: contact@bankmarketingshow.com

The Power of Connection with Neil Stevens

Connection – with your team, your bank, your customers, and your own self - is the key to great leadership and to creating a truly engaged team. It starts at the top. Your bank’s leadership needs to feel confident in and connected with the values, vision, and mission of your institution. When this happens, and you hire people whose personal visions are already aligned with yours, you start building a great company culture, too.

In this episode, Dan Novalis, Chris Bates, and Neil Stevens discuss what goes into connected teams. Neil shares his LEAD methodology for creating stronger connections: Love, Equip, Affirm, and Develop others. Being a better and connected leader starts with prioritizing yourself and your emotional and mental health. When you treat yourself right, you can encourage a better performance from your team.

Topics Include:

● Why connection is so important for bankers

● How to develop a company culture that makes sense for your organization

● Why you need strong leadership to lead your company culture

● Why leaders need to prioritize themselves and their emotional/mental health

● How to encourage better performance in your team

Neil Stevens is an accomplished banker, speaker, community leader, brand strategist, and fitness enthusiast. As President & CEO of Oconee State Bank in Watkinsville, Georgia, his visionary perspective inspires growth, drives direction, and helps clear obstacles for team members to achieve their personal and professional goals. Happiest when surrounded by his family, Neil’s passion is to create a positive impact on others through servant leadership.

Resources Mentioned:

● Website: https://www.oconeestatebank.com/

● The Remarkable Foundation: https://www.oconeestatebank.com/the-remarkable-foundation

● Make Your Remarkable Podcast: https://www.oconeestatebank.com/business/makeyourremarkable

● Book: Love Works by Joel Manby: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Works-Timeless-Principles-Effective/dp/0310359740/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1689791648&sr=8-1

● Book: Good to Great by Jim Collins https://www.amazon.com/Good-to-Great-Jim-Collins-audiobook/dp/B003VXI5MS

● Book: The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath https://www.amazon.com/The-Power-of-Moments-audiobook/dp/B074TZFTDG/

● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-stevens-8a5b0514/

● Email: nstevens@oconeestatebank.com

Feeling stuck when it comes to using AI in your bank’s marketing? You’re not alone. In this episode, Dan and Chris walk through five simple and safe ways to start using Gen AI—without tripping compliance alarms or sacrificing your brand voice.

In this episode, we don’t just talk about it—we do it. You’ll see real prompts, live demos, and practical tips you can implement today.

- Drafting Blog Posts - without the blank-page anxiety

- Creating Social Media Posts – from those blogs

- Doing Competitor Research – in seconds

- Using Meeting Transcripts to extract action items, ideas, and plans (so you don’t have to take notes)

- Generating Images – for social media and blog posts, that don’t look AI-generated

- Why prompting skills matter more than ever (and how to build them)

Links & Resources:

- Website: https://bankmarketingshow.com

- Sign up for our newsletter: https://bankmarketingminute.com

- For a copy of the exact prompts we used in this episode, email us at: contact@bankmarketingshow.com

In this episode, Dan and Chris explore how AI is reshaping the bank marketing world—
and what marketing professionals need to do to stay ahead. From prompting effectively
in ChatGPT to building efficient workflows and bringing human insight to the table, this
episode outlines the skills that will define the next generation of marketing leaders.
You’ll hear how to shift from tactical task execution to strategic input, and how banks
can stand out in a sea of generic AI content by focusing on what makes them truly
different.
Key Topics Covered:
 Why AI won't replace marketers—but it will replace generic marketing
 The shift from doing to guiding: what the new marketing role looks like
 How to “prompt like a pro” and avoid generic, average results
 Turning your frontline staff and community events into rich AI inputs
 The power of systems thinking and creating reusable prompt workflows
 How brand voice, customer stories, and strategic judgment remain essential
 The emerging opportunity to differentiate as others automate generically
Resources Mentioned:
 Bank Marketing Show website: https://bankmarketingshow.com
 Subscribe to the Bank Marketing Minute for deeper dives after each episode
 YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@bankmarketingshow
Call to Action:
Want help developing your AI workflows or improving how your team uses tools like
ChatGPT? Reach out to Dan or Chris through https://bankmarketingshow.com — we’re here to help.

Ep 87 – Essential Website Strategy Insights with Brent Feldman

Many community banks don’t hesitate to invest hundreds of thousands, or even millions, in a new brick and mortar branch—but balk at the cost of a new website. In this episode, we dive into why that mindset needs to change—and what a modern bank website should actually do.

Brent Feldman, CEO of Matchbox Design Group, joins us to unpack what makes a website work for banks, how to shift your team's mindset, and the most common traps banks fall into when building or rebuilding their sites.

Topics we cover:

· Why your website is more important than any physical branch

· The mindset banks need before starting a web project

· Common content mistakes (and how to fix them)

· Why residential lending ≠ mortgages

· WordPress vs. core CMS platforms

· Creating a digital branch that actually reflects your brand

Brent Feldman is the CEO of Matchbox Design Group, a website and marketing company focused on banks and credit unions based in St. Louis, Missouri. Brent leads digital strategy initiatives for the organization and is also the host of the Mix & Matchbox Podcast.

Links & Resources:

· Brent Feldman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentfeldman

· Matchbox Design Group: https://www.matchboxdesigngroup.com

· Brent’s Podcast: Mix & Matchbox – featuring a banking series - https://matchboxdesigngroup.com/about/mix-matchbox-podcast-digital-marketing/

· Recommended Book: Smart Brevity by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz

Learn more:
Website: bankmarketingshow.com
Sign up for our newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com
Contact Chris and Dan: contact@bankmarketingshow.com