Closing the Leadership Gap: Shaping the Future of the Financial Industry
by James Robert Lay on September 30, 2024
Most financial institutions are stuck in the present, lacking the forward-thinking leadership needed to navigate and thrive in a rapidly changing environment. Leaders within these organizations frequently find themselves overwhelmed by day-to-day operations, which restricts their abil …
The $100 Million Problem: Calculating the Financial Impact of Abandoned Applications
by James Robert Lay on September 24, 2024
In this episode of the Practical Perspectives series we share how a regional bank’s 67% abandonment rate on personal loans translates into a staggering loss of $100 million annually in interest income. The situation is further amplified by the fact that the brand is investing in paid …
Behind the Scenes: Secret Shopping Our Own Website
by James Robert Lay on September 23, 2024
After facilitating over 1200 website secret shopping studies for financial brands over the past decade, the Digital Growth Institute decided it was time to drink their own medicine. After recently launching their new website, they put out a call-to-action for industry leaders to provi …
The Website Blind Spot Benchmark Study: Results and Insights
by James Robert Lay on September 17, 2024
Let’s face it, a lot of financial institutions are really struggling to position themselves online and make the most of their digital channels. Many banks and credit unions sound more like robots with their scripted value propositions and fail to address the real issues their account …
Unlocking Loan and Deposit Growth Through Data
by James Robert Lay on September 16, 2024
Financial brand marketing and sales leaders face the challenge of consistently making new connections that lead to loan and deposit growth. They often struggle to leverage data and customer insights effectively to deepen relationships, which is crucial for fostering new connections an …
Jack Rants with Modern Bankers: Navigating Digital Transformation
by James Robert Lay on September 13, 2024
In this episode, Jack sits down with James Robert Lay, CEO of the Digital Growth Institute and bestselling author of "Banking on Digital Growth" and "Banking on Change." Together, they dive into the evolution of digital marketing in banking and credit unions, discussing strategies for …
Website Secret Shopping 101: A Guide to Uncovering Consumer Journey Blind Spots
by James Robert Lay on September 10, 2024
Many financial brand leaders are unsure where to begin when it comes to secret shopping their website and often feel intimidated by the process—if they even know what website secret shopping is. That’s why on this episode of the Practical Perspectives series, James Robert Lay and Audr …
Social Listening: Lessons from Frost Bank’s Customer Experience
by James Robert Lay on September 9, 2024
Financial institutions often struggle to manage and appropriately respond to online feedback, especially negative reviews, risking the loss of potential loyal customers. Statistics reveal that a single negative review can severely damage a brand’s reputation, requiring up to 40 positi …
Three Common Website Secret Shopping Objections Debunked
by James Robert Lay on September 4, 2024
Many financial brands may not realize that their websites could be their biggest sales blind spots due to lack of proper evaluation. Without secret shopping, banks and credit unions may not identify critical issues that could be causing them to lose out on potential loans and deposits …
The Future of Banking: Insights on Change, Learning, and Transformation
by James Robert Lay on September 3, 2024
In a rapidly changing world driven by exponential technological advancements like AI, many leaders, teams, and organizations struggle to keep pace. This creates a widening gap between linear human perception and the exponential nature of change, leading to feelings of fear, stagnation …
CU Broadcast: A Credit Union Talkshow
by James Robert Lay on September 2, 2024
James Robert provided a quick overview of "Banking on Change" and provided the story behind what got him started writing this new one, which consists of three parts he detailed: The Exponential Growth Journey, Prepare for Exponential Growth, How to Achieve Exponential Growth Every 90 …
This Month In Banking (TMIB) Podcast: Banking on Change
by James Robert Lay on September 2, 2024
On this episode, James Robert Lay discusses his new book, Banking on Change – The Leader’s Guide to Achieving Exponential Growth in the Age of AI. In this book, John Robert Lay provides a strategic framework for exponential growth. A primary tenet of the book is that the Age of Artifi …
The Critical Role of Continuous Website Optimization for Financial Brands
by James Robert Lay on September 2, 2024
Imagine you're on your way to becoming one of the top financial brands in your state. In the midst of a major merger and rebrand, you've been given a $10,000 budget to launch a new website, something that will be the digital face of your institution for years to come. But here's the q …