Stop saying “we get it.”
I’ve worked pretty much my entire career crafting messages and strategic marketing strategies for banks, including some pretty great ones. One of the biggest challenges has always been around the concept of Service. Everyone wants to say they offer great service, but how do you communicate it in a meaningful way?
This is particularly important for local banks and credit unions, who see personal service as their differentiator.
Psst. There’s one credit union that does this fantastically well, I think. More on that in a moment.
Touting your “great” service just makes (most) people (more) skeptical.
As I’ve said before, consumers are inherently skeptical. And the more you try to convivence them of something, the more skeptical they become. To these wary consumers, it’s almost as if you “doth protest too much” if you put too much emphasis on your commitment to customer service.
That’s because many consumers see customer service as either
a) Table stakes (Being treated well is my baseline expectation.)
b) An empty promise (It’s easy to say it. How do you prove it?)
c) An insignificant “soft” benefit (I’d rather hear about rates and fees.)
Okay, okay, we get it. You get it.
In today’s “use as few words as possible” world, many institutions have placed their commitment to caring and serving customers under the umbrella message “We get it.”
(One local credit union has spent a few years building a campaign around the phrase “We Got You” which is in an adjacent ballpark but not quite there.)
Okay, says the skeptical consumer. “WHAT, specifically do you get? Because I doubt it’s the same thing I WANT you to get.”
And, let’s be honest, the phrase itself is pretty dismissive. Think of the last time you were in an argument with a friend or partner, and they said “I get it” without sincerely acknowledging your point. How’d that make you feel?
Let’s take a look at one credit union that successfully threads this pointy needle—presenting a persuasive case that they actually do understand, and care for and about their customers. It’s Langley Federal Credit Union.
Here’s are a few reasons this stands above most bank ads.
The voiceover starts with a real grabber. “Most of the time, banking hasn’t been for people like us.”
It’s NOT trying to be all things to all people. It knows its audience. Langley isn’t talking to everyone. They’re talking to “everybody else” … the people the Big Banks usually take for granted. They know their audience.
They offer meaningful specifics. Love the way they talk about overdraft and other penalty fees. “We make mistakes every now and then, and when we do, banks make us pay the price.”
The whole approach is very relatable. Advertisers always say they are looking for “non-announcer-y” voiceovers and actors who look like “real people.” Rarely do they succeed. This spot does.
Add it all up and you get a spot that clearly articulates that they “get it” … without using the hackneyed phrase.
After seeing this spot, I have no doubt that this institution delivers a great customer experience and superior service. Because they showed me. They didn’t have to tell me.
As a copywriter, I’ve used “we get it” as a crutch, a quick answer. Join me in the pledge to work a little harder to avoid what’s become a cliche.