Pub. 4 2013 Issue 4

www.wvbankers.org 24 West Virginia Banker W hether your bank is big or small, rural or urban, niche-focused or broader based, you’ve got an interest- ing story to tell. It’s the powerful story of America – in- novating and working through challenges to meet people’s needs and grow our local and national economies. Our new Amplify program – unveiled at the ABA Annual Convention – is designed to help you effectively share that story. The Amplify website at amplifybankers. com provides resources that make it easy to, for example, give a speech to a local group, e-mail or tweet a member of Congress or engage with the media. It also guides you through hosting a bank visit for your members of Congress or other VIPs. We built Amplify around four key messag- es that our research shows resonate with consumers: • Banks are the safest place to keep your money. • Banks make people’s lives more convenient. • Banks have a stake in the economic growth, health and vitality of com- munities. • Your local banker is there to help you through all of life’s important events. These represent what consumers value most about banks, so it is only logical that you should talk about them – with your customers, community groups, reporters, elected officials and any others who might sway public policy. If these same opinion leaders hear only negative news about banks, then only negative policy can result. That’s why it’s up to each and every banker to give voice to all the good your institutions do each and every day. Together, we can change the conversation about banking. It starts with you answer- ing simple questions like: How many people does your bank employ? How many small business loans do you make? How many farmers and ranchers depend on you for their financing needs? Those numbers and statistics tell a compelling story about your bank’s importance to your community and its positive impact on your customers’ lives. And throughout the United States, those numbers are amplified as they support and grow our national economy. Any bank employee or director can register on amplifybankers.com – ABA membership is not required. So please take a moment to visit the site and sign up today. When you log in to amplifybankers.com, you’ll be asked, “What do you want to do today?” If your answer is improve the image of banking and the policy environ- ment we operate in, you’ve come to the right place. n Frank Keating is President and CEO of American Bankers Association E-mail Frank Keating at keating@aba.com © 2013 American Bankers Association. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. Amplify Your Voice By Frank Keating One of the things I most enjoy about meeting with bankers in West Virginia and across the nation is learning more about what you’re doing to build your communities and help your customers succeed.