how financial institutions can participate in america saves week
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About America Saves Week and how banks and credit unions can participate.TRANSCRIPT
How Financial Institutions Can Participate in America Saves Week
Consumer Federation of America is located in Washington, D.C., and was founded in 1968. It is an association of more than 300 nonprofit pro-consumer groups including Consumers Union, AARP, credit unions, housing co-ops, and grassroots organizations.
America Saves is a national social marketing campaign that seeks to motivate and support low to moderate income households to save and build wealth.
America Saves Week is coordinated by America Saves and the American Savings Education Council. Started in 2007, the Week is an annual opportunity for organizations to promote good savings behavior and a chance for individuals to assess their own saving status.
About Us
America Saves• Support the organizing of a wide range of stakeholders and service providers to positively impact their constituents in 45 states with now more than 300,000 people enrolled
• Provide materials, resources, website, data base and infrastructure to support the organizational effort and to individual savers
• Work with financial institutions to provide no fee and low opening balance savings accounts
• Organize America Saves Week, the last week in February, as a national call to positive financial action
How America Saves Encourages Saving
Almost Everyone Can Save
Set A Goal – more likely to succeed
Make A Plan – twice more likely to succeed than those who do not*
Save Automatically – pay yourself first
Source: CFA Annual Savings Survey February 17, 2012
America Saves Surveys of Savers
Savers who joined America Saves in 2010 reported saving $2,000* since joining America Saves
Savers of all income levels reported being able to save – including savers making less than $25,000 who reported saving $400* since joining America Saves.
The most important saving goals for savers include: Debt Repayment, Emergency Fund, and Retirement
Savers tell us that since they joined America Saves they feel more hopeful about their financial situation, they are saving more, and they are managing their debt better
* Median Amount Saved
Barriers and Incentives
• High opening balance and minimum balance
• Fees – min balance, withdrawal restrictions, inactive accts
• Interest rates
Barriers to Saving
• Incentives- low min balances, waived fees, sign up bonuses, higher interest rates
• Most useful funds for an emergency
• FDIC insured
Incentives to Save
Financial Institutions Can Serve the Community by Encouraging Savings
Promoting Accounts
Focus on Saving
Automatic Savings
New Products
• Co-coordinated by America Saves and the American Savings Education Council.
• An annual opportunity for Americans to assess their financial condition and goals
• A dedicated time for financial action• A time for organizations and institutions
to emphasize Saving
America Saves Week
February 22 – 27, 2016
A national initiative with thousands of organizations
Organizations encourage and assist Americans, especially lower-income households, to start saving and build wealth
Annual reach of more than 30 million people
60 local, regional, and statewide saves campaigns
Participating Organizations include: Department of Defense -- USDA/NIFA FDIC -- Cooperative Extension OCC -- Jump$tart Social Security Administration FRB
America Saves Week Participating Organizations
More Participating Organizations:
• California Department of Financial Institutions
• Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards
• City of Cleveland
• Commodity Futures Trading Commission
• FCCLA
• General Mills
• General Services Administration (GSA)
• IRS
America Saves Week Participating Organizations
• Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions
• Maine Public Employees Retirement System
• Sallie Mae
• United Way
• U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy
• WA Department of Financial Institutions
How to Participate
• Encourage your members and customers to open or add to wealth building accounts and to save automatically through direct deposit– Offer no-fee savings accounts at low opening
balances ($25 or less) with incentives introduced during the Week
– Offer incentives for making deposits into current accounts, offer low cost IRAs, CDs or other wealth- building accounts
– Offer special emergency savings accounts
How to Participate
• Encourage people to Pledge to Save– Sign up customers and members as America
Savers to help support their ambition to save through an embeddable pledge form on your website, which can track your impact in the community
Benefit to You
• Attract new customers and members
• Increase account balances
• Encourage customers to save automatically through direct deposit
• Potentially receive free media coverage through proclamations and press releases
U.S. Bank
– Registered 58 U.S. Bank branches in 17 states internally to participate in this year’s America Saves Week campaign featuring the S.T.A.R.T. saving product that gave $50 for the first $1,000 saved. Conducted financial literacy seminars encouraging saving for the future using America Saves Week resources.
Examples of Financial Institution Participation
The First, A National Banking Association– Offered a special account with a minimum opening amount of
$15 and no service charge for up to one year as long as customers keep a minimum balance of $100 in the account.
M&T Bank– Emailed 500,000+ customers promoting America Saves
Week and Easy Save (M&T’s auto funds transfer). Sent out a press release and placed take-ones in the retail branches promoting America Saves Week and Easy Save.
America Saves Week Promotional Materials
AmericaSavesWeek.org
5 Steps to Participation
1. Plan Product
2.Integrate the Pledge
3.Promote Product
4.Download Marketing Materials
5.Track Impact
AmericaSavesWeek.org
STEP 1: Choose Products to Promote
Plan Product
New or existing
• Basic Savings Account (Follows FDIC Best Practices)
• CD
• Money Market Account
• IRA
AmericaSavesWeek.org
STEP 2: Integrate the Pledge
AmericaSavesWeek.org
I pledge to save
money, reduce debt,
and build wealth over time.
I will encourage my
family and friends
to do the same.
Text Message Tips and Reminders
Step 3: Plan Promotion
Plan Product Promotion
• Market to current and potential customers to save and build wealth better
• For current business customers, reach out to their employees (At Work programs) to make savings automatic, and set up an emergency savings account or wealth building account through payroll deduction
• Provide directly, or in partnership with others, financial education classes, events, and seminars
• In school presentations to students and teachers, encourage opening or adding to an existing account
AmericaSavesWeek.org
Step 3: Plan Promotion
1. Offer incentives• Bonus
• Interest Rate
• Drawing or Prize
2. Create Your Own Materials
3. Share Savings Messages through Social Media
4. Contact the Media
5. Work with Local Government
AmericaSavesWeek.org
STEP 4:
Download Materials
1. Flyers, Poster, & Payroll Stuffers
2. Logos, Web Buttons, and Banners
3. Social Media Kit
4. Sample Newsletter, Email, and Blog Content
5. Sample Press Release
6. Sample Proclamation
7. PowerPoint Presentations
How Organizations Can Participate inAmerica Saves Week
AmericaSavesWeek.org
Social Media Content
Contains:
– 4 Weeks of content to post on Twitter and Facebook
– Sample newsletter/blog content
– America Saves QR code
Content available in early January - Join the Week to be notified as soon as it becomes available.
STEP 5:
Track Your Impact
• Establish goals for new accounts opened, new deposits, increased balances, new automatic savings sign-ups, new IRAs, CDs, and other savings and investment opportunities.
• Worksheet to track:– Promotional methods
– Audience reach
– Information and stories
– Account activity (for financial institutions)
– Employer participation
How Organizations Can Participate inAmerica Saves Week
AmericaSavesWeek.org
Bottom Line
The savings message, resources and opportunity to save can support your participation in America Saves Week.
Your customers, members, and employees will benefit from participation in America Saves Week.
Register TODAY as a participating organization at AmericaSavesWeek.org