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Contents

Customizable Press Release ………….…… 3

Customizable Oped for Local Use ….….. 5

Sample Social Media Posts ..……………… 7

Social Media Images ..……………………… 8

Reference Websites ………………………… 10

Infographics .…………………………………… 11

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ICBA and [BANK NAME]: Where You Choose to Bank Matters

Community banks make your community better, stronger

Washington, D.C. (April 1, 2017)—Where you choose to bank matters. That’s the message that the Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) and [BANK NAME] are sending loud and clear throughout April, which is ICBA Community Banking Month. Consumers have the power to make change happen at the community level by aligning with their community bank and putting their money to work in the neighborhood that they call home. See ICBA’s new Community Banking: Know the Difference video, which helps break it down.

“Your choice of bank is your vote on where your money goes. Is it reinvested back into your own community, or is it sent off to a banking hub in another state or halfway around the world?” said third-generation community banker Rebeca Romero Rainey, ICBA’s chairman and chairman and CEO of Centinel Bank of Taos, N.M. “When you deposit funds in your community bank, that money is redistributed back into the community in the form of loans to residents and entrepreneurs.”

From local farms to craftsmen to startups, banking locally with a community bank connects you to your community and your neighbors and gives everyone a stake in its financial success. Here are a few reasons why:

Community banks respect the communities they serve by doing right by their customers and community. Community banks and local communities have symbiotic relationships—one cannot thrive without the other.

Community banks are relationship lenders. They know their customers and understand their financial needs, unlike larger institutions that take a transaction-based approach to banking.

Community banks understand and celebrate local economies. As small businesses themselves, community banks are an unequivocal resource for entrepreneurs looking to launch a local small business. A study from seven Federal Reserve Banks found that small businesses that apply for loans with community banks are the most successful and most satisfied. ICBA celebrates local entrepreneurship on the third Wednesday of every month with Go Local Wednesday, during which community bankers and consumers share stories about supporting local businesses via social media.

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Community banks give back. Serving local communities is second nature to community banks, as reflected in ICBA’s Community Bank Service Awards.

For more facts and statistics about community banks, click here.

“[BANK NAME] is honored to serve the lending needs of the [COMMUNITY NAME] community. We care about our customers and are dedicated to helping our local residents and town thrive,” said [BANK SPOKESPERSON NAME, TITLE, BANK NAME]. “ICBA Community Banking Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate community banking here and in communities across the nation, and to spread the positive story of our industry and the communities we serve.”

To find your local community bank, visit ICBA’s Community Bank Locator at www.banklocally.org. To follow the ICBA Community Banking Month conversation on social media, follow the #BankLocally hashtag on Twitter.

About ICBAThe Independent Community Bankers of America®, the nation’s voice for more than 5,800 community banks of all sizes and charter types, is dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of the community banking industry and its membership through effective advocacy, best-in-class education and high-quality products and services.

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ICBA Community Banking Month 2017Local Community Bank Op-Ed

Where you choose to bank matters.

Your choice of bank is your vote on where your money goes. Are your hard-earned deposits reinvested back into our local community? Or are they sent off to a banking hub in another state or halfway around the world? [See ICBA’s new Community Banking: Know the Difference video, which helps break it down.]

As more consumers realize the benefits of keeping their money local, I encourage you to think about how banking locally right here in [TOWN/CITY NAME] can go a long way in helping our local community thrive.

For example, when you deposit funds into a community bank, you can trust that your money is being redistributed back into [TOWN/CITY NAME] in the form of loans to fellow residents and entrepreneurs. This cannot be said for megabanks. Who knows where that money is going or what it’s powering?

As a local community banker and resident myself, I see the positive power of community banking play out every day. At [BANK NAME], we have the privilege of serving other [TOWN/CITY NAME] residents and their families by making loans that help them buy a home, pay for a vehicle, or send a child to college—whatever it is, we’re there and happy to lend a hand. We also have the honor of serving many of our town’s small businesses through loans to help them get started, grow and succeed.

We’ve also served many of the local farms and agricultural enterprises that have been part of our community for generations. And we’re working with the next generation of entrepreneurs to help launch their exciting ideas and bring our community into the future. This is local money at work—a symbiotic relationship between bank and community that makes sense.

During April, which is Community Banking Month, I encourage you to think about where you bank and how your money has the power to make a meaningful impact on our community. From local farms to craftsmen to startups, banking locally with a community bank connects you to your community and your neighbors and gives everyone a stake in its financial success. Here are a few reasons why:

Community banks respect the communities we serve by doing right by their customers and community. Community banks and local communities have symbiotic relationships—one cannot thrive without the other.

Community banks are relationship lenders. They know their customers and understand their financial needs, unlike larger institutions that take a transaction-based

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approach to banking.

Community banks understand and celebrate local economies. As small businesses themselves, community banks are an unequivocal resource for entrepreneurs looking to launch a local small business. A study from seven Federal Reserve Banks found that small businesses that apply for loans with community banks are the most successful and most satisfied.

Community banks give back. Serving local communities is second nature to community banks. At [BANK NAME], we take pride in making our community stronger through various service projects. [Briefly explain recent service projects here.]

Making our community better and stronger is something that we all have a stake in. We hope you will join us in continuing to make [TOWN/CITY NAME] thrive and prosper for years to come!

NAMETITLEBANK NAMECITY, STATE

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Community Banking Month Social Posts:#BankLocally

Share what makes community banks such an important part of your local community with the following social media posts. Follow @ICBA on Twitter or Follow us on Facebook @ICBAorg or join the conversation with us on LinkedIn.

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #BankLocally on all channels!

Click to Tweet or copy/paste:

Your choice of bank is your vote on where your money goes. Is it reinvested back into your own community? http://bit.ly/2jnFSqL

#Banking locally w/ a #communitybank connects you to your neighborhood & gives everyone a stake in financial success http://bit.ly/2jnFSqL

#Communitybanks love to #GoLocal, making over ½ of #smallbiz loans. Learn how we celebrate & invest in local http://bit.ly/2jnFSqL

What’s the difference between community banks & megabanks? Watch this video & learn why it matters where you bank http://bit.ly/2jnFSqL

Share (Copy/Paste) on Facebook:

From local farms to craftsmen to startups & more, banking locally with a #communitybank connects you to your neighborhood & gives everyone a stake in financial success http://bit.ly/2jnFSqL

Your choice of bank is your vote on where your money goes. Is it reinvested back into your own community? http://bit.ly/2jnFSqL

What’s the real difference between a community bank and a megabank? Watch this fun video and learn why where you bank really matters: http://bit.ly/2jnFSqL

Share (Copy/Paste) on LinkedIn:

We love to #GoLocal, making more than ½ of #smallbiz loans. Learn how we’re investing money back into our communities and celebrating local entrepreneurship: http://bit.ly/2jnFSqL

Does your bank know you? By name? Community bankers are relationship lenders, taking time to understand circumstances and financial needs. Learn what other characteristics make community banks special: http://bit.ly/2jnFSqL

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Small businesses that apply for loans w/ community banks were more likely to receive financing & were more satisfied w/ their borrowing experience. See what else makes community banks unique and special: http://bit.ly/2jnFSqLSocial Media Images for Sharing:

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Reference Websites1. www.banklocally.org : Consumers can use this site to find community banks in their area.

Help spread the word!

2. www.icba.org/about/community-banking : Share what sets community banks apart.

3. www.icba.org/golocal : Get more tools from Go Local and learn what community banks across the nation are doing to engage their communities.

4. www.icba.org/solutions/knowledge-vault/member-media-resources :

Find more Member Media Resources:

a. Media Center for ICBA Members: Get tips for using social media to connect with your community, your members of Congress and ICBA.

b. Go Local Campaign Tools: Launch your own Go Local campaign.

c. Free Media Templates: Customizable press releases and op-eds

5. https://icba.socialassurance.com : ICBA member benefit that includes complimentary use of the ICBA Social Media Monitor, which allows you to:

Monitor blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and news outlets for mentions of your bank, your executives and your brand;

Solve customer service issues via an online platform; and Listen to what your customers, prospects and community stakeholders are saying.

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Infographic to Share:

Download the infographic at www.icba.org/golocal