Wells Fargo Appreciates “Tips” from Customers
If you’re a Wells Fargo customer or if you follow its social media accounts, it’s likely you’re used to the bank asking you to share your thoughts. Wells Fargo continued that strong tradition this summer on Facebook and Twitter with its “Tip Jar” posts, which asked fans and followers for their suggestions on select financial topics. Once a month in June, July and August, the bank requested help “filling its financial tip jar” by posing questions on credit scores, budgeting and financial security while traveling.
What we like about the Wells Fargo Tip Jar:
- The posts were branded and authentic. Paying attention to detail, Wells Fargo created a logo for Tip Jar that featured an old-fashioned mason jar with a label that read, “Tips Appreciated.” The look of the jar fits well with the Wells Fargo brand, and the sentiment in the text expresses not only a request but also gratitude (appreciation).
- The Wells Fargo “Tip Jar” sparked active and personal conversations. Dozens of customers used the comments section of each post on Facebook (or replied to the posts on Twitter) with their ideas. The bank seized the opportunity to engage with the responses by adding words of thanks and addressing fans by name.
- Wells Fargo turned some of the tips — content crowdsourced from its fans and followers — into posts of their own accord. It turned Keegan M.’s tip on barbecuing on a budget (“Potluck style. Everyone brings something, and that way no one has to spend too much”) into a graphic accompanied by this status: “We asked how you BBQ on a budget and heard some great responses! Here’s a tip from Keegan… “
- The bank showed it had a plan both to keep the content relevant and make it meaningful by following through on the financial topics covered by publishing posts with additional details. For example, after it asked fans how to boost their credit scores, Wells Fargo published a post (in the same graphic style as the Tip Jar) illustrating “what goes into your credit score.” And it complemented its Tip Jar post on travel security tips (“How do you keep your information secure when you are traveling abroad?”) with a graphic about encryption and cyber security.
Overall, the Wells Fargo Tip Jar illustrates something critical about social media marketing: it doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated. Sometimes, the best approach to engagement can be the easiest… a simple invitation to a relevant conversation.
