Thank you everyone for attending my webinar yesterday on 2010 Banking Predictions, and thank you for submitting so many questions. I’ve answered most of your questions below, so let me know your thoughts!

If you’d like to download the slides or listen to a recording, click here.

Also, if you’re interested in learning more about Mintel Oxygen’s Finance Reports, please email Zach Leahy at zleahy@mintel.com. You can see a list of past and future titles here.

Q. Have you noticed a penetration difference between the $15 incentive and the $50 incentive. What is the optimal figure?

A. The $15 and $50 cash incentives were for increasing debit card usage. Typically on an acquisition campaign we see about $100, although amounts are increasing. For loyalty campaigns, the amounts are lower. The optimal figure is dependent on the total cost to increase debit card usage and the long term profit. Each bank is going to differ in that equation.

Q. As it relates to incentives, do these predictions still apply to non-traditional banks, like Schwab bank and other asset managers looking to acquire new clients and assets?

A. Investment firms are struggling right now with an image crisis. As a result, most investment marketing is focused on regaining trust or convincing consumers that the firm is focused on the customer rather than just on selling products or services. Investment firms typically don’t rely on incentives to acquire customers. Instead they rely on free seminars, webinars, education, etc.

Q. Do you predict any differences in these trends between banks, credit unions or other types of financial institutions?

A. Credit unions and smaller banks are less likely to use cash incentives and more often offer merchandise or the offer to buy back unused checks and debit cards. Across the other trends, however, we see similar types of things. We tried to incorporate examples from all types of banks to illustrate that point.

Q. Who’s going to win, regional or big banks?

A. Big banks are always going to win on the national level. However, while it’s almost impossible for a regional bank to compete with Chase, for example, on a national level, they can certainly compete with the Chase branch across the street.

Q. What banks do you see as having best practices in social media at this point?

A. Since banks are doing so little in social media, none of them really have developed a “best practice.” Certainly Chase was successful in its Community Giving Program that it moved to Facebook. It was a program that existed offline, but in an effort to make consumers part of the decision, the company moved it online. More importantly, Chase did it in a way that allowed Facebook members to participate in a meaningful way.

Q. Have we seen debit card promotions targeted at non-customers?

A. Absolutely. Debit cards are being aggressively marketed in acquisition campaigns. We see this mainly through rewards programs, since rewards are earned primarily through debit activity. But we also see cash incentives for opening a new account tied to a debit card and debit usage.

Q. Any predictions on credit cards as stand-alone products outside of a banking relationship?

A. Companies have recently moved away from this, so I don’t expect a return anytime soon. MBNA was bought by Bank of America and Capital One obtained its banking charter so that it could use deposits to fund its lending activities.

Q. Can you explain how the deposit money app works on the iPhone?

A. The feature works through an iPhone application that customers download from the iTunes Store. When the user accesses the application they are asked for their user name and password. To deposit a check, the customer touches “Remote deposit.” The check must be placed on a dark surface. Then the customer takes a picture of the front and back of the check. While in this mode, green lines are visible so the customer can line up the check correctly. Once both sides are captured, the customer clicks submit and the transaction is complete. A video of the process is available here:

Q: Have you developed any predictions for the future of credit cards?

A. My colleague Andrew Davidson conducted a webinar last September titled “Seven Predictions for the Future of Credit Card Marketing.” If you’d like a copy of this presentation, please email press@mintel.com. His predictions were:

1. Direct mail is coming back
2. There will be more integrated marketing campaigns
3. The brand message will become more important
4. The CARD Act will lead to creative new products
5. The national wallet will shrink
6. The subprime segment will redefine itself
7. The card industry will adapt to the environment

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