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#139015 - 12/12/03 02:06 PM Bank Newsletters anyone?
Retired DQ Offline
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We are launching a quarterly newsletter for 2004. Does anyone have any constructive ideas on format and creativity for the compliance section? I am soooo excited!
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#139016 - 12/12/03 02:10 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
JacF Offline

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I don't know, Maria... It's generally ill advised to mix creativity with compliance.

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#139017 - 12/12/03 02:12 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Sinatra Fan Offline
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New Jersey
OK, I'm officially jealous. I put out a technology newsletter here a few years ago, and everyone either ignored it or tolerated it.

I have found that, when dealing with difficult or complicated matters, a question and answer format is helpful. Every year at escrow analysis time I give my staff a memo to remind them of what it's about, and I include questions that I think customers will ask (along with the answers, of course).

You could title the section "Questions From the (Compliance) Queen," and tell them there will be the devil to pay if they don't listen up!
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#139018 - 12/12/03 02:22 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Andy_Z Offline
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Quote:

I don't know, Maria... It's generally ill advised to mix creativity with compliance.




Jac, read the CRA forum. When it comes to trying for credit on just about anything, they get pretty creative.
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#139019 - 12/12/03 02:26 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Retired DQ Offline
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Quote:

OK, I'm officially jealous. I put out a technology newsletter here a few years ago, and everyone either ignored it or tolerated it.
You could title the section "Questions From the (Compliance) Queen," and tell them there will be the devil to pay if they don't listen up!




I am sorry you are jealous, but Steve, that was Technology, and we all know that Compliance isn't boring!

I like the "Q & A from the Compliance Queen" idea, but you don't think people would think I was being haughty now, do you?

Keep the ideas coming... THANKS!
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#139020 - 12/12/03 02:34 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Cowboys Fan Online
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Keep it simple, don't quote regs, make sure you don't concentrate on one area of the bank and ignore others, use examples or questions that may come up in real life, ask the departments in the bank for their input on what they would find helpful. Have fun and good luck.
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#139021 - 12/12/03 03:14 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
David Dickinson Offline
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Have a monthly quiz, with the answers at the back of the newsletter.
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http://www.bankerscompliance.com

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#139022 - 12/12/03 03:15 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Retired DQ Offline
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Quote:

Have a monthly quiz, with the answers at the back of the newsletter.




Can I just pilfer yours, David?
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#139023 - 12/12/03 03:18 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Retired DQ Offline
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I was sort of thinking of addressing compliance hot topics from a consumer point of view, so they can maybe see what might on in the customer's mind and help them provide better service.

Any thoughts on that?
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#139024 - 12/12/03 03:25 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
reinkesd Offline
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Connecticut
I used to do a weekly Retail newsletter and quizzes were always popular, especially when you can offer up some prize for the most correct answers or quickest return. Prize being something cheap/easy like bank coffee mug, chocolate, lottery ticket, etc.

I also like your idea of "from the customer's view". Maybe you could have mock "ask a banker" type questions from customers and the proper response. That gives them some talking points when they actually get the question and helps them learn in the process.

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#139025 - 12/12/03 03:34 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
A D Virr Offline
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Derry, NH
I have published a monthly compliance newsletter for almost nine years. I have changed formats several times but I now use one of the templates in Microsoft Word. The newsletter is sent out as an attachment via email at the beginning of each month. Content varies but it is primarily compliance related to identify continuing and emerging issues. I also give heads up on examination issues from other banks and from my network connections. The distribution of theemnewsletter is sent to directors, officers, and management staff.
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Allan D. Virr, CRCM,CRP
Compliance Audit Solutions, LLC

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#139026 - 12/12/03 04:13 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
RBanker Offline
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Austin Texas
Maria, if you'll PM, I'll send you a link to one of our on-line newsletters where I place an article called 'The Training Corner' and we periodically address compliance.
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#139027 - 12/12/03 04:15 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
David Dickinson Offline
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Central City, NE
Quote:

Quote:

Have a monthly quiz, with the answers at the back of the newsletter.




Can I just pilfer yours, David?



As long as I don't know - why not?
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David Dickinson
http://www.bankerscompliance.com

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#139028 - 12/12/03 04:36 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Retired DQ Offline
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Thanks everyone! Great stuff.
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Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please. - Mark Twain

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#139029 - 12/12/03 05:30 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
RandomName Offline
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Austin, TX
I would recommend some sort of centerfold. Compliance Officer of the Month?

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#139030 - 12/12/03 05:34 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
JacF Offline

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Quote:

I would recommend some sort of centerfold. Compliance Officer of the Month?


Well, that will grab some attention, but I'm sure everyone will claim to "only read the newsletter for the articles."

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#139031 - 12/12/03 05:36 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Retired DQ Offline
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Quote:

I would recommend some sort of centerfold. Compliance Officer of the Month?




LOL! Gosh, that would just scare the heck out them, now, wouldn't it!

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#139032 - 12/12/03 06:16 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Anonymous
Unregistered

We had about a page in the company’s monthly newsletter for compliance articles.

Because of the adult audience, the most effective articles we found were those in a dialog format rather than a textbook style. They may start out:

"Hi, my name is Susie, and I'm a consumer loan underwriter. We had lunch yesterday with the Compliance Officer and the conversation turned into Fair Lending. We learned that fair lending applies to all types of loans and not only mortgage loans. Some of the things that I didn’t know were . . . "

Surprisingly we got e-mails and phone questions after each publication.

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#139033 - 12/12/03 06:30 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
waldensouth Offline
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Q & A's are excellent. People like to know they aren't the only ones in the bank asking those questions. We're revamping our corporate newsletter and they asked me to create a column for compliance. I've decided to stick with a compliance calendar indicating important compliance dates, i.e. BSA Biennial reviews due, CRA/HMDA deadlines, compliance training events, etc. AND I'm incorporating an "impending doom" section at the bottom of the calendar that provides a brief paragraph of new and or revised laws/regulations to give the staff a heads up. I don't think I'll really call it impending doom, but I have to think of a catchy title for that section. Any ideas?
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#139034 - 12/12/03 06:37 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Retired DQ Offline
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walden, I like "impending doom", I may have to filch it from you!
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#139035 - 12/12/03 07:48 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Some Days You Just Can't Win Offline
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Some Days You Just Can't Win
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Mississippi River Valley
Over the last couple of years I have had a page in our company monthly newsletter that is distributed to all employees with their paystub. In it I have had standard type of articles, word find and crossword puzzles, Q&As, short quizes, etc. Anything I can come up with.

I will periodically run a "special" in there. Such as 'the first five people to contact me with the correct answer to the following question will receive special prize.' The prizes vary each time. Sometimes it's lunch on me, a christmas present (mug w/ package of hot coco, candy cane), etc. Or any 'fun items' that I can get from the Marketing Dept that staff usually doesn't have access to.

Once in a while it is mandatory training with questions that staff has to respond to. I then track the responses to insure I've recevied all that is required. I've even published the participation results from each of our affiliate locations.
........Bank location........% of Participation
..........AB........................100%
..........ABC........................48%
I list all 20-banks and the percentage. At first the participation percentages were small, but since management and staff saw the percentages being published staff the percentages have increased.

There have been some great responses to this posting that I have gotten new ideas from. Thanks BOL!
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#139036 - 12/12/03 09:58 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Sinatra Fan Offline
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New Jersey
Quote:

I'm incorporating an "impending doom" section at the bottom of the calendar that provides a brief paragraph of new and or revised laws/regulations to give the staff a heads up. I don't think I'll really call it impending doom, but I have to think of a catchy title for that section. Any ideas?




How about "On the Horizon?"
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#139037 - 12/12/03 11:19 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
Princess Romeo Offline

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Where the heart is
Maria,
Copy the strategy used in the BOL monthly round-up. Hide the name of an employee in the newsletter, and the employee gets two days after the newsletter is made available to claim his or her prize. (The prize can be nominal - McD's Gift Certificates or something - but everyone wants to be a winner!)
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Regulations are a poor substitute for ethics.
Just sayin'

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#139038 - 12/15/03 02:47 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
P*Q Offline

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Quote:

Maria,
Copy the strategy used in the BOL monthly round-up. Hide the name of an employee in the newsletter, and the employee gets two days after the newsletter is made available to claim his or her prize. (The prize can be nominal - McD's Gift Certificates or something - but everyone wants to be a winner!)



Bonnie, awesome idea!!

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#139039 - 12/15/03 03:19 PM Re: Bank Newsletters anyone?
UofLer Offline
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Is it for inside the bank or for the community? We do a real nice one for the community, I'd be happy to share! Just email me with your fax number, I don't think I have a copy in PDF. pryan@citizenscommerce.com

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