Season 2, Episode 28: Eric Cook
Banking in the Digital Age: AI, Marketing & Innovation with Eric Cook
In this episode of Jack Rants with Modern Bankers, host Jack Hubbard sits down with digital banking strategist Eric Cook, a former community banker turned award-winning digital marketing expert. Eric shares his journey from banking to founding WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker, offering insights into AI-driven marketing, website optimization, and the evolving role of community banks in the digital age.
Tune in as they discuss:
• The power of AI and automation in banking marketing
• Strategies for data-driven decision-making and customer engagement
• How bank marketers can gain a seat at the C-suite table
• The rise of search experience optimization and what it means for financial institutions
• The importance of continuous learning and adaptation in an AI-powered world
View Transcript
00:00:04.940 --> 00:00:08.530
Jack Hubbard: Recording? Are you hearing it? Are you hearing me.
2
00:00:08.920 --> 00:00:09.750
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I am.
3
00:00:11.900 --> 00:00:14.890
Jack Hubbard: All right. So let's get started here.
4
00:00:15.290 --> 00:00:34.430
Jack Hubbard: So I wish that people could see what happens before we record. We've been talking for 15Â min, and I don't get to catch up with my good friend Eric Cook very often. But I'll tell you what I you know. I view several people
5
00:00:34.740 --> 00:00:46.170
Jack Hubbard: as very, very, very good industry friends, and Eric Cook is one of those very few that I would count as a tremendous friend. I think he is.
6
00:00:46.170 --> 00:00:49.509
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I think I'm too old to do this, but I'm gonna give you one of those. How's that.
7
00:00:51.120 --> 00:00:59.309
Jack Hubbard: He's a guru. He is dynamic. He's amazing. And he's my guest today. Hi, Eric!
8
00:00:59.310 --> 00:01:02.870
Jack Hubbard: Hello, Jack, thank you for that. And those kind words, yeah.
9
00:01:02.870 --> 00:01:07.010
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: With you, you'd be getting a big old man hug from me. I tell you that right now.
10
00:01:07.210 --> 00:01:18.370
Jack Hubbard: Well, I miss that. I Miss Gsb, I miss the man hugs. I miss the Spotted Cow and Hershberger and all those guys, but at least I get to see you get to see you virtually so.
11
00:01:18.370 --> 00:01:19.070
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Absolutely.
12
00:01:19.070 --> 00:01:24.499
Jack Hubbard: Let's talk. Let's let's start talking about because what I want to discuss with you today are
13
00:01:24.620 --> 00:01:29.830
Jack Hubbard: websites and digital marketing and and and trinkets and treasures, and and.
14
00:01:29.830 --> 00:01:33.219
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: My world. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
15
00:01:33.710 --> 00:01:39.170
Jack Hubbard: Let's start talking about Wsi. Tell people what you do, who you help, etc.
16
00:01:39.330 --> 00:01:47.268
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Absolutely so after a fun and very fulfilling 15 year career as a community banker.
17
00:01:48.080 --> 00:01:54.209
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: 13 of those alongside my father, which was great 33 years as a community banker himself.
18
00:01:55.610 --> 00:01:57.499
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I decided to
19
00:01:57.700 --> 00:02:15.219
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: not be the CEO of a publicly traded bank and found Wsi through an email marketing campaign that came to me. I clicked on an ad. And next thing you know, I'm buying a national franchise license with the world's largest digital agency network.
20
00:02:15.370 --> 00:02:20.550
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And you know, I built my 1st bank website back in 1995,
21
00:02:20.870 --> 00:02:30.499
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and has always intrigued me about digital and ways to connect with the rest of the world electronically.
22
00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:40.780
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And so kind of knew that that's what I wanted to do. But when I learned about Wsi and explored that as an option. I just saw that that would be a good fit in the franchise model
23
00:02:41.340 --> 00:03:03.824
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: seem to be a good way of getting into it without having to kind of hang my own shingle and do my own thing from scratch and give this entrepreneur thing a try. My wife's always said that I was the best salesperson that she's ever met, and that's saying a lot coming from her because she was amazing in her day as a salesperson
24
00:03:04.470 --> 00:03:09.600
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So we decided to roll the dice and give it a shot. And here we are 18 years later
25
00:03:09.740 --> 00:03:20.809
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and predominantly serving community banks with all things, digital websites, online advertising sort of search engine optimization
26
00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:29.160
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: which is now being referred to as search experience optimization because it's not even really a search engine anymore with AI
27
00:03:29.290 --> 00:03:33.670
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and other ways that you can find people through social media, etc.
28
00:03:34.930 --> 00:03:38.749
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But yeah, just leaning into it, loving the speaking and teaching and
29
00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:48.310
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: educating bankers whenever I get an opportunity to help them stay alive in this crazy, competitive, digital, amplified world.
30
00:03:49.810 --> 00:03:57.879
Jack Hubbard: You know, and it and it's so interesting. I've I've been in many speeches with Eric, and and just as an observer, and you watch as he starts.
31
00:03:57.990 --> 00:04:06.559
Jack Hubbard: and the energy in the room just changes palpably. It's just it's just phenomenal. I've never asked this question, but I got to ask.
32
00:04:06.740 --> 00:04:07.130
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So you.
33
00:04:07.130 --> 00:04:21.330
Jack Hubbard: You have a franchise from Wsi. Let's say I'm a i'm a community bank, and I hire you to help me. What kind of resources are you getting from the mothership that might help you? Help your clients.
34
00:04:21.339 --> 00:04:47.249
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah, absolutely. And I get that a lot. And so you know, one of the 1st things is a lot of times, because typically businesses, especially community banks in the Us. Have a hard time doing business with companies that are domiciled outside of the Us. So it's important to note that we formed a Michigan based Llc. Called cook technology solutions that bought
35
00:04:47.479 --> 00:05:04.219
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: the franchise license from Wsi. So you would 1st be entering into an agreement with cook technology solutions. But we're doing business as Wsi as a franchisee, we're independently owned and operated entity of the Wsi global organization.
36
00:05:04.767 --> 00:05:11.979
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But Wsi is an ecosystem with hundreds of consultants and countries around the world. And because of our size and scope and
37
00:05:12.279 --> 00:05:19.209
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: basically leverage, we bring to bear a number of technologies that we have partnered with
38
00:05:19.459 --> 00:05:29.229
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: that traditional agencies just simply wouldn't be able to, or if they, partner wouldn't necessarily be able to negotiate the same deals or cost structure or benefits that we have.
39
00:05:29.469 --> 00:05:46.929
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And so we have companies like Hubspot and Sharp spring and semrush. We're a Google partner, a Microsoft partner. So all of the the typical flags that you would expect from a digital agency. The mothership in Toronto
40
00:05:47.039 --> 00:05:51.989
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: is very much involved in a lot of that, but
41
00:05:52.049 --> 00:06:20.359
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: it also gives us access to other providers and technology production teams within the network that have gone through the vetting process. So for the first, st probably 8 or 10 years. I really didn't have much of any of a back office. And to this day we still really don't, because we leverage the network and be able to access technology and services and tools and capacity when we need it. And that really allows for us to maintain a pretty lean operating
42
00:06:21.031 --> 00:06:24.389
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: environment where I don't have
43
00:06:24.669 --> 00:06:34.719
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: for SEO consultant slash employees on payroll that need to have SEO rolling in in order for me to put food on the table for them.
44
00:06:34.949 --> 00:06:55.149
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: We bring in the SEO experts when we have an SEO project, and if we don't have a lot of SEO projects, then they have other work to do in the network. And so it just really allows for our ecosystem to be probably one of the most flexible business models that that I've ever experienced, certainly, but been a part of so
45
00:06:55.359 --> 00:07:12.849
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: it it gives us. Really, you know, the best of both worlds is kind of cliche, but in this case I think it really is, because on the other side of the fence, while we have access to learning and networking and support of other consultants like myself from around the world.
46
00:07:13.179 --> 00:07:31.329
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I'm not told by corporate what I have to do. I'm not told that I have to build a website for these types of businesses. It's not like I bought a Mcdonald's franchise, and my double Cheeseburger has got to look just like Jack's double Cheeseburger. If I want to do tacos with lobster and champagne on the side.
47
00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:58.939
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I can do that, and and that doesn't restrict me from still being part of the Wsi ecosystem. So that's allowed for me to expand into the banking industry which I know, and I'm very passionate about, because I lived it for so much of my life and just embrace and lean into all the amazing things that community banks do and try to help them do more of that. And to be relevant like I said, in this, in this digital age.
48
00:07:59.580 --> 00:08:09.849
Jack Hubbard: Well given. What you just said. What I'm about to ask you about is even more amazing. You've got thousands of of consultants around the world for Wsi and.
49
00:08:09.850 --> 00:08:10.230
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yes.
50
00:08:10.230 --> 00:08:13.950
Jack Hubbard: Basically, you won a pretty massive award
51
00:08:14.180 --> 00:08:20.819
Jack Hubbard: for your efforts and your work with clients. Talk about that award. It's it was pretty cool, too, I'm sure.
52
00:08:20.820 --> 00:08:28.640
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah. So there's there's actually, I'm a little embarrassed. There's actually 2 awards. So
53
00:08:29.010 --> 00:08:47.700
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I was fortunate to get Wsi's agency of the year award last year at our global convention in Cancun, which is voted on by corporate in the year prior, I was blessed with the brand ambassador, because I always fly the Wsi flag any opportunity I get.
54
00:08:47.810 --> 00:08:56.229
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And so getting those 2 awards back to back was my wife even joked like I've not ever heard you speechless on stage before, because I
55
00:08:56.570 --> 00:09:00.399
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I wasn't expecting that. But I got agency of the year for Wsi.
56
00:09:00.630 --> 00:09:22.369
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And then the one that most recently happened was Wsi, in its 30 years of operations, has never submitted one of its franchisees to the Ifa, which is the International Franchise Association, which is the governing organization of all franchises throughout the world. I think it's the International Franchise Association.
57
00:09:22.580 --> 00:09:39.990
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and so they submitted my name as an Ifa franchisee of the year award for 2024, and and I was selected for that. So my wife and I flew out to Las Vegas to the Ifa Convention and attended the awards ceremony.
58
00:09:39.990 --> 00:09:53.419
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I was in between events, so I flew from Nebraska to Wisconsin, out to Vegas, got an award, took the red eye to Kansas, and so my wife and I were together for like a day and a half. But it was really a pretty special thing.
59
00:09:53.420 --> 00:10:16.520
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and was sitting at the table and heard people from Domino's pizza and hungry Howie's and these franchises that you just take for granted that, you know. And the heads of these organizations are there. It was really pretty cool. And to think that when I was originally exploring Wsi and I heard that it was a franchise.
60
00:10:16.680 --> 00:10:24.239
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and I was like, I don't want to be a franchise. I don't want to make burgers that's ridiculous. And and here I am. 18 years later, getting
61
00:10:24.550 --> 00:10:26.660
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: one of, if not the highest
62
00:10:26.940 --> 00:10:32.060
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: award in the franchise industry. It was really kind of a a.
63
00:10:32.200 --> 00:10:46.840
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: a turn of the tables, and I told that story to a couple of the franchisees that I met out there that were also award recipients. And they just thought it was freaking hilarious because a lot of these people own multiple franchises and do very, very well. It's an amazing business model.
64
00:10:47.304 --> 00:10:51.199
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So yeah, it was pretty cool. So thank you for asking.
65
00:10:51.510 --> 00:11:01.140
Jack Hubbard: Little things like that, the decision that you and your wife made to pull that trigger, the decision that I made to go to Florida to meet Bob St. Meyer.
66
00:11:01.140 --> 00:11:01.480
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah.
67
00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:12.160
Jack Hubbard: You know those little things, the the decision to follow Bryn Tillman. Little things in your life that you look back on and go jeez, you know I've I've done some pretty stupid things in my life, but that was
68
00:11:14.093 --> 00:11:22.896
Jack Hubbard: well, you're out, you you mentioned all the flights that you take, and you're you're you should have a T-shirt. Where in the world is Eric cook? But
69
00:11:23.190 --> 00:11:27.119
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Clients just ask that when they call me on my cell phone, they're like, so where are you today?
70
00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:29.140
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So yeah.
71
00:11:29.150 --> 00:11:39.569
Jack Hubbard: But you do get out and you talk to bankers and you work with bankers. Let's talk about the state of marketing in community banking in 2025. What's going on.
72
00:11:39.740 --> 00:11:48.829
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah, you know, data data data that is driving so much.
73
00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:53.870
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But it's also such a big challenge for marketers. I mean, if you look at
74
00:11:54.060 --> 00:12:08.470
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: anything that's happening in the world of AI or analytics or personalization. If you don't have data to run that engine, you're dead in the water. And the challenge that we see with a lot of these community banks that we work with
75
00:12:08.590 --> 00:12:23.440
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: is their data is locked up. They don't have access to it. And so we spend a lot of time talking about ways that you can get creative, get access to what you can at least get access to and understand it, and then make the case
76
00:12:23.580 --> 00:12:33.769
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: because I can kick and scream all day long. But I'm not the one that's paying the bills to the core providers and the service organizations to get that data included. But
77
00:12:34.300 --> 00:12:47.688
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: give them the things that they need to be asking for and looking for in order to unlock some of that data so they can do better campaigns, better measurement, understanding conversions, those sorts of things.
78
00:12:48.060 --> 00:13:04.469
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: you know, we've got access to some pretty cool technology when we run digital ad campaigns because everything's containerized. You know, you know where the ads going. You know how much you're spending. You know what demographic market you're going after. You know what keyword you know, what landing page you know, what buttons on the page.
79
00:13:04.740 --> 00:13:23.870
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But then they disappear when they click on the bank, on the button to go in the application, because this 3rd party provider I'm not going to name names, but pick an online mortgage application platform or an online deposit application. Most of them don't allow for you to be able to track that activity.
80
00:13:24.020 --> 00:13:35.907
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So the data disappears. So we track it as far as we can, and then be satisfied with that, and make sure senior management understands. That's as good as we can do when they expect more from us.
81
00:13:36.550 --> 00:13:54.739
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But then, some of the other things we're talking about, you know, storytelling content creation, because that's becoming increasingly more important in the age of AI and generative and answer engine optimization and search experience. Optimization is, what are you producing? That
82
00:13:54.910 --> 00:14:18.760
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: can be something that you can't get chat Gpt, to answer for you, you know. Is it a video? Is it a testimonial? Is it a comparison? Is it a online calculator to be able to play with some numbers. Those are the things that we're trying to get bank marketers to think about leaning into what sorts of tools they need to have access to in order to be able to do that. And then, of course, every bank marketers
83
00:14:19.260 --> 00:14:28.130
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: playing with AI, even if their bank policy says they're not, I'm getting flashbacks every day when I talk to bank marketers about.
84
00:14:28.670 --> 00:14:34.100
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: you know, do do you allow Facebook in the bank? No, we don't allow Facebook. Our employees don't use it.
85
00:14:34.250 --> 00:14:43.389
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and they go in the bathroom and they get on their phone. And they use the Facebook app. And that was in 2,008, 2,009, 2010.
86
00:14:43.500 --> 00:14:55.479
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But nobody was using Facebook back then because it was productivity, reputation, security, risk. And now the same mentality as well. We don't allow AI. We don't allow Chat Gpt.
87
00:14:55.620 --> 00:15:09.690
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: but every bank marketer that I know, and I'm not going to name any names to get anybody in trouble, but they answer the question like this, make sure nobody's looking, and then they're like, I use it all the time I use it on my phone. I use it at home. And then I email myself information.
88
00:15:09.940 --> 00:15:10.760
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But
89
00:15:11.340 --> 00:15:25.099
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and then the last thing that I'll say about this, and then we can continue the last 3 events. When I was on that Ifa roadshow I had a marketing group. I had a technology group and I had a Senior management Executive Conference group.
90
00:15:25.300 --> 00:15:30.980
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and I asked the question, how many of you have been provided a copy of your bank's AI policy.
91
00:15:31.230 --> 00:15:37.439
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and have received any training from your bank on how to use artificial intelligence to make your job better.
92
00:15:37.880 --> 00:15:40.749
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and no hands went up at the marketing group.
93
00:15:41.290 --> 00:15:44.579
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: No hands went up on the Technology and the Operations group.
94
00:15:44.850 --> 00:15:50.770
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and I saw 3 or 4 hands at the Executive Conference, and
95
00:15:51.020 --> 00:16:06.080
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: not to say that those weren't Ceos flexing in front of their friends. But I did run a panel discussion with 4 really amazing bankers that I know are doing this. So it wouldn't surprise me that those were bankers from the banks that were on stage.
96
00:16:06.330 --> 00:16:16.339
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But there is a lack of training. There is a lack of policy. There is a lack of education. And this is a technology. It's much like
97
00:16:16.550 --> 00:16:34.369
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: digging in your heels and saying we're never gonna allow a cell phone. I'm never gonna let anybody use an email because you could get a virus. We're not going to let anybody use Linkedin, because whatever reason, and you know how that goes. Captain Linkedin, who I'm talking to right here.
98
00:16:34.740 --> 00:16:46.560
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So we have to get over the fear bankers manage risk for a living, whether it's a mortgage or the use of AI. What's the risk?
99
00:16:46.770 --> 00:16:51.499
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: What's the likelihood of that risk. And how do we mitigate it? If something goes sideways?
100
00:16:52.030 --> 00:16:58.800
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Put whatever product or service or activity you want in there, it's just one more thing, and we can't put our heads in the sand
101
00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:00.920
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and say, I don't want to deal with it.
102
00:17:01.140 --> 00:17:07.429
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: because it just continues to get better and more powerful every single day.
103
00:17:07.589 --> 00:17:08.520
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So
104
00:17:08.942 --> 00:17:16.000
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: so those are just some off the top of my head. Ideas. I'm sure there's a lot more marketers are always thinking about cool stuff.
105
00:17:16.489 --> 00:17:20.799
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But those are the big ones that typically come up a lot when I have conversations.
106
00:17:22.349 --> 00:17:33.609
Jack Hubbard: You know I taught a lot at the Aba marketing school for a long time, and then certainly the Gsb. Sales and marketing school, and one of the things you always hear from a Cmo is.
107
00:17:33.899 --> 00:17:46.069
Jack Hubbard: I want to get to the C-suite. What's it going to take for me to kind of get a big kids table. What are you seeing? Are you seeing this as more marketers are getting there? And if so, how are they doing it?
108
00:17:46.070 --> 00:17:48.380
Jack Hubbard: Yeah, what do they need to be doing.
109
00:17:48.670 --> 00:18:00.314
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So that question comes up a lot. Actually, i, 1 of the other things that I love doing is I get to run these marketing forums for State banking associations, and
110
00:18:01.390 --> 00:18:06.620
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: It came up at a forum several years ago down in Indiana. They were
111
00:18:07.180 --> 00:18:22.349
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: marketers were lamenting. You know my CEO doesn't appreciate what I do. They don't understand what I'm going. Every time I go and ask for ideas or thoughts I get, you know, shushed out of the room, and I just don't feel like I get the respect. And so we brought in someone that runs
112
00:18:22.420 --> 00:18:38.429
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: events for Bank Ceos. Bob Walters, who formerly ran the bank, CEO network, and he's got 200 Ceos he gets together. He's since retired, but I had a opportunity to speak at one of his events. And I, said, Bob, can you come in and let's chat
113
00:18:38.660 --> 00:18:40.319
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: the thing that he said
114
00:18:40.540 --> 00:18:46.820
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and I? And we talk about this probably once a year the topic comes up in these forums is
115
00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:51.839
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Ceos justfully so, are very prideful.
116
00:18:55.590 --> 00:19:11.279
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: group of individuals. They want to be seen as the leader. They want to be seen as the knowledge holder for an organization. But most of these Ceos have come up through the credit side of the bank. They understand lending really well everything to do with lending
117
00:19:11.420 --> 00:19:18.479
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: maybe technology, but certainly rarely, if ever, under the marketing side. So when a marketer
118
00:19:18.900 --> 00:19:41.780
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: rolls up, I'm a marketer, and you're the CEO, and I come into your office, and I say, you know, Mr. Hubbard, I got an idea. Let's you know, here's some options that we could go with. And I've got this digital campaign, or I've got this from an SEO perspective, or we could maybe do some Linkedin training for our employees, and I think that would work really good. You know. Which direction do you think I should go?
119
00:19:42.310 --> 00:19:44.630
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: The CEO is not going to know the answer to that.
120
00:19:45.110 --> 00:19:45.880
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But.
121
00:19:46.100 --> 00:20:07.549
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: CEO, Jack is also not going to make little Eric feel like he doesn't know. So it's just like, we don't have budget for that. We're that's that's not in our strategic plan. And so the conversations avoided. It doesn't get done. I go away disheartened. You feel like well, at least I dodged a bullet there.
122
00:20:07.690 --> 00:20:23.430
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: What needs to happen is marketers need to take it upon themselves, and there is no shortage of knowledge. I mean, just fire up a voice, conversation with Chat Gpt, and spend an afternoon on a Saturday asking it questions. And you'll get your Phd. In marketing very, very quickly.
123
00:20:23.600 --> 00:20:45.449
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: You need to approach that CEO with a here's what I'm recommending. This is why I'm recommending it. This is the expected outcome which is going to produce this amount of revenue, and if it doesn't go the way that I think it is, here's how we're going to track and determine what is and isn't working and how we're going to adjust over time. And we're going to do this for 3 months. We're going to come back. And these are the reports I'm going to have access to, and I'm going to give you, step by step.
124
00:20:45.850 --> 00:20:52.069
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: if if we can do all of this, and you're getting results. And you know, here's the here's the plan.
125
00:20:52.220 --> 00:21:15.439
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So now you might not know everything that I just said. But you can appreciate the fact that I have a business plan. There's reasons I've got checks and balances in place. Now, you're not necessarily approving a marketing process because you're not a marketer as a CEO, but you're approving a business plan that your marketing director has provided you, which is a completely different decision.
126
00:21:15.670 --> 00:21:24.929
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And when you take that confidence in yourself as a marketer to be able to put yourself in the. I know what I'm talking about. This is important. Here's how we're going to do it.
127
00:21:25.660 --> 00:21:31.509
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: You likely will get a different decision. Not always. You may still be in an environment where
128
00:21:31.760 --> 00:21:53.439
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I had somebody say, you know, to a lot of executives. The marketers are the people that are in the back room sniffing glue and eating crayons. And you know, maybe that's the case. Sometimes I don't know but marketers are way more than just, you know. Order, you know, 500 yeti tumblers with our logo on it, and do the Christmas parade float.
129
00:21:53.980 --> 00:21:57.320
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: being able to do that. So if you're a marketer listening to this.
130
00:21:57.630 --> 00:22:08.060
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: you want to get the respect from senior management. You want to be at the C-suite, just show up and give them the information that they expect, don't ask the questions. And if you don't know.
131
00:22:08.270 --> 00:22:34.809
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: pay attention to people like Jack, listen to podcasts. You know plug in. Ask questions. Heck! Call me. I'm happy to chat with you and and just get information to help you put that together so that they'll say that does make a lot of sense. Yeah, let's do that, and you're gently educating them. But there's a plan behind it as to how you're going to prove if it does or it doesn't work. And I think that's going to be a much more successful way
132
00:22:34.970 --> 00:22:39.810
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: of getting the recognition and the respect that you so desperately.
133
00:22:39.960 --> 00:22:42.749
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I think, deserve as a marketing professional.
134
00:22:43.260 --> 00:22:43.980
Jack Hubbard: Absolutely.
135
00:22:43.980 --> 00:22:44.330
Jack Hubbard: Yeah.
136
00:22:44.330 --> 00:23:03.609
Jack Hubbard: Yeah. So you mentioned chat? Gpt, so it's Thanksgiving of 2023. And and it's a couple of days afterwards. And I get this Saturday message from my friend Eric, and and you know it's it's good to know people in high places like Eric, he says. Hey, have you heard this thing? And I know.
137
00:23:04.490 --> 00:23:11.380
Jack Hubbard: And you know it's it's changed so much. So what's happening now
138
00:23:11.490 --> 00:23:17.460
Jack Hubbard: with Chat Gpt, I mean, we know about 2 point. Oh, it's 20 bucks a month.
139
00:23:17.460 --> 00:23:23.080
Jack Hubbard: Yeah, about, Dolly, where you can create some graphics. But you're in different yeah
140
00:23:23.080 --> 00:23:26.610
Jack Hubbard: than most of us are. And your brain's in different areas. So what's.
141
00:23:26.610 --> 00:23:27.220
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah.
142
00:23:27.220 --> 00:23:28.059
Jack Hubbard: Come on! What are you?
143
00:23:28.060 --> 00:23:28.460
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah.
144
00:23:28.862 --> 00:23:30.069
Jack Hubbard: With chat gpt.
145
00:23:30.070 --> 00:23:35.289
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So there's a few things in Chat Gpt, that I'm playing with. The the first, st I think
146
00:23:36.040 --> 00:23:45.590
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: foundational shift that's happening across all the ais, is this thing called deep research or deep analysis, whatever you want to call it?
147
00:23:45.710 --> 00:23:48.750
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: You used to be able to ask it
148
00:23:48.780 --> 00:24:18.000
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: to do this as part of your prompt. You know you could prompt and say, Take time, think about what I'm asking you question whether what you're responding to is correct, and then. So you could do that. But now what's happening is with these deep search, deep research functions. You go in and you ask it a question, and it might take 2 or 3Â min, this chain of thought reasoning where it's going through. And it's questioning to reduce the likelihood of what's called hallucinations.
149
00:24:18.210 --> 00:24:32.089
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So it's just not making stuff up. It's double, checking, triple, checking, quadruple, checking its work to make sure what it's producing for you. But from a research perspective it is absolutely mind blowing. If you've not played with it.
150
00:24:32.340 --> 00:24:54.899
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: ask it a question to do some research, and then just sit back and watch what happens, what resources it looks at and how it crawls through doesn't mean that it's infallible. It'll still come up with things that you have to check, always, always always human in the loop before you produce anything to the public. If if an AI has provided it for you.
151
00:24:55.090 --> 00:25:13.470
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: but that deep research and getting to the point where eventually, you know, if you go into open AI and Chatgpt, and you click the dropdown you got like 6 different models you got, 0 1 0, 1 mini, 4, 4 with tasks, 4. With deep research, 4 with canvas.
152
00:25:13.710 --> 00:25:19.279
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Eventually, the the technology is, gonna be smart enough where you're just gonna go to it and say.
153
00:25:19.380 --> 00:25:20.800
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: if it's research.
154
00:25:20.900 --> 00:25:34.049
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: then it's going to do research. If you want to do creativity, it's going to do this. If you want to do some writing, it's going to do so it's going to get easier. So you don't have to pick what model. So I think that's going to be another trend.
155
00:25:35.740 --> 00:25:38.780
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: A lot of people are talking about this concept of
156
00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:45.070
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: agentic, you know, an agent based AI environment, and they rolled out their
157
00:25:45.270 --> 00:26:11.479
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: their operator, which is essentially you give it a task, and then you step back and Openai opens up a browser. It browses to where you want to go. It finds and searches. It brings you back information similar to what that little goofy rabbit device is that we talked about a couple of years ago that I bought the large action model. But it's essentially giving technology the ability to do tasks for you.
158
00:26:11.640 --> 00:26:19.439
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: one of the things that they rolled out for the for the plus and pro account. So $20 or the $200 a month account
159
00:26:19.520 --> 00:26:30.710
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: is is Gpt. With tasks, and this gives you a glimpse into it, doing something for you on an automated basis. And whenever I'm testing and playing with new things.
160
00:26:30.790 --> 00:26:56.910
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I like to do something that's non-banking related so that I can give it to a banker, and they don't feel like oh, compliance would never let me do this, so, as you can see from my mug. Here one of my bands of preference happens to start with the letter M and finish with Italica. And so what I've done in Gpt tasks is, I went in, and I said, gave it a prompt and said.
161
00:26:57.060 --> 00:26:59.229
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: every day at 7 Am.
162
00:26:59.450 --> 00:27:02.370
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I want you to find a random Metallica lyric.
163
00:27:02.590 --> 00:27:08.079
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I want you to give me the name of the song, the album, and the year the album was released.
164
00:27:08.490 --> 00:27:13.730
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and I want you to take that lyric and give me some sort of a motivational business quote
165
00:27:14.010 --> 00:27:17.029
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: that will get me fired up to take on the day.
166
00:27:17.530 --> 00:27:23.660
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and I would like you to also develop an on-brand, heavy metal, themed image
167
00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:26.420
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: that comes along with my quote.
168
00:27:26.540 --> 00:27:29.699
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: so that I can get a visual of what this quote means to me.
169
00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:43.119
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And so every morning at 7 Am. I get an email from Chat Gpt, and it says, Here's your motivational Metallica quote, and I click on it. And I get a quote from master of puppets, or Ride the lightning, or
170
00:27:43.240 --> 00:28:12.050
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: you know, whatever album it is, and if it's a really good one, I'll screenshot it, and I'll send it to my brother because he's also a big metallica fan, or I've got customers that I know, and I'll just send it. And they all think that. That's just the coolest thing my brother's like is that an app I can download? Where do I get that? You know he's not paying $20 a month. So I'm his motivational Metallica, you know, dealer, sending him little quotes every every morning.
171
00:28:12.060 --> 00:28:16.380
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But that gets you into the mindset of playing with something.
172
00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:28.239
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So now, if I can get it to do research, come up with an idea, be creative and create something for me, like a quote, to interpret how to motivate me and an image.
173
00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:36.509
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: What are some of the things that I do as a banker on a regular basis, that might not necessarily involve personally identifiable information.
174
00:28:36.660 --> 00:28:49.889
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But are things that I want to do. Visit this website and pull information back. Go here and do this research. You know just what are the repetitive things that we're doing on a daily basis. And if you're not sure.
175
00:28:50.210 --> 00:29:01.029
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: go old fashioned and get a yellow pad, stick it next to your computer and write down what you're doing. And after a week or 2 look at that and go. Damn, I do that a lot.
176
00:29:01.190 --> 00:29:04.599
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I wonder if maybe a Gpt task could do that for me.
177
00:29:04.830 --> 00:29:06.849
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And is that worth $20?
178
00:29:07.180 --> 00:29:24.369
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So you don't have to do it anymore? I mean the look on my brother's face when he gets that and sees the image of a Goth death metal dude standing on top of a volcano with a battle axe that's worth $20 to me, I mean, who wouldn't enjoy that to be able to
179
00:29:24.600 --> 00:29:38.029
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: bring that smile to your brother's face? So that's kind of the fun way of doing it where you figure out some of the new things that are happening, and then go completely away from banking to be comfortable with it.
180
00:29:38.530 --> 00:29:41.140
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Generate a random
181
00:29:41.280 --> 00:30:00.160
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: recipe. My kids like Xyz. Here's what I enjoy cooking. I don't have much time, and you know, every Monday you get a series of suggested recipes in a shopping list that you can then print off and take to the grocery store and get your groceries for the week
182
00:30:00.270 --> 00:30:00.990
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: done.
183
00:30:00.990 --> 00:30:18.979
Jack Hubbard: But I do that in the could. Could chat, Gpt, talk to me about that. In other words, if I said, set it up in a task where every morning at 7 30, it reads me the previous evenings emails and what I'm supposed to be doing today.
184
00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:46.630
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Not yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if that isn't around the corner. And there's maybe ways that you can do that with what's referred to as like low code or no code tools where you can plug in chat Gpt, and you can plug in your email and your calendar so everything can connect with each other, and you build a workflow. That certainly is something that could be built native through Chat Gpt. Not quite yet.
185
00:30:47.230 --> 00:30:52.589
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: but that's the really fun part about all of this in the world. That we live in.
186
00:30:53.060 --> 00:30:56.170
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: The capability of what is possible
187
00:30:56.430 --> 00:31:00.350
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: is only limited by, but by what your brain can come up with.
188
00:31:00.810 --> 00:31:14.310
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: because I bet if I spent 5Â min talking to Chat Gpt about what you just asked me, I could have that built, I mean, I don't think there's a whole lot right now that you could ask. That couldn't be built
189
00:31:14.870 --> 00:31:19.270
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: really inexpensively and with not a tremendous amount of time.
190
00:31:19.380 --> 00:31:30.040
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But that mindset of having unlimited, potential and completely rethinking business processes and workflows is something that our brains have not
191
00:31:30.350 --> 00:31:33.430
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: been used to. We're not as flexible
192
00:31:33.700 --> 00:31:47.000
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: to think that way. And that's been one of the biggest challenges when talking with Banks is, you know, we get questions like, what's the best language model that we should be using. And that's not the. And that's not the question you need. The answer to
193
00:31:47.140 --> 00:31:54.329
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: the question that you should be asking is, what are the things that we're doing today that we could automate? What are the things that are causing us pain?
194
00:31:54.540 --> 00:32:00.420
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I like to say, Jack, if you could wake up in the morning and not do one thing ever again.
195
00:32:01.020 --> 00:32:02.719
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: what would that one thing be?
196
00:32:03.270 --> 00:32:12.369
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And I don't know if anything pops into your head. But most of the time, when I ask bankers, I get a question like just one thing. Seriously, I work in a bank. Do you have any idea how much
197
00:32:13.190 --> 00:32:22.280
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: crap jobs I have to do because of a regulation or a process or a policy. And that's the starting point of rethinking
198
00:32:22.440 --> 00:32:31.499
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: the way that you do things, and how you can leverage this, not just from a marketing perspective, but from a big picture operational perspective.
199
00:32:31.886 --> 00:32:35.080
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Getting a little fired up about this, so I have to call.
200
00:32:35.080 --> 00:32:42.859
Jack Hubbard: But but okay, so we've talked about all the positives. Yeah, here you are. You're you're a small business owner.
201
00:32:42.860 --> 00:32:43.200
Jack Hubbard: Yeah.
202
00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:53.259
Jack Hubbard: And and there are a lot of companies out there like you like us that do whatever we do. How concerned are you
203
00:32:53.600 --> 00:33:14.540
Jack Hubbard: that Chat? Gpt and and the others could come in and say, Well, you know, the bank could say, Well, why do I need Eric to develop my website? He does a fabulous job. He's world class at what he does. And, by the way, I know that because he's helped me, and if you need help with websites, you should be talking to Eric, but, on the other hand.
204
00:33:14.540 --> 00:33:15.609
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: 20 bucks, 20 bucks.
205
00:33:15.610 --> 00:33:22.680
Jack Hubbard: Well, when is it gonna come to the point when I don't need you anymore?
206
00:33:22.910 --> 00:33:26.269
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah, I. And I think about that a lot. I mean
207
00:33:28.240 --> 00:33:49.009
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Sam Altman from Openai came out last year. I think it was. I want to say in April, about a year ago, as of the recording, pretty close to the recording date of this came out, and he said, 95% of what companies hire marketing agencies and consultants for can likely be done at no or very low cost
208
00:33:49.320 --> 00:33:57.139
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: at a scale and pace. And I'm paraphrasing here. But basically 95% of what you rely on a marketing firm for today
209
00:33:57.300 --> 00:34:02.280
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: can be done by an AI agent, probably within the next 3 to 5 years.
210
00:34:03.000 --> 00:34:06.319
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And the the key thing that I read into that
211
00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:09.679
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and where I have hope and where I'm focusing
212
00:34:09.929 --> 00:34:14.809
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: is if I'm doing the same thing I'm doing today. In 3 to 5 years
213
00:34:15.120 --> 00:34:19.570
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: you should replace me with AI, because I'm no longer providing value
214
00:34:19.730 --> 00:34:27.210
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: what we need to think about. And it's the same thing for Banks. It's the same thing for trainers, consultants, marketers, whatever
215
00:34:27.449 --> 00:34:38.709
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: we need to evolve, just like the technology is evolving. I'm going to have to be able to deliver a way, better product and solution at a way faster pace, with more value of being involved.
216
00:34:38.940 --> 00:34:51.100
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And I think the fact that, you know I don't have 50 years of experience, but I've got over 30 years of experience of banking and digital strategy to be able to take an output that comes from technology
217
00:34:51.210 --> 00:34:57.659
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and to look at that. And while the client, the bank, whoever may be able to produce that.
218
00:34:57.880 --> 00:35:16.210
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: how do you look at it, analyze it critically. Think about what it means to the humans that are going to be reading it. How does that get measured and tracked and analyzed. What are the questions that people? Just simply, there's always going to be things that we don't know that we don't know.
219
00:35:16.740 --> 00:35:27.380
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And it's my job to figure out where that is and where I can insert myself to help educate them and say, these are the questions that you're not asking, because you don't even know to ask the questions.
220
00:35:27.620 --> 00:35:46.699
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and there's always going to be new layers of that. And so if you can stay on top of that and continue to uncover the things that nobody understands. That's where relevancy is still going to be. So the marketers that are performing the way that they are today in 5 years. Yeah, I can totally gpt that. And you're gone.
221
00:35:46.990 --> 00:35:56.350
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But it's who's who's who's doing everything else, and it's harder, and it's more difficult. And there's likely not going to be as many of us
222
00:35:56.460 --> 00:36:04.170
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: doing that, because some are going to say, this is too hard. I'm going to do something else, or I'm not going to learn, or I'm not going to adapt.
223
00:36:04.570 --> 00:36:26.450
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: but the ones that decide to lean into it and to embrace it, and to Wsi's credit, I mean, we've got a Chief AI officer. We've got 3 or 4 other people in the department that are helping to make sure that all of our consultants around the world are learning and adapting and evolving. I mean, every Monday we meet for an hour
224
00:36:26.660 --> 00:36:41.839
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: on a webinar that brings everybody together, and we're hearing about all the new things that have been released in the last week. It's like our own private podcast and I can't imagine being in an organization that's not doing that because I would just feel
225
00:36:41.970 --> 00:36:47.110
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: well. I don't know what I would feel, because I probably wouldn't know what I'm missing, but now that I'm there
226
00:36:47.330 --> 00:36:51.279
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: to know that, and to be able to then go into an organization and see.
227
00:36:51.630 --> 00:37:00.389
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: You know you're asking what language model you should be using. That is like in 2,009 saying, You know, what social network platform should we be on?
228
00:37:00.610 --> 00:37:04.950
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Are you going after business consumers, millennials, college students.
229
00:37:05.060 --> 00:37:12.120
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: doctors, lawyers, I mean. Who are you going after? Before I can answer that question, you got to answer a lot more questions for me.
230
00:37:12.460 --> 00:37:19.469
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: because it might be Snapchat or Tiktok, or Linkedin, I don't know.
231
00:37:19.800 --> 00:37:26.310
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So yeah, but really good question. I think about that a lot. I think about that all the time.
232
00:37:27.110 --> 00:37:34.310
Jack Hubbard: And and and most of us don't have that. That that support, that 1Â h, webinar, every day.
233
00:37:34.852 --> 00:37:44.439
Jack Hubbard: And and so I always come to you. You are Mr. Cool tool, and you know all the new things, and I don't know how you ever sleep.
234
00:37:44.570 --> 00:37:57.029
Jack Hubbard: because you're always introducing new things. By the way, every Monday Eric does something really neat. He rides his bike and does a does a little ditty on on Linkedin, and you should see it. It's pretty cool. You got to follow.
235
00:37:57.030 --> 00:38:10.700
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Well, not every Monday. Don't ride my bike. But we did start getting into this Mondays with Eric, and we were just doing them on our Instagram for the linked banker to try to just build some interest and decided, you know what?
236
00:38:10.820 --> 00:38:30.580
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Give me those Ellie creates those for us, our marketing director. She's awesome. And I said, just load them up on Google Drive. So I can get access. And then I'm just going to post them out on Linkedin, and so I had a break of nice weather, and I fired up my 360 camera and went out and did a little behind the bars. Little rant. So it was kind of fun.
237
00:38:30.740 --> 00:38:32.190
Jack Hubbard: It's. It's very cool.
238
00:38:32.190 --> 00:38:32.540
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah.
239
00:38:32.540 --> 00:38:37.000
Jack Hubbard: What is new? What? What are some things that bankers could actually use, that?
240
00:38:37.000 --> 00:38:40.009
Jack Hubbard: Yeah, using that could make them more effective and efficient.
241
00:38:40.010 --> 00:38:41.389
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah. So
242
00:38:43.730 --> 00:38:58.079
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: most every bank that we talk to wants to use and identifies. Again, you're looking at the pain points. What are the things that take you a lot of time, and Banks do a lot of meetings. And so if you can figure out a way where you can
243
00:38:58.330 --> 00:39:25.390
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: collect that information and generate notes and insights that does a couple of things for you, and and one it allows for you to stay in the moment. So we've got some note takers running in the background. You even give me the the business, little razzin before, like how many note takers do you show up with. You know I've got kind of a an entourage of note takers that I'm testing out all the time, but having a note taker behind the scenes allows for me as a meeting participant
244
00:39:25.480 --> 00:39:30.439
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: to be totally focused on you, Jack. I don't have to worry about. If you say something really cool.
245
00:39:30.760 --> 00:39:49.940
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and then you're going to say something else really cool. I don't miss that next really cool thing, because I'm writing down the 1st really cool thing, and the second one might be even cooler than what the 1st one was, but I miss it because I'm typing notes. I'm writing stuff down. So I am. In the moment I am talking to you, and from a customer's perspective.
246
00:39:50.420 --> 00:39:54.800
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: giving them your attention is about the best thing that you can do.
247
00:39:54.910 --> 00:39:58.580
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and and if something does come up, there's always that.
248
00:39:58.690 --> 00:40:07.829
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Can you hold that thought just for a minute? I I really want to write that down, and maybe every once in a while. I'll do that even when a notetaker is running, because I really want to make sure I catch that.
249
00:40:08.120 --> 00:40:12.669
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But a note taker, in my opinion is is almost table stakes. And
250
00:40:12.800 --> 00:40:24.329
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: what I've also started doing is I've got this little device that hangs out on the back of my phone. It's just a magnetic case. It's called applaud. Note, PLAU. D.
251
00:40:24.340 --> 00:40:48.760
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And it is about the size of a credit card. I take it with me everywhere I go, because it's in the back of my phone. I'm trying to pull it out of its pocket right now, and it's just not cooperating with me. But what I do with this is, if I'm ever in person like if I'm presenting at a conference, or I'm doing one of these marketing forums, for example, I let everybody know that. Hey, I'm going to take notes with my plaud. You guys cool. Everybody's like, yeah.
252
00:40:48.870 --> 00:41:08.620
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But I take this tiny little credit card size device, and I press a button, and it records the audio of the conversation. So I'm no longer taking notes at these day long marketing forums. I'm recording everything with this device. And then when I'm done before I get in the car and go to my next event.
253
00:41:08.910 --> 00:41:38.090
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I synchronize this with my phone. The plod app is enabled with Chat Gpt. It has a number of different routines and prompts associated with it, and I pick the one where it's a meeting or a conversation or a presentation, and it listens, it transcribes, and it analyzes whatever I have on this, and produces a report that then I can turn instantaneously into minutes for that meeting that I just spent 6 and a half hours participating in
254
00:41:38.310 --> 00:41:40.249
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: without having to write anything down.
255
00:41:40.450 --> 00:41:48.110
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: or to take any notes. Now I review it. Make sure that it caught everything. But because it's just taking what's on this.
256
00:41:48.220 --> 00:41:54.750
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I'm not asking it to go out and do research and make up stuff. It's only looking at what's on there.
257
00:41:54.930 --> 00:42:06.099
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So if you have the ability to try note taking apps and Microsoft teams inside of the Microsoft ecosystem is a really great note taker that you can turn on if you're a Microsoft shop.
258
00:42:06.260 --> 00:42:16.750
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and that will eliminate a lot of the risk and concern, because it's already a Pre-approved technology. But that will be a big game changer along with my plug.
259
00:42:18.160 --> 00:42:19.460
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Perplexity
260
00:42:19.650 --> 00:42:43.389
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: is a platform that I use in place of Google. It is a I don't even really want to call it a search engine. It's a way that I get research. It has this deep research option built within it as well. So it can go really, really deep and do analysis. But I pay $20 a month for that service, and that gets me access. What's referred to as a perplexity page.
261
00:42:43.690 --> 00:42:45.790
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: where, instead of me
262
00:42:46.380 --> 00:42:52.639
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: going and answering questions like, let's say, Jack, you asked me a question. I had this just just today.
263
00:42:52.840 --> 00:43:02.309
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Someone reached out and said, Hey, you know, my, my husband is part of an organization, and their website is on a platform called Squarespace, for example.
264
00:43:02.440 --> 00:43:20.950
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and not sure but they want to create a members only area. But the person that runs the website doesn't think that that has the ability, and she's like, I'm sorry, but I raised my hand because I know a web guy. So do you know anything about Squarespace. Well, I don't know anything about Squarespace. We don't use it. It's more of a
265
00:43:21.670 --> 00:43:40.319
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: it's not really a platform that I would think a bank would be on but for an organization or a nonprofit, not a problem. So I go into perplexity. And I just simply say, Hey, I'm using a platform called Squarespace. I'm interested in creating a members only area that would require somebody to log in to get access to private information. Does this?
266
00:43:40.520 --> 00:43:44.730
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Is this a supported feature, and if so, how do I turn it on? And I just sit back
267
00:43:45.010 --> 00:43:54.359
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and it does its research. And in 5Â min I've got an answer. Then I click on perplexity. Page. It turns it into an article
268
00:43:54.760 --> 00:44:05.860
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: that now says, curated by Eric Cook. I didn't write it, but I did all the research. I curated everything. So now I have an article that essentially answers the question.
269
00:44:06.000 --> 00:44:28.710
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Or I could have spent a half an hour doing Google searches and watching Youtube videos, but in about probably 10Â min, I now have a perplexity page, with a link that I could send back and say, I I curated this perplexity page for you that answers your question. It has all the information that you need on how to go about turning on a members only area. If you need anything else, let me know.
270
00:44:28.770 --> 00:44:37.689
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But in that page it has citations and links to Youtube and videos and articles and help desks. So I've answered the question
271
00:44:37.760 --> 00:44:57.000
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: in such a fast way, and the page, everybody that I've talked to that has a pro account of perplexity did not know that the pages function existed, has fallen in love with it and gone absolutely nuts. I create so many pages to learn things and to do new stuff.
272
00:44:58.390 --> 00:45:04.840
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: A couple other gadgets. I bought a pair of the Facebook ray-ban meta glasses.
273
00:45:05.110 --> 00:45:16.030
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and so when I'm out walking the dogs or playing in the water, I can just say, Hey, Meta, record a video. I can ask it what I'm looking at. I can have it translate. If I'm someplace and I don't
274
00:45:16.220 --> 00:45:23.199
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: read Spanish, it'll read it back to me. So those are pretty cool. And they look just like regular old Facebook
275
00:45:23.310 --> 00:45:33.500
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: or Facebook Meta ray-bans, ray-ban glasses. Wayfarers is the word I was trying to go for there. So those are pretty fun.
276
00:45:33.820 --> 00:45:42.500
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And then I would say, you know, 11 labs is another tool, their reader, which you can get on your phone as an app.
277
00:45:42.730 --> 00:45:45.699
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: turn any article into a podcast
278
00:45:46.389 --> 00:45:55.559
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and to be able to listen to it. Notebook Lm, I know we've talked about that before is another great tool to be able to learn, and.
279
00:45:55.870 --> 00:46:04.630
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: you know, just consume things at a faster pace, with better comprehension by listening to people talk about it. So yeah, I've
280
00:46:05.180 --> 00:46:07.760
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: how much time do we have? We got plenty of plenty more.
281
00:46:08.141 --> 00:46:13.479
Jack Hubbard: It's it's making me tired just. But I love the perplexity idea a lot.
282
00:46:13.480 --> 00:46:14.170
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah.
283
00:46:14.170 --> 00:46:29.149
Jack Hubbard: I think that's really good. I don't know that I'd ever get the meta glasses, but I might, and that's why you're such a great resource to me. Well, you've got things to do, and and your time is so valuable, and I'm glad I got a slot here today.
284
00:46:29.150 --> 00:46:35.779
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: On as long as you want. So I'm not saying that because I want to go, but I feel for your listeners because they.
285
00:46:35.780 --> 00:46:37.339
Jack Hubbard: Well, I appreciate that.
286
00:46:37.340 --> 00:46:37.870
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So.
287
00:46:38.420 --> 00:46:48.040
Jack Hubbard: Here. Here's a couple of things I'd read. I'd like to. I kind of like to end with. Yeah, 3 years ago you started a really cool.
288
00:46:48.610 --> 00:46:54.120
Jack Hubbard: I'll I don't mean this in this way. A club it is. It is club.
289
00:46:54.120 --> 00:47:04.579
Jack Hubbard: It's it's a it's it's a networking group called the Link Banker, and I'd love to have you talk about it, because I'm sure it's it's span.
290
00:47:04.580 --> 00:47:05.170
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah.
291
00:47:05.170 --> 00:47:12.760
Jack Hubbard: And then I want to talk a little bit about the Bankers Book Club before we go. But talk about the link banker and what you're doing and where you are.
292
00:47:12.760 --> 00:47:26.780
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah. So the Link Banker was a thought that came to my head when I was at social media marketing world in 2,018, I heard a gentleman by the name of Pat Flynn, out of San Diego. He did a closing session and and talked about.
293
00:47:27.160 --> 00:47:30.730
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: you know, who is it that you are really put on this earth
294
00:47:30.930 --> 00:47:39.680
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: to serve like? Who are you so passionate about? And and it was one of the 1st times I ever heard anybody say the riches are in the niches.
295
00:47:39.800 --> 00:47:55.380
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and that works really well until you go to Canada, which is where headquarters is, and they say niche. So the riches are in the niches that that doesn't work so hot, and I tease them all the time about that. But the riches are in the niches, and I had the epiphany that you know what
296
00:47:56.100 --> 00:48:02.120
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I dabbled in other industries. I always came back to banking, and I said, I'm going to double down.
297
00:48:02.900 --> 00:48:10.799
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Not that I was going to be mean about it, and I. We have some clients to this day that aren't Banks, and I haven't fired them or asked them to go elsewhere.
298
00:48:11.150 --> 00:48:23.250
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But I've been very intentional since then, because I said, banking is what I do. It's in my blood, even though I fought it and said, I don't ever want to work with my dad at the bank. I don't want to be a banker that's boring.
299
00:48:23.390 --> 00:48:50.520
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Banking is what I do. I can't fight it. It is so on the plane, on the way home I'm like, how can I better serve bankers? What are the questions that I get. When I speak I get bankers that come up and ask me questions, and and they'll say things like, you know what I never even realized what a hashtag was, or I always thought, Linkedin. I'm sure you've heard this one before. I always thought Linkedin was a resume farm. I didn't even have a foggy clue that you could be a thought leader and use it for like business generation. I thought it was just to go get a job.
300
00:48:51.060 --> 00:49:05.110
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and they would say those things, and they would come up, and that would make me feel great and inspired that I changed somebody's life, and they've got a new perspective. But then I would see them a year later, and I'm like, How's your Linkedin going? I did it for like a couple weeks, and then.
301
00:49:05.430 --> 00:49:12.589
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: you know, nobody really at the bank did it, and they'd fizzle out. And so so on the way home on the plane
302
00:49:12.680 --> 00:49:39.350
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: the linked banker popped into my head and I got on Wi-fi. I registered the domain. And I did this mind map of, I'm going to build this community for banking professionals that's going to include webinars and articles and networking opportunities and a private environment for them to come in and share and support each other. And I'm going to be accessible through this platform. So if they have a question, they can come to me and ask me, either in private or in the group, so that everybody else benefits from the answer.
303
00:49:39.620 --> 00:49:51.409
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But that was the genesis of the link bankers, essentially a way to build a community, a mentor community to help banking professionals figure out how to build their brand, serve their customers
304
00:49:51.500 --> 00:50:13.410
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and basically relate with their prospects using technology and tools. And like you said, I'm the gadget, man. I do it all the time. Might as well give me an ecosystem to play in and to share those things, and so we do monthly mastermind calls. We call them M. And M's. We do publicly available monthly happy hours that go on the second Thursday of every month
305
00:50:13.410 --> 00:50:31.470
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: at 5 pm, and we're doing those now live stream. We used to do them on audio only, which weren't recorded. And now we're doing them live stream, so you can come on and we push those to my Facebook profile and to our Youtube channel. So those are a lot of fun.
306
00:50:31.480 --> 00:50:40.980
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And it's really much like what you're doing. Jack is building a community to try to help bankers surround themselves with other bankers that
307
00:50:41.240 --> 00:50:47.250
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I know this is going to be not suitable for work. So plug your ears. But other bankers that give a shit that just
308
00:50:47.360 --> 00:50:51.419
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: want to do better. And if they can't get it from their organization.
309
00:50:51.620 --> 00:50:56.329
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: building an environment where they can get it from their peers and have someone that's
310
00:50:56.580 --> 00:51:07.690
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Gung ho! Super in love with what the whole concept is to be there to support them and do what I can to help them to help them accomplish that. So
311
00:51:09.130 --> 00:51:09.770
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: It's
312
00:51:10.640 --> 00:51:21.229
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: it's it's it's hard to get people to come into another community. I know it's hard to just get them to go to Linkedin, let alone another community like the linked banker.
313
00:51:21.390 --> 00:51:36.531
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: So I think there's a lot of work for us to do to still continue to provide value, to make sure people are coming in. But we've had great guests. You've been a guest on our mastermind, and and so greatly appreciate you sharing your knowledge with our community.
314
00:51:36.890 --> 00:52:06.479
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: so just continuing to figure out ways that I can add value and and listen to the community of what they want to adapt and to grow that over time, because I do want that to continue and to be a viable alternative for bankers that really want to understand. You know how they can take control and be a thought leader. And you know, do some of these things, not because you want to get a new job, but because you want to be a better banker to your customers and your community. And that's I mean, that's really what it's all about.
315
00:52:06.700 --> 00:52:17.569
Jack Hubbard: Yeah, it's exciting. And and it's grown, and it's marvelous. And it's wonderful. And you should go to the happy hour if you go to the happy hour. You'll join the Link banker.
316
00:52:17.570 --> 00:52:17.990
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah.
317
00:52:17.990 --> 00:52:25.529
Jack Hubbard: It's a great membership program. Something that's free and fun for us is there's Book Club.
318
00:52:25.530 --> 00:52:37.459
Jack Hubbard: Yes, we're recording one on Thursday afternoon, and we're gonna talk about Charles Green's trust-based selling talk about the Bankers book club a little bit.
319
00:52:37.640 --> 00:52:42.350
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Yeah, so I am not a very
320
00:52:42.920 --> 00:52:48.519
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: consistent reader, and that was one of the things that I started off at the beginning of the year, kind of like.
321
00:52:49.190 --> 00:52:51.880
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and even it was a goal of last year's I,
322
00:52:52.380 --> 00:52:59.149
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: there's so much stuff that I read and I'm, I'm a big podcast guy, I love to listen to podcasts. I love to listen to audio books.
323
00:52:59.810 --> 00:53:05.929
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: But books just for the sake of learning something new.
324
00:53:06.150 --> 00:53:22.399
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I don't do it. Very often it's usually the podcast and stuff, and I know I should do it more. And so, along with yourself and Fred Kadena, who I also got asked to be part of his banking on disruption. Podcast Me. And Josh. Matthews are his
325
00:53:22.490 --> 00:53:42.479
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: quick takes kind of outro, second half of his podcast where we just chat about stuff that is related to technology and banking. But along. And and so Fred and you and Alison Netzer, author of think like a brand, not a bank which I absolutely love.
326
00:53:43.025 --> 00:53:46.850
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: The 4 of us came together, and I think
327
00:53:47.020 --> 00:53:54.600
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Fred may have said something to me about books, and I was talking to you, and of course Allison is a ravenous book, reader, so I was like.
328
00:53:55.110 --> 00:53:59.099
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: this is the 4 amigos right here. This is perfect, and I was so
329
00:53:59.220 --> 00:54:02.539
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: geeked because you are just a reading machine
330
00:54:03.870 --> 00:54:14.709
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: but getting together once a month to talk about a book that we've read and doesn't have to be banking related, but a book that has lessons that bankers can take away.
331
00:54:14.860 --> 00:54:26.789
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: And so kind of doing this podcast for people like me, that might not be readers, but want to know about a book that I should read, and if I don't have time to read it, what are some of the things that at least I can
332
00:54:26.900 --> 00:54:32.025
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: learn from listening to a podcast that could benefit me as a bank
333
00:54:32.760 --> 00:54:43.159
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: and it's been a lot of fun, because I've learned some really good things through the 3 of you, and it's also giving me that motivation to stay engaged. So when we pick a new book.
334
00:54:43.270 --> 00:55:09.289
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I can't show up, and and bs my way through a conversation with you 3. That's not going to happen. I need to read it or listen to it or listen to it a couple of times in order to have something to bring to the table, and the discussions have been great, and they're just a real joy to record. And I think we're adding some really cool value to bankers and others that just are curious.
335
00:55:09.570 --> 00:55:19.700
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I know there was some question when we originally did it, about actually creating a book club where we would bring people together. And maybe it'll morph into that at some point down the road because
336
00:55:19.750 --> 00:55:41.330
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: there were a lot of readers out there that reached out to me. And I'm sure you like, you know, when's the book club meeting. And how do I join? And what's the next topic? So, coming along with us and reading the book and listening to the podcast and then commenting on socials is what we've got for now. But who knows? We might do a live show and just open it up and bring people in like a happy hour, and
337
00:55:41.470 --> 00:55:56.439
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: you know we all talk about the book together and what it meant to us. So it's just more community. It's more conversation. And I'm up here in Northern Michigan. I got 2 great golden retrievers, but they don't talk much, so when I get you 3 in the room
338
00:55:56.710 --> 00:56:04.159
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: I don't want to go, because it's just so nice to to chat with other really really smart, passionate people that love banking.
339
00:56:04.160 --> 00:56:19.450
Jack Hubbard: Well, it's and it's it's great to see people once a month friends like you. Allison's absolutely brilliant, and I love Fred, and and it's a lot of fun. We have Linkedin, a company page, a group page, bankers, book, club, etcetera.
340
00:56:19.450 --> 00:56:20.540
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Give us a like.
341
00:56:20.810 --> 00:56:21.380
Jack Hubbard: You know.
342
00:56:21.800 --> 00:56:25.419
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Follow, or whatever the action du jour is.
343
00:56:25.550 --> 00:56:45.009
Jack Hubbard: Yeah. You know, I promised myself when I started this, that I was going to have you on once a year, and it's clearly not enough. You bring so much to the table, you have so much knowledge, and people learn every every single second from you. So thank you, my friend, for for being with me. I appreciate you and and value our partnership.
344
00:56:45.010 --> 00:56:49.880
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Thank you for doing these, and you are a machine every time, I think.
345
00:56:50.220 --> 00:57:06.030
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Oh, man, I'm doing so much. I just don't know how I get everything done. And then I go online. And it's like Jack Hubbard everywhere. And I'm like, How does he do it? But you are a machine, and I thank you because I learned from you all the time. So the the love goes right back at you, my friend.
346
00:57:09.560 --> 00:57:14.130
Jack Hubbard: Okay, thank you so much for doing this. It's great, it's great, great.
347
00:57:14.130 --> 00:57:27.479
Jack Hubbard: It's on. Early April. I'll let you know exactly when it is so you can promote it, and I gotta run. I got an appointment, a house appointment, but I will see you on real quick.
348
00:57:27.680 --> 00:57:28.810
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: How's your health? Good.
349
00:57:28.810 --> 00:57:36.739
Jack Hubbard: Most fabulous. It's just you're always amazing. You're always amazing. So it was great. So thank you for your time. I appreciate it so much.
350
00:57:36.740 --> 00:57:37.930
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: Good, good.
351
00:57:38.410 --> 00:57:39.419
Jack Hubbard: See you tomorrow.
352
00:57:39.420 --> 00:57:40.569
WSI Digital & The LinkedBanker: See you, my friend, take care.
353
00:57:40.570 --> 00:57:41.080
Jack Hubbard: Bye, bye.
