Welcome to the Top 5 Percenter™ Blog

Deposit Growth Without Begging or Discounting—Here’s How the Top 1% of Banks Do It [VIDEO]

by | Deposits, High Performance, Marketing Plan, Profitability and Growth, Sales & Marketing, Sales Process, USP

Bankers, let me ask you a brutal but necessary question:
Why are you still playing checkers while the top-performing banks are playing 4D chess with deposit growth?

If your team is still competing on rates, slapping up tired “Free Checking” banners, and praying your CD special brings in a few dollars… you’re not just falling behind—you’re being obliterated.

In this video series, we’re going to dismantle the sacred cows, torch the outdated tactics, and hand you the exact playbook used by top-tier banks who’ve learned how to attract low-cost, sticky deposits without selling their souls or their margins.

If you’re counting on a great CD rate to save your bank, I’ve got some tough news—you’re about to be blindsided.

The truth is, you’re not just bleeding deposits. You’re actually training your customers to leave the moment a competitor waves a shinier rate in front of them. And the worst part? You’re doing it to yourself.

Stick with me for five minutes and I’ll walk you through how to grow low-cost deposits—the same way banks with half your budget are doing it. And they’re winning big without discounting, begging, or gimmicks.

Hi, I’m Roxanne Emmerich. Over the years, my team and I have helped hundreds of banks increase their net interest margin by 150 basis points, and triple their cross-sales in under a year. All while growing core deposits so fast their competitors thought they were fudging the numbers.

They weren’t. They were just following a system—a core deposit strategy for banks—and I’m about to hand you the keys.

But first, let’s talk about the slow death most banks don’t even see coming.

You roll out a CD special.

A few rate shoppers show up. Your cost of funds goes up. But there’s no real loyalty, no meaningful cross-sales, no long-term value. It’s like pouring water into a bucket with a hole in the bottom—while your competitors drill five more holes in the side.

So let’s pause for a reality check:

“Chasing deposits by raising rates is like trying to win a marathon by buying faster shoes for your competition.”

That’s not a strategy—it’s a trap.

Now imagine a different way.

What if your bank became magnetic?

Picture depositors lining up—without any rate gimmicks.

Your team isn’t just selling—they’re trusted advisors. Conversations feel valuable, not transactional. Customers are so bought in, they don’t even bring up the rate.

That’s not wishful thinking. That’s the actual system we install in best-in-class banks. And it all starts with shifting how your team talks, behaves, and thinks. Because culture? Culture is the ultimate deposit magnet.

This is banking marketing that works. It’s not theory—it’s proven, and it’s profitable.

Let me give you one small tactic—straight from the playbook banks pay six figures to implement.

It’s called the positioning question. One simple question your people can ask that gets prospects to turn around and say, “Honestly, the rate doesn’t matter that much.”

It sounds simple, but it’s powerful. One small bank used it to bring in $90 million in core deposits in under twelve months. No rate promo. No gimmicks. Just results. A true bank deposit growth hack.

This is about building your unique selling proposition for banks—so you’re not just another option in a sea of sameness.

It’s how you attract high-value bank customers who stick around, deepen relationships, and refer others.

Want the exact script?

Click here to register for the Top Gun Series, where I interview the top 5% of banking CEOs—the ones who are pulling ahead while everyone else is playing catch-up. This month, I’m sitting down with Charlie Holland, who’s going to share how his team consistently brings in $2–3 million checking accounts every single week. Like clockwork.

Now’s the time to get the secrets—so while your competitors are busy rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, you’ll be building a yacht.

To your continued success, 

Roxanne Emmerich 

Please watch the video above and share it with your exec team and board. 

 

 

More From The Blog

How Elite CEOs Run Game-Changing Board Meetings

Most board meetings are packed with data—but starved of strategic clarity. Discover how the top 5% of banks engineer boardrooms that drive performance, challenge respectfully, and align with breakthrough plans. This week’s episode reveals what high-performing CEOs do differently—and how you can bring that same power to your board.

Halfway Is No Excuse

Midyear banking strategy not working? Elite banks accelerate, not apologize. Here’s how to finish strong—with accountability, margin, and momentum.

Top Bank Doubled Revenue with 1/3 Fewer Staff—Here’s How

Toxic conflict is quietly draining your profits.
Most banks reach for generic culture fixes and miss the root cause—low emotional intelligence and zero accountability. Discover how the best banks use healthy dissension to crush drama, boost performance, and lead the industry in profitability.