Higher Net Interest Margin With Less Risk – Fact or Fiction? [VIDEO]
Most banks chase NIM by matching rates. Top banks raise pricing by changing positioning. Here’s how they do it.
Welcome to the Top 5 Percenter™ Blog
They Buy Today, You Cry Tomorrow
I drove by a bank’s temporary sign and gasped… “Best pricing on CDs… guaranteed!”
We train our customers how to think about us. When we teach clients that we should always have the best pricing, they will surely expect that for decades to come… and you will be crying tomorrow. The reality is that people don’t expect you to have the best pricing. They will pay more for a Cadillac than they will for a Grand Am.
More From The Blog
Rate Risk is a Big Risk—Play Smart [VIDEO]
Guessing interest rates is not a strategy. Here’s how top community banks remove rate risk and stay profitable.
Why Community Banking Matters—Especially at Christmas [VIDEO]
A Christmas reflection on why community banking matters—and why your leadership impact extends far beyond transactions.
Life in the World of Over-Regulation [VIDEO]
Top banks don’t complain about regulation—they execute around it. Here’s how the elite outperform anyway.
Why Is It So Important to Hold On to Low Cost Deposits [VIDEO]
Low-cost deposits are the ultimate margin advantage. Discover how top 5% performers attract them consistently—and why most banks fail to compete.
Can Strategic Thinking Be Taught or Nurtured [VIDEO]
Banks don’t fail from a talent shortage—they fail from a thinking shortage. Discover how critical-thinking systems like the SIR Formula build your future executives now.
A State of Gratitude [VIDEO]
A powerful Thanksgiving message on how gratitude shifts leadership presence, reframes pressure, and strengthens your bank’s performance culture.
How to Tie Everyone to Profit [VIDEO]
Most employees believe they’re top performers but can’t show how they drive profit. This episode shows how to tie every role to the bottom line, boost profit per FTE, and build a high‑performance culture in your community bank.
The Dangers of False-Attempt Sales Training [VIDEO]
Traditional sales training fails because it focuses on tactics, not transformation. Discover how to shift from sales training to sales culture and achieve lasting growth.
Master the Four Levels of USPs [VIDEO]
Escape commodity pricing. This episode shows how Level-4 USPs—proprietary, client-valued processes—let community banks command +150–200 bps and keep deposits loyal.