The Regional/Community Bank Campaign Pack includes six email campaigns for community and regional bank marketing teams, each built as an Act-On automated program with its own landing pages. Four campaigns also include a form. This article explains what to gather, build, and review before you launch each one.
Why this matters: Most of the content in the pack is written and ready to go, but every campaign depends on details only your bank can provide, such as rates, links, and customer data. Working through this checklist before launch keeps placeholder text, broken links, and the wrong audiences out of live sends.
Using a Campaign from the Campaign Library
The Campaign Library holds ready-made campaigns for bank marketing. Installing a campaign adds all of its assets to your Act-On account so you can customize them and launch.
Before you begin: Installing a campaign doesn’t send anything. Programs arrive paused or in draft, and emails and landing pages arrive as drafts. Nothing goes out until you finish setup and start the program yourself.
To install a campaign:
- Open the Campaign Library. In the left menu, go to Automation > Campaign Library.
- Browse the campaigns. Each card shows the campaign name, a short goal, its lifecycle stage (such as Onboard, Consider, Retention, or Habitual Use), and a summary of what’s included, such as “5 Emails, 1 Automated Program, 1 Segment Definition.”
- Select Explore campaign on the card you want to review.
- Review the campaign details. The details panel shows:
- Description: What the campaign does and who it’s for.
- Content dependencies: What you’ll need to supply, such as your logo and brand guidelines, app store links, customer quotes, or program terms.
- Data dependencies: The contact data the campaign relies on, such as account open date or eStatement sign-up status. Confirm this data is in Act-On before you install.
- This campaign includes: Every asset that will be added, grouped by type: email templates, landing page templates, forms, segment definitions, and automated programs.
- Select Next to continue, or Cancel to go back to the library.
- Name the campaign according to your standard naming convention. (Best Practice: Include the month and year.)
- Find your installed assets. The emails, landing pages, forms, segments, and program now appear in your account under their usual sections.
Important! Emails used in Automated Programs must be edited from the program, NOT from the drafts in the Email section. See more about managing Automated Program messages here.
After you install:
- Find the campaign you’ve selected in this document and work through the setup steps for the campaign you installed.
- Review the emails by accessing them from the Automated Program.
- Replace bracketed placeholders and modify the copy to fit your brand voice.
- Add links and images,
- Set a sender, reply-to address, and footer address on every email. None of them has a sender yet, and several ask customers to reply.
- Review and publish the landing pages. Add images and replace bracketed placeholders. Modify the copy to fit your brand voice.
- Set the After Submit page on every form, and check each form's alert recipients in Act-On.
- Edit the entry segment so the correct members are included. More information on how to modify segments can be found here.
- Check the size of each entry segment before you start, so you know how many people will get Email 1 at the first run.
- Send test emails to a seed list.
- The SMS messages from the original campaign plans aren't built into the programs. Use the suggestions below to add them separately.
- Review the Automated Program before you start it.
- Add any exits you need. The programs have no exit conditions and don't allow re-entry.
- Check the schedule. The programs run daily at 8:00 AM Pacific, so Day 0 emails go out at the next run. Adjust the time zone and waits to fit your audience.
Tip: Install only the campaigns you plan to launch soon. Each install adds a full set of assets to your account, and unused drafts can clutter your lists of emails, segments, and programs.
Quick Reference - Click to Expand
- Anything in brackets, like [LIKE_THIS], must be replaced before sending. Many placeholders are spelled more than one way, so search for each variant.
- Each program's entry segment is a stand-in based on when a contact was created. Replace it with a real field from your core, loan, or CRM system before you start the program.
- Send the pre-approval campaigns, and any email with rate, fee, or FDIC language, to legal/compliance for review before use.
- Every campaign is set up as a paused or draft program with draft emails.
- Suggested SMS messages for each campaign are listed in Add SMS messages.
Try it like this: Get one campaign fully ready before you take on the whole pack. Install Deposit Onboarding (Campaign 2). Replace the entry audience with your real account-open date, add your app store and online banking links to Email 2, fix the survey's recommend question, and set the form's After Submit page. Send a test to a seed list and check for bracket text, then check the audience size, publish the three landing pages, and start the program.
Common Setup for Each Campaign
These steps apply to every campaign in the pack.
Brand and contact details
- Your Bank name has been filled with the Account name in Act-On. You can modify this in Custom Account Settings if your Account name is not the exact name you want customers to see.
- Greetings already use Act-On's First Name personalization field with "there" as the fallback.
- Replace [PHONE], branch details such as [BRANCH_NAME] and [BRANCH_PHONE], and your market name, which appears as [MARKET_NAME].
- Add your logo and hero images. Every email and landing page contains placeholder images, one of which reads "Your Logo Here."
- Add a real URL to every button. Email buttons link to placeholder text, such as "link to LP," and landing page buttons link to example.com.
Customer data and personalization
Fields such as [PREAPPROVED_AMOUNT], [RATE], [TERM], [EXPIRATION_DATE], and [CREDIT_LIMIT] pull from your core banking system, loan origination system (LOS), or CRM at send time.
- Confirm that each field exists in your connected data source.
- Confirm that each field is mapped correctly in Act-On.
- Send a test to a seed list and check for any visible bracket text.
Tip: Some landing pages show customer-specific values, such as the pre-approved amount on the auto loan offer page. Everyone sees the same landing page, so replace these with general wording.
Disclosures and compliance review
Replace [INSERT DISCLOSURE], [Insert Disclosure here], and [DISCLOSURE_LINK] with your required disclosure language. Several emails say accounts are "FDIC-insured up to $250,000." Have compliance confirm this wording, since FDIC coverage applies per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. Rate citations on several pages use [SOURCE], [REPORT NAME], and [PERIOD].
Before you launch: items that take extra time
These items need more than a quick fill-in. Start on them early.
- Entry segments (all campaigns): Replace each stand-in segment with real fields from your core, loan, or CRM system.
- Customer testimonials (Campaign 6): Real quotes with written consent. This is the longest lead time in the pack.
- Fixed card APR (Campaign 5): The 19.56% national average APR in Email 3 is typed in, not a bracket field, so it can go out of date without anyone noticing.
- Placeholder images and links (all campaigns): Every email and landing page needs real images and button links.
Campaign Specific Setup
Campaign 1: Friends & Family Referral
Before you begin: The "Refer a Friend" landing page includes the referral form. It saves the friend's name, email, and phone number to their contact record, and keeps the referrer's name with the submission. The form's After Submit page is a placeholder URL, so set your own.
| You'll need | Details |
|---|---|
| Links | [REFERRAL_FORM_LINK], the Refer a Friend landing page, the button links in Emails 1–5, and [DISCLOSURE_LINK] |
| Bonus details | $[REFERRAL_BONUS_AMOUNT] (Email 1 and landing page) or $[REFERRER_BONUS] and $[REFEREE_BONUS] (Email 4), [ACCOUNT_TYPE], [DATE], and [PROMOTION END DATE] |
| Program terms (landing page) | [REFERRAL_LIMIT_PLACEHOLDER], [QUALIFYING_PERIOD_PLACEHOLDER], [PAYOUT_TIMEFRAME_PLACEHOLDER], [BASIC_ELIGIBILITY_PLACEHOLDER], [ELIGIBILITY_TERMS_PLACEHOLDER], and [TAX_TREATMENT_PLACEHOLDER] |
| Other info | [COMMUNITY/REGION], [LOAN_TYPE_EXAMPLE], [RELATIONSHIP_BANKING_PROOF_POINT], and [REINVESTMENT_STAT_OR_EXAMPLE_PLACEHOLDER] |
To set up this campaign:
- The entry audience, "RB - Friends and Family Referral - Established Customers," includes every contact created more than 90 days ago. Edit the segment to include only those contacts you want included.
- Determine your bonus structure and update the emails to include the bonus amounts in Email 1, Email 4 (including in the preheader) and the landing page.
- Decide how to handle Emails 4 and 5. Email 4 says the bonus is ending, Email 5 says the promotion has ended, and both go to everyone in the program.
- Email 6, "Thanks for telling people about us," isn't in the program. Add it if you want to thank customers who referred someone.
- Send the program terms and tax language to compliance, then publish the landing page.
Campaign 2: Deposit Onboarding
| You'll need | Details |
|---|---|
| Links | The app store and online banking buttons in Email 2 (currently unlinked), the other button links in Emails 1 and 4–6, the Get Set Up checklist page ([APP_STORE_LINK], [GOOGLE_PLAY_LINK], [LINK]), the Explore More Products page (three [LINK] placeholders), and the feedback survey page |
| Rates | None. Email 5 links to your rate sheet. |
| Other info | [ACCOUNT_TYPE], [BRANCH_NAME], [MARKET_NAME], and [X] (days early, Email 3 and the checklist page) |
To set up this campaign:
- The entry segment, "RB - Deposit Onboarding - New Deposit Customers," uses contacts created in the last 2 days as a stand-in for a new account. Replace it with your real account-open date.
- Confirm the direct deposit early-pay claims: Email 1 and 3 say "up to two days early."
- Set up the survey form's After Submit page, and decide who follows up on low scores. The "Feedback Needs Follow-Up" segment collects them, but the next step needs to be set up.
- Confirm the "no impact to your credit score" claim in Email 5, then publish the three landing pages.
Campaign 3: Loan Onboarding
| You'll need | Details |
|---|---|
| Links | The button links in Emails 1–5 and the four landing pages: Set Up Autopay, Alerts & eStatements, Explore More Products, and High-Yield Savings |
| Rates | [RATE] for the savings APY (Emails 4 and 5). Email 4 also uses [RATE] for a card APR. |
| Other info | [VEHICLE/LOAN TYPE], [COMMUNITY/REGION], [REWARDS_DETAIL], and landing page details such as [APP_NAME], [DISCOUNT], [CREDIT_CARD_NAME], [BANKER_NAME], your autopay overdraft policy, your soft or hard pull policy, and your minimum opening deposit |
To set up this campaign:
- The entry segment, RB - Loan Onboarding - New Loan Customers, includes contacts created in the last 2 days. Replace this with your loan closing date data.
- If you have an autopay-enrolled field from your loan system, add a step in the program flow to allow those customers to skip Email 2.
- In Email 4, confirm the free checking and FDIC claims.
Campaign 4: Auto Loan Pre-Approval
| You'll need | Details |
|---|---|
| Links | The button links in Emails 1–5, [LINK] and [CTA: …] placeholders, and the landing page: RB - Auto Loan Preapproval: You are Preapproved. |
| Rates | [RATE], [DEALER_TYPICAL_RATE], and the source citation ([SOURCE], [REPORT NAME], [PERIOD]) |
| Other info | $[PREAPPROVED_AMOUNT] (emails) or $[AMOUNT] (landing page), [TERM], [EXPIRATION_DATE], $[ESTIMATED_PAYMENT], [PHONE], and [MARKET/REGION] |
To set up this campaign:
- Check the timing. Emails send on days 0, 4, 9, 23, and 28, assuming a 30-day pre-approval. Emails 4 and 5 also share the expiration date in the preview text.
- Confirm the claims "Your rate is locked," "usually within a day," and "Call or text us."
- Modify the entry segment, RB - Auto Loan Preapproval - Pre-Approved Customers, to include those contacts that are preapproved for a loan.
- Send the campaign to compliance for review. Ask compliance whether your offer needs a prescreen opt-out notice. The campaign doesn't include one.
Campaign 5: Credit Card Pre-Approval
| You'll need | Details |
|---|---|
| Links | The button links in Emails 1–5 and the four landing pages: Offer Details, Move a Balance, Compare Your Rate, and Still Deciding |
| Rates | [APR] or [RATE], [APR_TYPE], [AVERAGE CREDIT CARD RATE] ; [NATIONAL_AVG_CARD_RATE] on the Compare Your Rate page), [BALANCE_TRANSFER_FEE] or [BALANCE_TRANSFER_FEE_FLAT], and any promotional period terms |
| Other info | [CARD NAME] or [CARD_NAME], $[CREDIT_LIMIT], [OFFER_EXPIRATION_DATE] or [EXPIRATION_DATE], [REWARDS_PROGRAM_DETAILS], [ANNUAL_FEE_OR_$0], [FOREIGN_TX_FEE_OR_NONE], [LATE_FEE], [TRANSFER_TIMEFRAME], and [BRANCH_NAME/CITY] |
To set up this campaign:
- Update the entry segment, "RB - Credit Card Preapproval - Pre-Approved Customers," to include only those customers who are pre-approved.
- The exit audience currently removes anyone who submitted the "Credit Card Preapproval Form" on the pre-approval landing page. You can also replace with a different real offer-accepted signal.
- Use the same current figure for the national average APR in Email 3 and on the Compare Your Rate page.
- Check the timing. Emails send on days 0, 5, 14, 28, and 35, which assumes an offer window of about 38–40 days.
- Ask compliance whether your offer needs a prescreen opt-out notice. The campaign doesn't include one.
Campaign 6: Why Local Banking
Before you begin: This campaign is for prospects. If a prospect replies or calls, the program doesn't pause, so watch the reply inbox.
| You'll need | Details |
|---|---|
| Links | Email 1 links to a landing page, Emails 2–5 link to online account opening, and the three landing pages: Open an Account, Why Bank Local, and Customer Stories |
| Rates | [X]%, [SPECIFIC PROMOTIONAL RATE/PRODUCT], and [PROMOTIONAL/LOYALTY RATE PROGRAM] |
| Other info | [CITY/TOWN], [X] years and minutes, [$OPENING_DEPOSIT_AMOUNT], ID requirements ([GOVERNMENT-ISSUED ID], [SSN/TIN], [PROOF OF ADDRESS, IF REQUIRED]), [BRANCH_NAME/ADDRESS], [LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS/EVENTS], and testimonials ([TESTIMONIAL_QUOTE_1–4], [CUSTOMER_NAME_1–4], [YEAR]) |
Plan ahead: Email 4 and the Customer Stories page need real quotes from customers, with their written permission to use their names. Email 4 says "These aren't actors or reviews we bought," which is only true with real quotes. In Email 4's subject line, [CUSTOMER_FIRST_NAME] means the customer in the story, not the recipient.
To set up this campaign:
- Update the entry segment, "RB - Why Local Banking - Interested Prospects," so it includes interested non-customers.
- Decide where each email should link: online account opening or the campaign's landing pages.
- Request customer testimonials and collect written consent.
- Add disclosures to Emails 1, 3, 4, and 5, which have none, and confirm the FDIC claim in Email 2.
Optional: Add SMS messages
Below you'll find suggested text messages for each campaign that pair with its emails. They follow up on an email, remind people about a deadline, or point them to a landing page. The texts aren't built into the campaign's program, so you choose which ones to use and add them in Act-On's SMS tools.
Every text is written to fit in a single message (160 characters or fewer), includes your bank's name, and ends with "Reply STOP to opt out." Before you send, fill in the bracketed placeholders and check that each text still fits. Send texts only to contacts who have agreed to receive them, and have your compliance team review any text that mentions rates, fees, or offers.
Campaign 1: Friends & Family Referral
| SMS | Timing | Message | Characters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (pairs with Email 1) | Same day as Email 1, or 1 day after | [BANK_NAME]: Refer a friend and you both get $[AMOUNT]. They just enter YOUR name on the form: [REFERRAL_FORM_LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 138 |
| 2 (pairs with Email 2) | 3–4 days after SMS 1 | [BANK_NAME]: Easiest way to refer a friend? Send them [REFERRAL_FORM_LINK] and have them put YOUR name in the referral field. Reply STOP to opt out. | 148 |
| 3 (pairs with Email 3) | 5–7 days after SMS 2 | [BANK_NAME]: Why switch? Local decisions, a real local banker, and deposits reinvested in [COMMUNITY/REGION]. Refer: [REFERRAL_FORM_LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 160 |
| 4 (pairs with Email 4) | Ongoing, every [X] weeks, or immediately if a promo boost goes live | [BANK_NAME]: Our referral offer is always open. Refer a friend, you both get $[AMOUNT]. [LIMITED_TIME_BOOST_CLAUSE] [REFERRAL_FORM_LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 159 |
| 5a (has referred; pairs with Email 5 Version A) | When the referral bonus is paid, or 7–10 days after SMS 4 | Thank you for telling friends about [BANK_NAME]! We'd love your feedback: [FEEDBACK_SURVEY_LINK]. Reply STOP to opt out. | 120 |
| 5b (has not referred; pairs with Email 5 Version B) | Same cadence as 5a, sent instead based on referral status | Still thinking about who to refer to [BANK_NAME]? No rush, the $[AMOUNT] offer's always here. Quick question: [FEEDBACK_SURVEY_LINK]. Reply STOP to opt out. | 156 |
Campaign 2: Deposit Onboarding
| SMS | Timing | Message | Characters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Welcome / Setup Kickoff | Day 0, 1–2 hours after account opening (after Email 1) | [BANK_NAME]: Welcome! Your new account is ready. Activate your card & grab the app to get started: [LINK]. Reply STOP to opt out. | 129 |
| 2: Direct Deposit Nudge | Day 6, the day after the direct deposit email, if not yet set up | [BANK_NAME]: Get paid up to [X] days early with direct deposit. Set it up in 5 min: [LINK] Questions? Call [BRANCH_PHONE]. Reply STOP to opt out. | 145 |
| 3: Check-In & Feedback | Day 26, the day after the feedback email | [BANK_NAME]: How's it going so far? We'd love your feedback. It takes 2 min: [LINK]. Reply STOP to opt out. | 107 |
Campaign 3: Loan Onboarding
| SMS | Timing | Message | Characters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Welcome & Autopay Kickoff | Day 0, 2 hours after loan closing | [BANK_NAME]: Welcome! Your [VEHICLE] loan is set up. First step: set up autopay (2 min) so you never miss a due date: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 147 |
| 2: Autopay Reminder (Non-Completers Only) | Day 4, mid-morning, only to customers not yet enrolled in autopay | [BANK_NAME]: Still need to set up autopay on your loan? Takes 2 min and protects your credit. [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 123 |
| 3: Alerts & eStatements | Day 11, early afternoon | [BANK_NAME]: Turn on loan alerts + eStatements in the [APP_NAME] app and get notified before your payment's due: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 142 |
| 4: Explore More Products | Day 22, late morning | [BANK_NAME]: Loan customers often add free checking, high-yield savings, or a card with us. No pressure, just an option: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 150 |
| 5: Last Call on Savings | Day 36, late morning | [BANK_NAME]: Last note. Our High-Yield Savings earns [RATE]% APY, no minimum. Worth 2 min if your savings sit elsewhere: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 150 |
Campaign 4: Auto Loan Pre-Approval
| SMS | Timing | Message | Characters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Pre-Approval Alert | Day 0, 1–2 hours after Email 1 | [BANK_NAME]: You're pre-approved for an auto loan up to $[AMOUNT] at [RATE]% APR. Shop like a cash buyer: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 135 |
| 2: Cash-Buyer Tip | Day 4, mid-morning | [BANK_NAME] tip: Negotiate the car's price BEFORE financing comes up. Your rate's locked at [RATE]%. How to use it: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 145 |
| 3: Rate Advantage Reminder | Day 9, afternoon | [BANK_NAME]: Dealer financing often has a built-in markup. Your [RATE]% has none added. Compare: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 126 |
| 4: Expiration Reminder | 7 days before [EXPIRATION_DATE], morning | [BANK_NAME]: Your $[AMOUNT] pre-approval expires [EXPIRATION_DATE]. Still shopping? Extend in 1 min: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 130 |
| 5: Final Countdown | 1 day before [EXPIRATION_DATE], midday | [BANK_NAME]: Your auto loan pre-approval expires [EXPIRATION_DATE]. Extend, finalize, or tell us where things stand: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 146 |
Campaign 5: Credit Card Pre-Approval
| SMS | Timing | Message | Characters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Pre-Approval Alert | Day 0, 2 hours after Email 1 (or same day, afternoon) | [BANK_NAME]: You're pre-approved for [CARD_NAME] with a $[CREDIT_LIMIT] limit at [APR]% APR. Offer ends [OFFER_EXPIRATION_DATE]: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 158 |
| 2: Balance Transfer Nudge | Day 5, mid-morning | [BANK_NAME]: Carrying a balance on another card? Move it to your pre-approved [CARD_NAME] and simplify your payments. Details: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 156 |
| 3: Rate Comparison | Day 14, early afternoon | [BANK_NAME]: Your pre-approved rate is [APR]% APR with no hidden fees. See how it compares: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 121 |
| 4: Expiration Reminder | Day 28, morning | [BANK_NAME]: Your pre-approved [CARD_NAME] offer expires [OFFER_EXPIRATION_DATE]. Accept now: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 123 |
| 5: Final Countdown | 2–3 days before [OFFER_EXPIRATION_DATE], morning | [BANK_NAME]: Last call. Your [CARD_NAME] offer closes [OFFER_EXPIRATION_DATE]. Questions? Call [PHONE_NUMBER] or accept: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 150 |
Campaign 6: Why Local Banking
| SMS | Timing | Message | Characters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (pairs with Email 1) | Day 0, about 2 hours after Email 1 | [BANK_NAME]: See who really decides your loan. Here, it's a local banker, not a call center. Here's why that matters: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 147 |
| 2 (pairs with Email 2) | Day 3, late morning | [BANK_NAME]: Bank local and you get your own banker, decisions made here, and real flexibility. Member FDIC. [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 138 |
| 3 (pairs with Email 3) | Day 6, early afternoon | Opening an account at [BANK_NAME] takes about [X] minutes. Here's what you need: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 110 |
| 4 (pairs with Email 4) | Day 10, early evening | [BANK_NAME]: "[TESTIMONIAL_SNIPPET]" - [CUSTOMER_NAME_1], [CITY/TOWN]. Read more real stories: [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 124 |
| 5 (pairs with Email 5) | Day 14, mid-morning | [BANK_NAME]: No rush. Whenever you're ready to bank local, we're here at [PHONE_NUMBER] or [LINK] Reply STOP to opt out. | 120 |