By Nikki Roser
Nikki Roser is the President & CEO of First Bank, a community bank serving Southeastern Illinois and Southwestern Indiana. She is a CPA, holds an MBA, is passionate about building relationships with entrepreneurs and business owners, and leverages her experience to share financial and strategic advice. Partnering with clients and watching their business thrive and prosper is her greatest joy.

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If you're a small business owner, know that you play a crucial role in the success of our local economy. In fact, in Illinois, more than one million small businesses employ nearly half of our workforce. Indiana is home to over 500,000 small businesses that employ over 1.2 million people. Your small business forms the backbone of our economies and a local community bank like First Bank is equipped to partner with you to Make Great Things Happen.

Over and over, we hear from small business owners that the biggest bank is not always the best bank for their business. Local community banks offer similar deposit, lending, cash management and digital banking solutions, but have the flexibility to tailor them to the unique needs of your business to help it grow and prosper. In this blog, we’ll discuss important things to consider when choosing a bank for your business. You’ll also learn why banking locally, just like buying locally, can benefit you and the entire community. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of banking local for your small businesses.

 

Local Expertise

Local community bankers, like the ones at First Bank, take the time to get to know you and your business—it’s what makes us different! They recognize your voice when you call and are available to discuss an opportunity or a problem. Because community bankers live and work locally, they have insight and expertise about the market and local business environment, which helps them make smart decisions for business clients.

Partnering with a local bank like First Bank also makes visits to the branch more efficient for you and your business. Because we are staffed with a tight-knit team with infrequent turnover, the same bankers are assisting you every time you stop by. We care about you, your business and are willing to go the extra mile to give you personalized attention. Your partnership truly matters to us. To better assist clients, many First Bank Relationship Managers are available by appointment as well.

At First Bank, our employees are encouraged to volunteer in the community. Many serve on local boards and volunteer with local organizations, giving them community connections, plus additional knowledge and market expertise.

Customized Solutions

First Bank understands that every dollar you save makes a substantial difference to your cash flow, bottom line and success of your business. Partnering with a local community bank that specializes in customized solutions is a smart money-saving strategy for your small business.

That’s why it’s important to seek out a partner like First Bank for business loans. You’ll experience a tailored relationship beyond annual loan renewals. You’ll get continuous dialogue and value, and you’ll always know what to expect and the plan to make it happen. Your partnership with First Bank means:

• Walking through a customized proposal that serves as the initial blueprint for our relationship.
• Connecting with executive management as they deliver our proprietary resources and tools.
• Knowing upfront who your lead banker is along with a support team of specialists.
• Receiving periodic mailings with articles or books handpicked by our CEO and President.
• Taking advantage of training that keeps you on top of timely topics with actionable takeaways.
• Enjoying special events to thank you for your business and to network with other business owners.

Many local community banks offer Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, too. At First Bank, our 7(a) and 504 loans have grown in popularity over recent years because they offer advantages to borrowers and lenders, and the government backs a majority percentage of each loan. Our SBA experts can help determine if an SBA loan is right for your business.

Furthermore, local banks tend to have deposit accounts with competitive and complimentary perks that are hard to beat. For example, First Bank’s Interest Business Checking earns interest and has no monthly account fee with a $1,000 average balance. Like all our business checking accounts, it offers all these complimentary add-ons:

• Mobile Banking, Bill Pay & Deposit
• Online Banking & Bill Pay
• eStatements
• Business Debit Mastercard with benefits
• Autobooks to manage customer payments
• Free Money Pass ATMs

Other First Bank business solutions include Business CDs, Business Savings, Business Visa Cards with rewards, a suite of Cash Management solutions including Remote Check Deposit, Sweep services, Merchant Services and more. First Bank is fully equipped to Make Great Things Happen for your business, whatever its size and industry.

Mutually Helping the Community

Small businesses are a significant piece of a community’s identity. Keeping our dollars local makes regional economies strong, supporting businesses and families who call Illinois and Indiana home. Your small business is a huge benefit to the community around you!

In turn, choosing a local community bank for your business is also a way to reinvest in the community. The success of local banks is directly tied to the success of local businesses. Community banks convert your deposits into loans, and other investments. When you put your funds in a community bank, much of that money goes back to your neighbors, in the form of business and personal loans, lines of credit and home financing.

Just like you, local banks support the community in many ways. First Bank sponsors little league teams, run and walk fundraisers, community reinvestment initiatives, plus supports organizations and clubs such as Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce and Rotary. We even offer School Spirit Debit Cards so clients can show their local high school pride when they shop, and First Bank donates a portion of those funds back to the schools.

Simply put, local banks are committed to the community, and First Bank is proud to be a part of it.

The First Bank Difference

Relationship building, local knowledge, industry expertise and over a century of experience are what makes First Bank different and a great partner for your business. Our business banking partners benefit from these proprietary resources and tools:

• 19-Point Financial Optimization Plan
• 7-Point Fraud Loss Prevention Plan
• 11-Point IT Fraud Loss Mitigation Plan
• 9 Critical Steps to Reducing Losses in Human Resource Management
• First Bank Academy Training & Development

Any business can visit our Resources & Tools to access an extensive library of complimentary articles, checklists and templates for every business stage. Here are just a few examples:

• Start-up checklist
• A Guide to SBA Loans: Would Your Small Business Benefit from SBA Lending?
• One-page lean business plan template
• Marketing plan template
• How to improve your profit margin
• Why you (and your business) need an exit strategy

Together, Let’s Make Great Things Happen

As a local-first bank, partnering with small businesses is the most significant way we build relationships with our communities. When you choose to bank locally with us, you will be more than just another account number or deposit balance.

Our team at First Bank strives to ensure that businesses and families thrive here, whether you live or work in Carmi, Grayville, Lawrenceville or Mount Carmel in Illinois, or Evansville, Haubstadt, Mount Vernon, Poseyville, Princeton or Vincennes in Indiana. We not only provide personal and tailored solutions from business Relationship Managers, we also offer extensive Resources & Tools for businesses throughout each stage of the business life cycle from startup to exit.

Ready to Make Great Things Happen for your business? Schedule a meeting with a Relationship Manager, call, email or stop by one of our nearby branches today to find out what makes us the best bank for small business in Illinois and Indiana!