STRATEGIC MARKETING OF BANKING SERVICES IN NIGERIA

The proliferation of banks in Nigerian economy resulted in cutthroat competition among banks, the phenomena in informed the decision to probe into how banks market their financial services. In other words, the focus of this work is to find out the marketing strategies adopted by banks to create awareness of their products. To customers, it also sought to know the importance of marketing in the liquidity and profitability position of banks. The effect of marketing strategies and techniques on the existing customers and prospective ones was also a subject for consideration. However, since there are many banks in Nigeria spread over the thirty-six (36) states of the federation and the federal capital territory, Abuja to use all banks for the purpose of the study would be cumbersome and illogical. Four branches of the bank situated in Lagos were used for the purpose of data collection interviews method was adopted with the use of two separate interview schedules, one for bank officials and the other for customers of the branches.
 
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1   BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
This study is concerned with market of financial services in the banking industry of the economic. It is usually focused on the changes that have taken place in the financial environment, and how banks have reacted to these changes, the planning involved and the creation of new services to meet their customer’s needs. The Nigeria banking industry, it must be argued has come a long way in serving as a hub of financial intermediation process in the entire development of an economy, more so of a developing one, most of necessity institutes highly functional and efficient financial system. The banking industry is therefore important in the process of development.
The financial sector has therefore become one of the fastest growing sectors in the economy cutting across the monetary authorities, the banking institutions over the years, the marketing concept before now had a restricted meaning of activities, which relates the buying and selling of goods. See buyers or sellers of services. This believes could be attributed to the level of awareness among the Nigerian market. However, in theory product marketing sales of goods and services, marketing such as provision of bank and insurance services are the same. Marketing strategies are now being used in all sectors of the economy and the marketing mix; that is the blending of the (4) Ps’ (product, price, place and promotion) of marketing to achieve the objective for which a company is established, has become a necessity for variable companies in the economy.
The trend in the banking industry today provides an interesting example of a service industry that has in the past neglected the marketing concept, which stipulates that a market oriented company must seek the need and wants of the consumers should be at the command of the company. As a result of the growth in number of banks in Nigeria (commercial and merchant) before 1983 and 1990 from thirty-five (35) to one hundred and nineteen (119), they were now awakened to realize that in order to continue in business they must get a reasonable percentage of the banks existing customers and acquire more of the potential customers by turning them into full customers. Also to attract customers and deposits, most banks like other business outfits resorted to dynamic and motivating marketing strategies could be defined as the means and techniques through, which organization attempt to promote their products with a view to enhance their image in order to get a large percentage of the industry market, to achieve the objective of the organization, marketing concept and strategies then become important as efficient provision of financial services by the banks