A lot of fintechs and FIs get stuck in what I call activity-based marketing. Calendars filled with campaigns, events, social posts. The wheel is spinning, but not always moving the business forward.
The trap isn’t lack of effort. It’s lack of conviction.
Introducing Momentum Marketing
Over the last few years, I’ve been shaping a different approach: Momentum Marketing.
The idea is simple:
Real momentum doesn’t come from more activity. It comes from conviction.
But here’s the nuance: conviction has two sides.
Inside conviction: when your team deeply believes in the story you’re telling, alignment sharpens and confidence grows. Everyone knows not just what to say, but why it matters.
Outside conviction: when customers sense that belief, it gives them permission to act. Conviction reduces risk, makes decisions easier, and builds trust.
When the two reinforce each other, activity turns into acceleration.
I’ve seen smaller players with tighter conviction outpace giants with bigger budgets.
Why?
Because they weren’t busy. They were bold.
Field Note
Over lunch with the VP of a $5B global payments processor, he told me:
“Our banks hated the provider we were with, but they were reluctant to move. We had all the complaints, all the pain, but still, no change.”
That’s the difference between activity and momentum. Customers had motion (frustration, feedback, meetings), but no conviction to act.
Without conviction, inside or out, even obvious pain won’t move the market.
Try This With Your Team
Here’s a quick exercise to test for conviction:
In your next team meeting, ask everyone this one question:
“If we only had one sentence to explain why we matter, what would it be?”
If you get ten different answers, you don’t have conviction…you have activity.
If the answers converge with clarity and confidence, you’ve built the foundation for momentum.
The Takeaway
Momentum isn’t about doing more. It’s about getting sharper.
Conviction, both inside and out, is the fuel.
One clear, believable story will move you further than a hundred disconnected activities.
The BrandThnk Briefing is invite-only, but you can share it.
If you know a leader who’s too good to be overlooked, feel free to forward this to them.
—Allison