Community Bank Leaders: Are You Building the Right Checking Bundle?

Most product conversations focus on individual features.

But customers don’t buy features.
They buy bundles.

That’s where TURF analysis becomes powerful.

TURF (Total Unduplicated Reach and Frequency) takes preference data and identifies the optimal combination of features that reaches the largest percentage of your market with minimal overlap .

In plain terms:
What’s the smallest, smartest bundle that appeals to the most customers?

When we ran TURF analysis on primary checking features:

• The top three feature combinations reached 97.87%, 96.81%, and 96.81% of the target audience .

• “Reach” means the percentage of customers who find at least one feature in the bundle appealing .

That’s executive-level clarity.

Instead of guessing which add-ons might differentiate you, TURF tells you:

• Which features actually expand your audience
• Which features simply duplicate appeal
• Where additional complexity adds no incremental reach

Strategic Implications for Community Banks

1. You likely already have what customers want.
Free checking features dominated utility testing . Many banks are under-marketing their strengths.

2. Feature creep is expensive.
Novel additions like pet insurance and early direct deposit delivered little incremental utility while demanding meaningful internal resources .

In a margin-sensitive environment, that matters.

3. Bundling can deepen relationships — if done intentionally.
Discounts and incentives tied to bundled features increase consumer appeal and strengthen retail relationships .

That’s not just product strategy.
That’s deposit and cross-sell strategy.

The competitive pressure from nationals and fintechs tempts community banks to chase features.

TURF analysis suggests a different path:

Win by optimizing reach, not multiplying features.

Before approving the next product enhancement, ask:

• Does this increase unduplicated reach?

• Or does it just increase operational burden?

Data-driven bundling is a strategic advantage.

If you’re revisiting your checking portfolio this year, it may be time to evaluate not just what you offer — but how your features work together.