In this interview, Chris Nichols of SouthState Bank speaks with Steven Ramirez, CEO of Beyond the Arc, about how community banks can better approach payments and marketing in a rapidly evolving financial landscape. Steven covers commercial payments strategy, embedded banking, the role of AI, and the importance of customer-centric marketing.
Key insights from the conversation about commercial payments marketing
- “Start with client pain points, not product features,” says Steven Ramirez, CEO of Beyond the Arc.
- Top 3 ways AI transforms payments: 1) Fraud Prevention 2) Workflow Automation 3) Data Insights.
- “AI allows smarter automation, faster fraud detection, and meaningful insights from rich data formats like ISO 20022.”
- “AI overcomes the limits of rule-based workflows. It’s not just automation—it’s optimization.”
- Steven Ramirez, CEO of Beyond the Arc argues that, “Understanding CFOs’ time pressures and delivering productivity tools is the key to gaining traction in commercial payments.”
🎧 Listen to the Episode
Host
Helping community bankers grow themselves, their team, and their profits. This is the Community Bank Podcast.
Caleb Stevens
We are coming to you from Atlanta, GA. It’s the Community Bank Podcast. Thanks for making us part of your day. Caleb Stevens with SouthState Capital Markets and Correspondent Banking Division. Today, we’re featuring a conversation between our own Chris Nichols. Chris serves as our Director of Capital Markets in our San Francisco area. You may have heard Chris a few episodes ago when we talked about the 12 most important strategies for community banks to win in 2020. It’s an eBook, by the way, and if you haven’t gotten that eBook, click the link in the show notes of this episode to grab your copy. But today, Chris speaks with Steven Ramirez. He is with a company that he founded and leads called Beyond the Arc, and they offer B2B payment strategies for banks like yourselves, among many other things. This conversation is specifically around payments and marketing, and how you as a community bank can be doing that more effectively. Click the link in the show notes to get your free eBook, and I hope you enjoy this conversation between Chris Nichols and Steven Ramirez.
Chris Nichols
Steven Ramirez from Beyond the Arc. Steve, thank you for coming out today and talking to us. Beyond the Arc markets payments for banks and fintechs nationwide, is that right?
Steven Ramirez
That is correct, with a focus on commercial payments, particularly B2B.
Chris Nichols
On this episode, I want to delve into what you’re up to, what trends you’re seeing, and how banks can better market payments. What are you working on these days?
Steven Ramirez
It’s really about understanding the banking clients and the companies they serve. CFOs are under more pressure with fewer resources. They’re looking to their banks for help to boost productivity. That’s the central issue we’re seeing in the market.
Chris Nichols
Marketing strategy for banks: where do you start?
Let’s talk about a banking strategy with regard to payments. Where do you start and what does a good marketing strategy look like?
Steven Ramirez
The challenge is understanding specific pain points like the need for productivity and time savings for CFOs and their teams. A marketing strategy starts with client pain points, tailored by industry vertical. Clients don’t care about payment rails—they care about solving real problems.
Chris Nichols
Can you give an example comparing strategies for payment-heavy companies vs. say, a group of doctors?
Steven Ramirez
Sure. In Wichita, KS—where there’s a concentration of airplane parts and maintenance companies—there’s a need for procurement and supply chain optimization. For them, a straight-through payment process integrated into their project management systems is key. For small merchants or restaurants, the focus might be on payroll and offerings like instant payments or earned wage access. It all comes down to understanding client needs through deep client insight work.
Chris Nichols
Should you create client personas for commercial payments marketing?
Are you developing customer personas? How do you adapt strategy for each?
Steven Ramirez
Yes, we use personas and journey maps. It’s about understanding the role and needs of each client type—not just their industry. From these insights, you define your differentiation, the benefits you’ll promote, and how you’ll promote them—through events, LinkedIn, or other channels, depending on the audience.
Chris Nichols
Any go-to tactics or surprises in marketing?
Steven Ramirez
Clients want advisory relationships, not just sales pitches. Content like blogs and client education that shows your expertise is relevant. Educational marketing and thought leadership play big roles.
Chris Nichols
Focusing on industry verticals for B2B marketing
Would you advise banks to focus on a small set of verticals initially?
Steven Ramirez
Yes, it’s important. Trying to reach everyone dilutes focus. Start small, iterate, and improve over time.
Chris Nichols
How are do payments and treasury management marketing strategy relate?
What about Treasury Management—how do you integrate that focus with payments?
Steven Ramirez
Clients don’t differentiate between ACH, lockbox, or other tools—they just want integrated, simple solutions. The focus should be on making Treasury Management a seamless experience that meets client needs.
Chris Nichols
What are your thoughts on instant payments?
Steven Ramirez
Instant payments are increasingly expected, they are table stakes. Clients want immediacy. Banks need to make payment delivery easy without requiring clients to choose between payment methods. That’s where the opportunity lies.
Chris Nichols
Marketing embedded payments for banks
How important is embedded banking in ERPs or accounting systems?
Steven Ramirez
Extremely important. The best UX is invisibility—payments should be so well integrated that users don’t notice them. Embedded payments increase productivity and ease of use for clients.
Chris Nichols
Is that a must-have for banks?
Steven Ramirez
Yes. Top banks have made embedded payments a strategic imperative. If your bank isn’t there yet, your core payments business is at risk from competitors.
Chris Nichols
How much should I compare myself to the big banks?
Steven Ramirez
Differentiation is everything. Large banks like JPMorgan Chase make clear promises, like supporting companies at every stage. Community banks need to define their own unique value propositions.
Chris Nichols
Should community banks offer risk management and fraud protection services?
Should I be offering services like risk, AML, KYC, etc.?
Steven Ramirez
Absolutely. Fraud is increasingly complex and costly. Banks need strong fraud protection policies and tools, especially with emerging threats like AI-driven fraud.
Chris Nichols
It’s tough to make that case internally sometimes.
Steven Ramirez
Agreed. The pace of change in financial services is accelerating. Yesterday’s frameworks aren’t enough. Fortunately, better tools and clearer paths to implementation are now available. Banks should embrace this change positively.
Chris Nichols
When should a bank work with an agency like Beyond the Arc?
Steven Ramirez
We bring client perspective to the table, helping banks shift focus from internal products to client needs. Most agencies lack deep knowledge of commercial payments—our experience allows you to move fast and get things done.
Chris Nichols
AI in banking and other financial industry trends
What should banks be thinking about for the future?
Steven Ramirez
AI-driven productivity and time savings are critical. Automation powered by AI is the future of payments—helping optimize flows, prevent fraud, and extract valuable insights from payment data.
Chris Nichols
Tell me more about AI and payments.
Steven Ramirez
AI overcomes the limitations of rule-based automation. It enables optimization, faster payments, fraud prevention, and leverages ISO 20022 for rich data insights. It’s a transformational opportunity for banks.
Steven Ramirez
Banks should also assess their websites and content. Do they reflect your thought leadership? If not, start the internal conversations to improve that.
Chris Nichols
Now is the perfect time to be a trusted advisor. With so much uncertainty, customers need guidance more than ever.
Steven Ramirez
Absolutely. It’s an exciting time. The payoff is there, and banks of all sizes are stepping up. There’s real opportunity for those who act.
Chris Nichols
Closing thoughts on treasury management marketing strategy
Final thoughts?
Steven Ramirez
This is a vibrant space. Treasury management platforms that support cash flow and payments are essential for staying relevant and profitable. Marketing, product mix, sales compensation—these all need attention.
Chris Nichols
Thanks, Steve. We look forward to seeing you in the field.
Steven Ramirez
Thanks a lot, Chris. Appreciate it.
“A payments marketing strategy starts with client pain points, tailored by industry vertical. Clients don’t care about payment rails—they care about solving real problems.”
— Steven Ramirez, CEO Beyond the Arc
What do community banks need to know about marketing payments and treasury management?
There are 7 things that banks need to know about marketing payments and treasury management.
7 Key Takeaways from the Podcast
- Start with client pain points
- Focus on vertical-specific solutions
- Lead with benefits, not features
- Use embedded & instant payments
- Leverage AI for automation & fraud
- Build trust via thought leadership
- Iterate & test content constantly
Why are these factors important for your payments marketing strategy?
The main idea is to clearly identify the clients you are planning to serve, and based on insights and research, emphasize how you help address their business problems. Payment rails and fintech solutions are means to that end.
Payments strategy starts with the client: Steven stresses the need for banks to root marketing and product strategy in client pain points, not product features. He emphasizes developing customer personas, and tailoring messages for industry verticals, to craft meaningful, differentiated value propositions.
Clients don’t care about payment rails: They care about solving business problems like saving time, increasing automation, and simplifying reconciliation. Banks must lead with benefits, not technical specs.
Vertical focus is key: Banks trying to reach everyone end up reaching almost no one. Steven advises narrowing focus, then iterating on messaging based on results. This agile, test-and-learn, approach allows you to experiment and then home in on what works.
Embedded payments and instant payments are table stakes: Leading banks are going all in on embedded payments. Community banks must act now or risk being outpaced.
AI + Payments = Gamechanger: AI allows smarter automation, fraud prevention, and actionable insights. It’s the next big frontier in payments.
Be a trusted advisor, not a salesperson: Thought leadership, education, and content marketing earn client trust and drive growth more than traditional sales tactics.
Start today: Review your bank’s website and blogs. Are you demonstrating value and thought leadership? If not, it’s time to change that.
Partner to power your commercial payments content marketing
When you consider all the moving parts, developing and executing (or retooling) a plan for commercial payments marketing may seem daunting. That’s where a partner agency like Beyond the Arc can do the heavy lifting for you.
“Most agencies lack deep knowledge of commercial payments. We bring client insight, speed, and clarity to execution.”
— Steven Ramirez, CEO