Top Tips for Maximizing Check Program Performance – A Guide

August 6, 2025
Written by George Sawaya
Tips & Tricks
11 minute read

If you’ve written off your check program as “just a cost of doing business,” you’re not alone. In a world of mobile wallets and instant transfers, it’s natural that a check program would lose money, right? Well, not exactly.

Across the country, financial institutions are quietly turning their check programs into reliable sources of non-interest income. And the best part? Turning the ship around doesn’t take much time or money at all.

In an act of financial services judo, some institutions are using the market’s own momentum (along with a few clever cost-cutting moves) to flip their check programs head over tail. Here are a few proven methods for doing just that.

Chop Through Hidden Check Program Fees

Cut Costs Without Cutting Corners

With long-term contracts come long-term consequences. It’s not an overstatement to say that your choice of check vendor can make or break your program. But if you’re focused purely on the price of checks or the sign-on bonus some vendors offer, you’re missing the fine print where the real pain hides.

Some vendors are all too willing to slip in hidden fees that quietly erode your margins. The best counter move is a line-item audit of your check vendor agreement.

If you’re paying the following fees, it may be time to reevaluate that partnership before it lands another blow to your bottom line.

Common Check Vendor Hidden Fees:

Reprint Fees (including S&H)
Order Processing Fees
Program Management Fees

New Account Fees
Retail Price Changes
Branch Addition/Closing Fees

Perhaps the most galling are fees for customer service. If you’re paying for phone calls or troubleshooting, you can’t have conversations with your vendor – you can only make transactions. To see how your check vendor stacks up, download our Check Vendor Comparison Guide.

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Strike a Balance with Smart Pricing

Adjust Pricing with Purpose – Not Penalties

Checks are a product, sure, but at some institutions, they’re also like a public service. However you slice it, free checks – whether mandated or offered as a goodwill gesture – look a lot like red ink in your check program’s ledger.

Of course, the cost of a checkbook is minor compared to the fruits of a long-term account holder relationship. But there are other, more institutional ways to offset that cost while boosting performance.

Offer Fewer Checks in Free Orders

For a start, consider offering a Basic Package of personal checks for first-time or complimentary orders – typically 30 checks instead of 60 or 90. Most account holders won’t notice the reduced quantity, and many won’t use their full supply anytime soon.

For First Order Free or special promotions, The Basic Package with 30 checks gives the account holder a free, personalized order at the lowest cost. For ongoing “Club” programs that provide free checks, a large package (90 or 120 checks) reduces costs by requiring less order frequency.

Look for a check vendor that can support these strategies with flexible fulfillment options and an understanding of real usage trends.

Increase Check Costs for Others

Small but meaningful price increases for other checking customers could rebalance the equation like a well-timed parry – especially when coupled with improved check designs and added security features.

Meanwhile, partnering with a vendor that helps track order patterns and program performance can reveal unexpected revenue opportunities or cost savings, even in accounts where the checks themselves are free. Ultimately, the right check vendor for your institution should be able to help with your profitability modeling.

Master the Art of Check Program Promotion

Through Print & Digital Marketing

When it comes to increasing check program revenue, engagement is key – and a disciplined campaign can make all the difference. The more participation you have, the better positioned you’ll be to keep costs low and revenue high.

But we all know that it takes money to make money, and why would anyone invest in a token endeavor that’s already in the red?

Well, for starters, these marketing materials aren’t a heavy lift (either creatively or financially). Additionally, some check vendors will provide collateral at no extra cost.

All Main Street clients receive complimentary marketing materials to drive check program engagement, including:

One-sheeters for acrylic tabletop and T-style holders
Table tents
Statement stuffers
Digital ads for in-branch TVs
Digital ads for social channels

Bonus Tip: Offer More Compelling & Personable Check Products

The best marketing materials are only as good as the products they advertise. Thankfully, modern checks are anything but boring. With dozens of fun and festive designs, checks these days can match any personality.

Leverage Local Passions with High School & Collegiate Sports Checks

Few things are more personal than local sports fandom. Every community has a team or two close to their hearts. Some check vendors have licensing agreements in place with colleges and high schools, allowing them to reproduce team logos, colors, and mascots for checks that fly off the shelves.

Become a Preferred Business Partner in Your Community

Local businesses are a major driver of check program revenue. Furthermore, their check needs are larger and more predictable than those of private citizens. By offering branded business check bundles – complete with vouchers, deposit tickets, and payroll stubs – you can create new opportunities for reliable revenue.

Protect Account Holders from Fraud with High Security Checks

Check fraud is a pervasive and deeply concerning issue affecting institutions and account holders alike. But we’re far from powerless when it comes to protecting our funds from bad actors. Modern high security checks rely on advanced printing capabilities to drastically reduce the likelihood of duplication or alteration.

Don’t Throw in the Towel on Your Check Program

Fix it with These Simple Steps Instead

Operating a check program as a loss leader can be a sound strategy – especially when it helps attract and retain more valuable relationships. But with minimal effort or investment, your check program could work harder for the success of stakeholders and account holders alike.

Maximize Check Program Performance with Main Street

At Main Street, we provide Strategic Account Management at no extra charge to each of our 2,000+ clients. By conducting regular policy reviews, analyzing year-over-year performance, and suggesting new program initiatives to boost engagement, we can tailor check programs to meet your goals – whatever they happen to be.