new customers How to get Customers have more choices than ever about where and how to do their banking. Community banks must find the right ways to engage them if they want to win and retain their loyalty. Here are the strategies that are working for several community banks. By Robert Lerose * Illustrations by Priya Mistry hanks to new competition for financial services accounts, it's more critical than ever that community banks have reliable ways to acquire and retain new customers. Some traditional marketing methods still work, but bankers say the most effective game plans combine face-to-face relationships, consistent outreach and community involvement. Adapting these strategies to your community bank could help it stand out in a crowded market. " Being visible in the community is really important, " says Geoff Thomas, chief product officer at Harland Clarke, a payments and marketing services provider in San Antonio, Texas. " Banking remains a highly personal thing and it's best served with relationships, which are generally formed through some kind of contact. It's important to put yourself in a place with that context, but have it be relevant and appropriate. " Having extended business hours or buying an ad at your local stadium may not be enough to get people to bank with you. Thomas says community bankers 52 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q April 2020 T