Courting profitable customers.

• Position: Idea Bank - Brief article

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Customer Retention Marketing; Runner-Up; Asset Size Under $500 Million

ABAMN Financial Marketing Awards

Institution: Community Bank, Granbury, Texas

The bank introduced a retention campaign targeting the 200 households that make up almost 80 percent of profit.

The campaign had four aspects:

* Quarterly surprise mailings containing small gifts. In addition, each household was contacted personally or by telephone regularly.

* A "fill the bowl" campaign. Each household was sent a bowl and instructed to place the bowl on his or her desk. Each month, customers receive candy or other goodies to fill the bowl. They...