Extra! Extra! Read all about it! You too can create a publication.

• Author: Martin, Brenda
• Position: Custom Publications

It's becoming harder to 'touch' the customer these days, especially since many don't even bother to visit the branch. Some banks are deploying easy-to-read communications vehicles--in either paper or online formats--to reach out to these elusive customers. Below are profiles of three such successful publishing ventures.

Bank publications and newsletters--once seen as tools exclusively to showcase the bank's latest product and service offerings--have evolved into more sophisticated communications channels, delivering information on community events, lifestyle, travel and much more. When coordinated with the bank's strategic marketing plan, these modern information conduits can help to cross-sell and to bolster the institution's image and awareness among targeted readers.

Customer publications can come in various formats, sizes and shapes to include both paper and electronic versions. Some financial organizations are opting to offer both in order to deliver a format most desirable to the end-user. As with any marketing communication medium, the end goal is to get the customer to read and respond in a positive fashion.

Needless to say, once you make a commitment to produce a publication, you will have to be consistent with the frequency, brand look and level of content that you provide, knowing that this can become the "face" of the organization to those who show up in your building only infrequently.

Below are three examples of marketers who have had success with customer publications.

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Lifestyle Flare

Rob Brough

Executive Vice President

Marketing and Communications Zions Bank

Salt Lake City

Asset Size: $48.6 Billion

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Zions Bank woos customers with an elegant, classy publication called "Community." With a total distribution of 50,000 copies, this full-color, glossy magazine is different from the run-of-the-mill bank periodical in that it feels more like a consumer publication--something that you would pay money to receive.

The focus of "Community" is to provide content that is reflective of customers' lifestyle. The magazine is distributed to a select target market--the Gold Service Club members (top 10 percent of the client base) and commercial customers.

"Community" publishes features on topics about interesting travel destinations in Utah and Idaho, great food and healthy living. This publication gives "full-service banking" a whole new meaning.

The bank originally planned to create a...