Community bank saves time, money by outsourcing many internal marketing functions.

• Position: Bank of Denver

A Denver community bank says it has saved time and 15 to 20 percent on costs by outsourcing the bulk of its marketing projects.

The move by the Bank of Denver, Colo., (assets $157 million; four locations) is part of a trend in which smaller banks are outsourcing a growing proportion of the internal marketing function. The pattern has been facilitated by the growing number of vendors who offer professionally looking prepackaged bank and promotional campaigns. In many cases, all that bank managers need to do is customize the ad copy and apply the bank logo to the existing templates.

Bank of Denver, which has been outsourcing for four years, spends "significantly less time" on marketing projects than it did when projects were handled in-house, according to Lisa Page, vice president.

In the past, managers handled all of the design and layout function for a campaign internally, and then contacted a local printer--often at the last minute. Managers also had to oversee all printing and mailings, according to Page.

"Without a marketing department, our president and vice president Were constantly pressured to develop monthly and special marketing materials," says...