| Local Community Banks must support the community | | | | efforts. Local banks would be well advised to |
| that supports them and remain a strong partner in | | | | participate in community events, 10K runs, high school |
| economic redevelopment and down town revitalization, | | | | booster clubs, Mayor's business Roundtable's and local |
| as well as help up and coming entrepreneurs and | | | | economic forums. And these activities should be the |
| business people. If the bank can do this then they are | | | | minimum they should do. |
| well on their way to becoming successful in their area. | | | | Public relations for a local community bank are |
| To insure the community knows of all this hard work, | | | | paramount if the bank is to grow in size. Failure to |
| community support and financial building monies it pays | | | | participate in the community at this level will cause a |
| to alert them and the media in a well thought out public | | | | slower growth rates and the local community bank will |
| relations campaign. | | | | be overtaken in the marketplace by larger banks with |
| Often community banks will put all the local business | | | | bigger marketing budgets, more advertising and a free |
| people and Chamber of Commerce members on | | | | guess for opening new accounts. Please consider all |
| permanent subscriptions to their newsletters and by | | | | of this in 2006. |
| doing this they can increase the exposure to their | | | | |