About PrimeBank
PrimeBank is a thriving, growth-oriented community bank with deep roots and a bold vision. Initially chartered in 2003 as Capital Bank of Texas (CBOT), the bank is headquartered in the heart of Austin, Texas, and proudly serves South Texas communities like Carrizo Springs and Crystal City. Under the leadership of President and Co-Founder Tanya Miller and Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder Bobby Priestley, PrimeBank’s current assets now exceed $215 million. Their initial goal was to grow their email list and directly connect with their existing customers, particularly in South Texas, where the information was lacking. We also supported them with expanding the visual brand to fully define their messaging and creative assets.
The Challenges
Communicating Core Conversion
As PrimeBank prepared to implement a modern tech stack and enhance its digital services, the team recognized a crucial need to connect with its community base in Austin and South Texas. Historically, email communication had not been a central component of their customer engagement and needed to expand its email list, while building an infrastructure to inform its customer base about the upcoming changes to the digital banking and debit card services.
The Solution
List-Building & Drip Email Strategy
Zilker Media created a strategy on core messaging and a seven-email marketing drip campaign focused on education, reassuring stability, and encouraging questions and feedback so that all customers felt supported and clear on the coming months and the changes ahead. Additionally, Zilker Media designed a form for the tellers to provide to all customers in the lobby and drive-thru to gather customer emails, ensuring comprehensive communication across all touchpoints.
Services Provided
- Brand expansion and ongoing design
- Creation of internal and external forms and guides
- Large format signage
- Credit and debit card design
- Strategy for key product rollouts and messaging
- Investor relations
- Ongoing social media support
- Creation, design and implementation of all email marketing
The Execution
Bringing the Plan to Life
The email campaign launched with a message from PrimeBank’s CEO, Bobby Priestley, reinforcing the “why” behind the change and setting the tone for transparent communication with their customer base. Subsequent emails detailed new mobile banking features, app transition instructions, and debit card replacement steps—each one featuring visuals, links, and timely calls to action.
Zilker Media also mobilized PrimeBank’s customer-facing teams. Forms at every teller station and drive-thru helped gather emails from in-branch customers and ensured consistent messaging. Integrating form collection with the digital strategy encouraged comprehensive list growth, even from less digitally engaged customers.
The Results
Email Growth and Best-in-Class Engagement
The campaign delivered standout results. PrimeBank’s email list grew by 70%, enabling ongoing communication with a much broader customer base. Email open rates consistently exceeded 50-80%, a testament to both the relevance of the content and the trust customers placed in their relationship with PrimeBank.