Offering Substance Co-op Pros Can Use on the Job: Connect 2005

Keynote speaker Andrew Zolli -- author, forecaster and design strategist--will speak at Connect 2005 on May 16, helping attendees to think strategically and to keep an eye on the future as they plan their communications, marketing and member relations efforts. Zolli is a speaker with substance and will definitely get attendees thinking about how the environment, globalization, technology and branding affect business.

By connecting trends in demographics, technology, geopolitics, and business, he helps multinational corporations, governments and other organizations manage the impact these trends have on their strategic goals. Zolli's work, writings and ideas have appeared in a range of media outlets, including PBS, National Public Radio, The New York Times, Wired, Business Week, ID, Fast Company, The History Channel and many others.

Connect 2005 is the premier marketing, communications, branding and member services conference for the electric cooperative network. Applying the best of the former Touchstone Energy Brand Leadership Summit and NRECA Marketing, Member Services & Communications Conference, Connect 2005 takes place May 16-18 in New Orleans. The event kicks off at 8:30 a.m. on the 16th and adjourns at 11 a.m. on the 18th.

An array of sessions will focus on:
 - co-op communications in a time of crisis;
 - evaluating and cultivating the customer experience and all of the cooperative "touchpoints" to build member loyalty; 
 - innovative strategies for marketing electricity in the current competitive environment;
 - motivating employees to serve members with integrity and innovation;
 - environmental PR;
 - renewable energy marketing campaigns;
 - measuring customer satisfaction and then doing something about it;
 - implementing the Co-op Connections Card;
- building the brand at the local level;
- the Web site as a tool for linking with younger members;
- technologies that improve operations effectiveness and customer service, and
- using the Cooperative Difference research to communicate co-op value propositions that resonate with distinct demographic groups.

Send three or more and save with Connect Value Pack
The Connect 2005 registration fee is $575 for the 2.5-day event. However, co-ops can take advantage of a reduced registration fee by sending multiple attendees. With the Connect Value Pack, co-ops can send three or more attendees for $450 per person - a savings of more than 20 percent on the regular conference fee.

To qualify for the Connect Value Pack rate of $450 per person, a co-op must register a minimum of three employees at the same time. The hotel is the Hyatt New Orleans adjacent to the Superdome, and the rate for Connect 2005 attendees is $135/night. Online registration will be available on Jan. 20, 2005.

Jerry Jeff Walker to Belt 'Em Out at Connect 2005

He's played for U.S. presidents, toured in Lear Jets and bought second homes in New Orleans and Belize (the fruits, in part, of having penned an American pop standard, "Mr. Bojangles"). AND NOW, JERRY JEFF WALKER WILL PLAY FOR AMERICA'S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES.

Jerry Jeff Walker will be on stage for the Connect 2005 entertainment and reception evening in New Orleans. The event, dubbed the Party at the Plantation, will take place the evening of May 17 at the historic Destrehan Plantation a few miles outside of downtown New Orleans. 

Jerry Jeff Walker lived--and is living again--the troubadour's life. Lots of musicians talk about the road; Jerry Jeff really is the kid who rode his thumb out of his hometown in upstate New York to such exotic destinations as Key West (where he introduced another young musician named Jimmy Buffett to the pleasures of island life). Here's what some celebs have to say about Jerry Jeff:

"Jerry Jeff has bounced in and out of my life like the Mad Hatter on the way to the tea party."
--Jimmy Buffett

"Mesmerizing on stage, with just him and his guitar."
--Guy Clark

In addition to the lively tunes from Jerry Jeff, Connect 2005 attendees will be treated to some of the finest Cajun fare to be had, courtesy of a cadre of cooks from Louisiana's electric co-ops.

Touchstone Energy Sponsors The Beach Boys at NRECA Annual Meeting

Touchstone Energy Surfs Up the Beach Boys at 2005 NRECA Annual Meeting
As a new sponsor of entertainment night at the 2005 NRECA Annual Meeting, Touchstone Energy is able to host a stellar group that needs no introduction, only a surfboard and some decent waves...The Beach Boys.

The Beach Boys will assuredly serve as an energy booster Monday evening, Feb. 28 at the Annual Meeting in San Diego. All meeting registrants (excluding spouses and guests) from Touchstone Energy cooperatives receive a free ticket, courtesy of Touchstone Energy.

"Touchstone Energy is thrilled to be the sponsor of the 2005 Annual Meeting Entertainment Night," said Touchstone Energy COO Jim Bausell. "The Beach Boys' timeless hits will assuredly be highlights for all concert-goers."

Register today for NRECA's 2005 Annual Meeting and order tickets by fax, mail or online at www.cooperative.com.

Touchstone Energy conference registrants can order extra tickets for $28 each until February 4. After that, tickets will cost $38 each:

Ticket orders can be mailed to:
     National Rural Electric Co-op Assn.
     P.O. Box 85080
     Richmond, VA  23285-4101

Orders can also be faxed or phoned in.
     Fax: 703.907.5951
     Phone: 703.907.5868

Co-op Connections Implementation Can be a Snap

Implementing the Co-op Connections member benefits program locally isn't as daunting as one might think. Take United Power (Brighton, Colo.) for instance. This progressive co-op already has distributed 52,000 Co-op Connections cards to its members, helping them obtain discounts at roughly 70 local merchants while giving those key accounts more business. 

"I'm really pleased with the level of interest since launching Co-op Connections in November," said Heidi Belohrad, communications manager at United Power. "Plus, I bet it didn't take 40 hours of work on my end."

Belohrad enlisted the help of a part-time contract salesperson to make initial contact with potential business participants. She also mailed letters to every business member, introducing herself and Co-op Connections. Once the word started to spread about the member benefits card, businesses contacted the co-op to sign up. Belohrad hopes to have 100 businesses participating by this summer.

"United Power is doing a great thing for small businesses that don't necessarily have the budget for marketing and communications," said Belohrad. "We're truly heroes to these folks. And the public is a winner, too. Residential members now get discounts at many local businesses," she added.

United Power ordered a five-year supply of the cards using the online form at www.advancingthebrand.coop. Once the cards were distributed, Belohrad published a list of participating businesses, as well as introductory information, in the co-op's newsletter and on its Web site.

Cabot Creamery Cooperative and Red Roof Inn Offer Co-op Connections Deals
Cabot Creamery, a dairy product cooperative hailing from Montpelier, Vt., has joined Co-op Connections as a Premier Discount Provider. As a new participant, Cabot Creamery offers Co-op Connections cardholders 10 percent off its award-winning dairy products, including its self-proclaimed "World's Best Cheddar."

Shop online at http://shop.cabotcheese.com/promo/47TE22 or place an order by calling 1.800.639.3198 and mentioning the discount code 47TE22 to receive your savings. The current discount offering is live on the www.connections.coop site.

Red Roof Inn has agreed to offer Co-op Connections cardholders a 10 percent discount off the hotel chain's rate of the day. Red Roof Inn has more than 350 locations across the country. To obtain discounts, Co-op Connections members must mention the savions code CP529370 when making reservations.

Savings Can be Had by Joining First Quarter Print Run
More than 50 Touchstone Energy co-ops are currently involved in or are planning to implement the Co-op Connections member benefits card in the first quarter of 2005.  Co-ops can realize significant savings by participating in a first quarter card and key fob print run by submitting orders by Jan. 31 on http://www.advancingthebrand.coop/. 

In order to guarantee the unit price of $.14302 per a full set (one card and two key fobs), co-ops must sign up for the first quarter run.  On future runs, the price will increase due to material costs and varying quantities. All co-op orders for the cards and key fobs must be placed in 2,500 increments.

To participate in this print run, please contact Cynthia Henthorn at Cynthia.henthorn@nreca.coop or 703.907.5575.

Log On to Learn About the Brand

Recent hires and seasoned employees alike are logging on to the online version of Ask Me About Touchstone Energy to learn about the brand, its importance to cooperatives and the role of employees as local ambassadors for the co-op difference. Participant evaluations have been extremely positive.

"I found the course to be easy to navigate and have recommended it to other employees," said Amy Rosier, communications coordinator at White River Valley Electric Co-op, Branson, Mo.  "It's a great tool for helping employees learn about Touchstone Energy." Rosier estimates the course took her less than an hour to complete.

The course can be accessed on the Cooperatives Only side of www.touchstoneenergy.coop or directly at http://askme.touchstoneenergy.coop. For more information, contact Mary McLaury at mary.mclaury@nreca.coop.

Brand Manager Tip of the Month

East Kentucky Power Cooperative employees head the pack in completing the online Ask Me About Touchstone Energy course. The co-op provides an added incentive for learning by providing a Touchstone Energy giveaway -- like a mug, matchbox truck or portfolio -- to all who complete the course.

"The responses have been great," says Ann  Maggard, EKPC's training specialist.  "For the new employees, it's a great starting point. It's also a great refresher for many of the older employees who admit they've forgotten a lot of what they had learned about the brand." 

Board Places Emphasis on Ramping Up ACSI Participation

Roughly 120 Touchstone Energy cooperatives have used the American Customer Satisfaction Index as a yardstick for measuring their communications and member relations efforts. The Touchstone Energy board of directors has approved, as part of the brand's strategic plan, to double participation in this key measurement in 2005 as a way to identify best business practices.

Many co-ops have integrated the four ACSI questions into annual surveys, helping pinpoint effective strategies, as well as those that haven't moved the proverbial needle toward favorable scores. Increasing the number of cooperatives that participate will help the network recognize key drivers to obtaining good ACSI scores. These best practices will be shared among all Touchstone Energy cooperatives. For instance, if a cooperative scores in the 90s on an annual basis, its business practices will be communicated to the membership. As a whole, Touchstone Energy cooperatives notched an 81 in the most recent ACSI score compared to an electric utility industry average of 72.

The ACSI tabulation is part of Touchstone Energy cooperatives' annual investment. It doesn't cost the co-ops anything to use the four questions in their respective surveys. Touchstone Energy cooperatives simply download the questions from the Cooperatives Only section of www.touchstoneenergy.coop, follow the directions for compiling data, and then submit the raw data to Touchstone Energy's Erin Keogh at erin.keogh@nreca.coop.

Web Sites That Wow

The Web Sites That Wow monthly feature is intended to demonstrate how a Touchstone Energy cooperative effectively uses its Web site in its brand-building efforts. This month's site belongs to Blue Grass Energy Co-op (Nicholasville, Ky.), which does a nice job featuring the Co-op Connections program and participating businesses on the co-op's Web site:  http://www.bgenergy.com/.

Quotable Quotes

"The secret to our enduring brand lies in delivering an experience rather than just a collection of products and services."

Harley-Davidson Annual Report

Editor, Marty Haught
marty.haught@nreca.coop
703-907-5986