January 2008
Breaking News: Co-op Members Save More than $230K On Prescriptions in January
Straight Talk TV Campaign Retired
Touchstone Energy Annual Meeting to be Broadcast Live Feb. 26
Connect 2008 Registration Opens in February
New Case Studies Introduced on Best Practices Knowledgebase
Six Flags Theme Park Discount Available Feb. 15
Share Your Brand-Building Success Stories
Breaking News: Co-op Members Save More than $230K On Prescriptions in January
Touchstone Energy has just received impressive numbers capturing co-op members’ utilization of the pharmacy discount attached to the Co-op Connections card. In the month of January alone, co-op members flashed their cards nearly 17,000 times at 2,200 pharmacies nationwide, resulting in savings of more than $230,000.
A member of United Cooperative Services (Cleburne, Texas), sums up the impact of the savings the card delivers: “Thank you for the Co-op Connections card. I used it for a prescription that usually costs $167 but now costs $142. That might not sound like a lot of money, but I don't have insurance so every penny saved is a blessing.”
For more information on the Co-op Connections member benefit program and pharmacy discount, contact Scott Bialick at 703.907.5627 or scott.bialick@nreca.coop.
Straight Talk TV Campaign Retired
New Campaign Set to Debut in February
As of January 24, the five “Straight Talk” TV spots—“Co-ops Together,” “Brighter Tomorrow,” “Working for You,” “Infra-Red,” and “Safety”—were retired. Due to the expiration of the talent contract of the campaign’s spokesman, co-ops should not run the spots during any future media buys. Co-ops with a more
The “Straight Talk” radio spots are still valid and do not expire. The print ads for this campaign can be used until April 30, 2008.
A new TV campaign--“The Conversation”--is currently in production and will be ready to distribute to co-ops in late February-early March. The campaign includes five spots that will address current industry topics. It will debut at Touchstone Energy's Annual Meeting on Feb. 26.
Co-ops that already have an obligation to run any "Straight Talk" spot, or that have a more urgent requirement for the new television spots, should contact Scott Bialick at 703.907.5627 or scott.bialick@nreca.coop.
Touchstone Energy Annual Meeting to be Broadcast Live Feb. 26
Session Will Celebrate 10th Anniversary and Feature Debut of New TV Campaign
Don’t forget to tune in online to Touchstone Energy Cooperatives’ Annual Meeting, which will be held in conjunction with the NRECA Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Calif. Cooperative.com will stream live video of all general sessions through the Annual Meeting page on the site. Touchstone Energy’s portion of the action will be on Tuesday, Feb. 26, during the morning general session (8:30-10:30 a.m. Pacific). The session will include the premiere of “The Conversation,” the brand’s latest advertising campaign, and will celebrate Touchstone Energy’s 10th Anniversary.
Connect 2008 Registration Opens in February
End the winter blahs by planning your trip to Portland, Ore., for the 2008 Connect Conference May 13-15 (pre-conference events May 12). The annual event is designed for co-op communication, marketing and member service professionals, and will equip attendees with information, tools and professional development guaranteed to help them communicate more effectively with members.
Highlights of the event will include:
- Up-to-the-minute information on the latest developments in new energy legislation critically important to co-ops
- Touchstone Energy’s new “Conversation” advertising campaign
- Top-notch keynote speakers, including James Greathouse, Director of Internal Communications, Starbucks Coffee Company
- Connect Expo, featuring more than 35 vendors
- Spotlight on Excellence Award winners, highlighting the best in co-op communications
- Evening entertainment and reception at Portland’s Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, which features Howard Hughes’ plane, the 'Spruce Goose'
Stay tuned to the Connect website for more details and for registration information.
New Case Studies Introduced on Best Practices Knowledgebase
Four new case studies are available on Touchstone Energy’s Best Practices Knowledgebase, an online library of proven best practices for improving member satisfaction. Several of the new studies were developed as a result of extensive data gathered during the 2007 National Survey on the Cooperative Difference, scheduled to be delivered to co-ops in February.
Satisfaction Measurement Improves Performance
This study describes how Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC), a large, fast-growing cooperative headquartered in Fredericksburg, Virginia, uses member satisfaction measurement to its fullest.
Small-to-Medium Businesses: The Other Member
This study highlights the activities of two electric cooperatives that have succeeded in achieving high levels of satisfaction among small and medium sized businesses.
Energy Information as a Tool to Delight Customers
This study examines the efforts of a co-op striving to improve member satisfaction through enhanced energy reporting, an effort which was identified by its accounts as a key contributor to exceptional satisfaction levels. This factor also clearly stands out as a best practice among the twenty cooperatives participating in the 2007 national study.
Knowledge of Key Accounts that Really Matters!
This study is a compilation of feedback gleaned from the 2007 National Survey on the Cooperative Difference, which gathered valuable data on what key accounts are looking for from their cooperatives.
To view the complete case studies, visit the online Best Practices Knowledgebase.
Six Flags Theme Park Discount Available Feb. 15
February brings yet another exciting deal to the expanding collection of national discounts that co-op
members can take advantage of through the Co-op Connections member benefit program.
Six Flags has decided to offer employee pricing for admission to any of their 17 U.S.-based parks. The offer will be Internet-exclusive, so advise members that they will need to purchase their tickets in advance online. This discounted online pricing is up to 30 percent savings off the main ticket gate price (pricing varies per park). The parks open in March, and the online offer will be available starting on February 15 at www.connections.coop.
And, just in time for Valentine’s Day, several holiday-appropriate discounts have been secured with online retailers like Vermont Teddy Bear, PajamaGram, Calyx Flowers, Pro Flowers and Omaha Steaks, which offers a filet mignon dinner-for-two-package. A holiday-themed banner has been posted to each co-ops’ customized landing page to catch the eyes of shoppers looking for just the right Valentine’s Day gift.
Last Call for the First Co-op Connections Print Run of 2008
Orders for the first Co-op Connections card production run of the year are due February 8, 2008. Cards and key fobs are set to deliver in early May. The proposed pricing is available to help with the budgeting for the launch of the card. Print the attached order form and fax it in as soon as your co-op is ready to place an order.
Editor, Erin Keogh
erin.keogh@nreca.coop
703.907.5572