March 2008
New Campaign Generates Widespread Interest
Connect 2008 Offers Unrivaled Learning, Networking Opportunities
Touchstone Energy Savers Accessible Through Two Web Addresses
New Case Studies Available on Best Practices Knowledgebase
New Events Calendar Available Online
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Board of Directors Elects Officers
Upcoming Web Conferences and Events
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Adds Two New Members
Share Your Brand-Building Success Stories
New Campaign Generates Widespread Interest
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives’ new advertising campaign, “The Conversation,” has quickly gained popularity online and among co-ops. The campaign, which includes five television spots and will soon offer print ads and radio spots, made its debut at the Touchstone Energy Annual Meeting on Feb. 26.
All five of the new spots have been posted on YouTube.com. One of the spots, “Change Rolls Into Town,” has
proven especially intriguing, as it has received more than 40,000 hits since it was posted on March 6. “Change Rolls Into Town” features an all-electric vehicle known as the Aptera and reinforces the need to strike the right balance in meeting the demand for reliable and affordable electricity. The spot has also landed on a blog that tracks trends in electric vehicles and alternative fuels.
Many Touchstone Energy co-ops have taken advantage of a unique opportunity to have some or all of the five spots customized. An initial recording session was recently held during which 99 co-ops or groups of co-ops had their names voiced into the scripts of the spots. More recording sessions will be held in the coming months. Dates and details will be announced soon. The voice-over option is available free of charge to Touchstone Energy cooperatives.
The spots can be viewed and downloaded online. Beta SP tagging masters or DVD viewing copies of "The Conversation" are also available by contacting Scott Bialick at 703.907.5627/ scott.bialick@nreca.coop. Direct questions about the new campaign and voice-over process to Scott Bialick or Cynthia Henthorn at 703.907.5575/ cynthia.henthorn@nreca.coop.
Five Spots Running in National Media Buy Until April 6
"The Conversation" is running nationally as part of a month-long media buy, the first of several national media buys for 2008. The spots can be seen on cable and satellite channels such as Fox News, USA, TNT, The Weather Channel, TBS, TNT, AMC, Lifetime, DirecTV and others. The 2008 media buys will utilize a larger range of channels than ever before.
Connect 2008 Offers Unrivaled Learning, Networking Opportunities
The 2008 Connect Conference is right around the corner, and this year's event is shaping up to be better than ever. With keynote speakers from EPRI, Starbucks and others, 24 Learning Labs built around five conference themes, and an evening reception at Portland’s Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, the agenda has something for everyone.
Connect 2008 begins Monday, May 12, with pre-conference learning opportunities. The full conference kicks off at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, and concludes Thursday, May 15. For the first time, Connect’s learning labs have been shaped around five diverse conference themes to allow for a uniquely customized experience:
- Communication and Writing
- Green, Clean and Lean
- Marketing Strategies and Tactics
- Member Satisfaction and Loyalty
- Technology/Innovation.
Touchstone Energy resources and programs are integrated in several of the learning labs. Other unique offerings at Connect 2008 include a Pacific Northwest Wine Reception at the Connect Expo, the Spotlight on Excellence Awards Luncheon and Expo, “Speed Dating” on Electric Issues, a special workshop on technology and more. The conference brochure and complete agenda details are available online.
Register online through the Connect Web site.
Co-op Connections Card Update
The Co-op Connections Member Benefit Program is readying for its summer print run. Interested co-ops should plan to have their orders and logos submitted by June 13, with delivery of the cards slated for mid-September. Order forms and pricing will be available soon.
In other news…
- 159 Touchstone Energy co-ops currently offer the Co-op Connections card to their members—almost 25 percent of Touchstone Energy co-op membership.
- The program offers 64 national discount deals, with more on the way.
- The pharmacy discount attached to the Card was utilized more than 19,000 times in February, saving members more than $266,000 in that month alone.
Learn more about the program by visiting the Co-op Connections section of the Touchstone Energy Web site. Contact Scott Bialick with questions about the program and production run at 703.907.5627 or scott.bialick@nreca.coop
Touchstone Energy Savers Accessible Through Two Web Addresses
Touchstone Energy’s expanded energy efficiency portfolio can now be accessed via two different Web addresses—www.tsesavers.com and www.touchstoneenergysavers.com.
Both addresses will take users to the brand’s online suite of energy-saving applications known as
Touchstone Energy Savers. Innovative new applications like the “Lights Out” CFL game—designed to teach kids about the value of using compact fluorescent bulbs and turning off lights and appliances—make the portfolio even more comprehensive and appealing to co-op members. The “Lights Out” game is part of the Touchstone Energy Kids Zone, a unique component of the Touchstone Energy Savers portfolio that teaches younger co-op members about energy efficiency and renewable energy. Co-ops can link their members to the Touchstone Energy Savers Web site or download the applications and build them directly into their own Web sites.
For more information on Touchstone Energy Savers, contact Kristine Jackson-DeJarnette at 703.907.5633/ kristine.jackson@nreca.coop.
New Case Studies Available on Best Practices Knowledgebase
Two new case studies are available on Touchstone Energy's Best Practices Knowledgebase, an online library of proven best practices for improving member satisfaction. The Knowledgebase case studies are divided into three categories: Distribution System Operation, Member Communications, and Member Services and Administration. The two new studies appear in the latter two categories.
Communicating the Cooperative Difference
This study focuses on the efforts of Missouri’s White River Valley Electric Cooperative to engage its members in a dialog that has succeeded in communicating the benefits of co-op membership. The effort has resulted in sustained high level performance in member satisfaction during a period of sustained growth in the co-op’s service territory. The co-op took a well-rounded approach to meeting its challenges by consistently measuring its performance through the ACSI, becoming engaged in the Touchstone Energy brand, holding community and media events and more.
Innovative Rates for Key Accounts
As cooperatives evaluate the cost of serving key accounts, there is an opportunity to take a fresh look at options they provide to these customers. Are there options that will encourage them to use more electric energy or modify their usage patterns in a way that benefits the cooperative? This study uses data collected during the 2007 National Survey on the Cooperative Difference to explore these questions, and provides examples of how alternative electric rates can be structured.
New Events Calendar Available Online
The Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Web site has added a calendar of events to its members-only section. Touchstone Energy co-ops can access the calendar to keep up with the brand’s schedule of Web conferences, training and workshops and conferences. The calendar also provides contact information and registration links.
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Board of Directors Elects Officers
The Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Board of Directors elected officers at its recent meeting.
Re-elected President and Vice President were Mike Sims, General Manager of Butler REC (Oxford, Ohio), and Charles Castleberry, Executive Vice President/General Manager of Swisher Electric Cooperative (Tulia, Texas).
Doug Pryce, a director at United Power (Brighton, Colo.), was elected Secretary-Treasurer.
Upcoming Web Conferences and Events
Increasing Member Satisfaction in a Challenging Environment (Web Conference)
April 22, 2008
Connect 2008 Conference
May 13-15, 2008
Hilton Portland and Executive Tower Hotel, Portland, Oregon
Pre-Conference Events: May 12
Online Registration now open!
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Hot-Air Balloon Calendar
www.cbaballoon.com
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Adds Two New Members
The brand recently welcomed two new member co-ops:
- Kotzebue Electric Association (Kotzebue, Alaska)
- Stanton County PPD (Stanton, Nebraska)
Total membership is now 662 cooperatives!
Editor, Erin Keogh
erin.keogh@nreca.coop
703.907.5572