August 2008
New Advertising Elements Available on TouchstoneEnergy.coop
Order CFL Charlie Classroom Kits Today!
New Employee Training Activity Maps Out Brand Awareness
Lands' End Offers Discount on Co-op Logo Apparel
Co-op Connections Card Orders Due September 5
Web Conference Set to Introduce New Co-op Connections Site
"Conversation" Spot to Run During Little League Wold Series
Web Conference Details Energy Efficiency Success Stories
Share Your Brand-Building Success Stories
New Advertising Elements Available on TouchstoneEnergy.coop
Touchstone Energy’s latest communications campaign,“The Conversation,” is now fully integrated with print, radio, outdoor billboard and 15-second TV billboard options to complement the television spots--all designed to be customized for local use.
All of the new elements are posted on the Touchstone Energy Web site (follow the above links) and can be downloaded for co-op use. The new resources are available to Touchstone Energy co-ops at no additional charge, and all talent and photo rights have been licensed nationally for local co-op use.
Contact Cynthia Henthorn (703.907.5575 or cynthia.henthorn@nreca.coop) or Scott Bialick (703.907.5627 or scott.bialick@nreca.coop) with questions about any of the elements.
Order CFL Charlie Classroom Kits Today!
CFL Charlie, Touchstone Energy's energy efficiency mascot, is ready to head into classrooms this fall and help educate kids about co-ops, energy efficiency, renewable energy and electrical safety.
New "Super Energy Saver" classroom kits, designed for grades K-5, are packed with materials that will teach kids how to become "Super Energy Savers" at home, such as:
--take-home checklists that walks kids and parents through their homes, identifying energy-saving practices
-- Super Energy Saver certificates, signed by CFL Charlie
--activity sheets
--folders
--and CFL Charlie switch plate covers that remind kids to turn off lights.
Each kit contains 30 copies of each item, enough for one classroom, plus a teacher guide and classroom poster. The kits are designed to meet national education standards, and the teacher guide has been approved by elementary school teachers.
Ordering Information
Co-ops are invited to place orders for kits by emailing Touchstone Energy's Jason McGrade (jason.mcgrade@nreca.coop )or Ryan Schoenike(ryan.schoenike@nreca.coop). Eventually, an online ordering process for the kits will be made available. The design files are available for download online for those wishing to print the kits locally.
Other Promotional Items
Co-ops can rent or purchase life-size CFL Charlie costumes from Touchstone Energy through Kristine Jackson (kristine.jackson@nreca.coop).
Co-ops can also place orders through Summit Marketing for additional CFL Charlie promotional items that complement the Super Energy Saver kits. Lunch bags, tattoos, switch plate covers, pencils, t-shirts and magnets are available for purchase online.
New Employee Training Activity Maps Out Brand Awareness
Touchstone Energy co-ops have a new training activity to boost employee engagement and awareness of the brand. The activity, entitled, “Looking Out for You: The Cooperative Difference Discovery Map,” is designed for co-op directors and employees at all levels of the co-op.
During the 90-minute activity, participants are divided into groups of 4-6. Each group uses a map and three sets of cards that encourage discussion and interaction. The resources demonstrate how various Touchstone Energy resources can be tools to help employees meet members’ needs and navigate through various scenarios they might encounter in their roles at the co-op. The ultimate goal of the new training activity is to highlight the role played by each employee in building the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives brand.
The activity is easy to facilitate. To find out more, log on to the Touchstone Energy Web site or contact Ann Maggard at 703.907.5986 or ann.maggard@nreca.coop.
Lands' End Offers Discount on Co-op Logo Apparel
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Lands’ End Business Outfitters offers high quality logo apparel for Touchstone Energy cooperatives at a discount of 10 percent.
Co-ops can visit an online store created especially for Touchstone Energy co-ops. The store offers:
- 10 percent discount on Business Outfitters merchandise and logo application
- ability to create custom logos
- guaranteed period return policy
- discounts on bulk orders
- gift cards
- special resources for co-op Annual Meetings
- large product variety for men and women
- extended sizes
- no required minimums.
To order logo apparel, shop in the online store or call 877.312.4567 to reach a Lands’ End Business Outfitters consultant dedicated to serving Touchstone Energy cooperatives. Co-ops can also add their names to a catalog mailing list. Call the number above or send an email to touchstoneenergy@landsend.com.
Co-op Connections Card Orders Due September 5
Don't miss out on the incredible savings enjoyed by co-ops members nationwide. Plan to join the 177 Touchstone Energy co-ops already taking advantage of the Co-op Connections member benefit program during the next card and key fob production run.
The program has attracted tremendous interest from businesses in co-op communities (almost 13,000 merchants nationwide offer discounts), and boasts more than 70 national discounts, including the popular pharmacy discount, which qualifies co-ops members for savings on prescriptions at more than 55,000 retail pharmacy locations.
Orders for the third and final print run of the year are due Friday, September 5, 2008, with cards and key fobs set to deliver in mid-to-late December. This order form can be used to submit your card and key fob order, while this form will help you order fulfillment collateral. The production schedule and proposed pricing are available to help with your co-op's planning and budgeting.
Learn more about this 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.
Web Conference Set to Introduce New Co-op Connections Site
The Web site and local discount search engine for the Co-op Connections Program has been redesigned to optimize utility for cardholders and co-ops alike. The redesigned site will launch on Tuesday, Aug. 19.
A free Web conference has been scheduled for 1:30 pm EDT on Thursday, Aug. 14, to help acquaint users with the site’s new features. The tutorial also provides a great occasion for co-ops interested in launching the card to gain insight into managing local discounts.
To register and get more details, visit this page on Cooperative.com, or contact Scott Bialick at 703.907.5627 or scott.bialick@nreca.coop.
"Conversation" Spot to Run During Little League Wold Series
"Change Rolls Into Town," one of the five TV spots that make up part of "The Conversation" campaign, will run
on national television during the Little League World Series.
The spot will appear on ABC during championship games on August 23 and 24.
Web Conference Details Energy Efficiency Success Stories
We’re all familiar with the industry’s big push for energy efficiency. But which co-ops are actually succeeding with it? Is it possible to both achieve your co-op’s energy efficiency objectives and simultaneously improve member satisfaction?
Find out how two cooperatives are accomplishing just that in a free Web conference on Tuesday, Sept. 30.
In this informative hour, you’ll hear how two cooperatives reduced their costs with energy-efficient products and services, beat the competition, and gained credibility with their members. You’ll also learn how the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives brand is providing tools your co-op can leverage to follow their example.
Date: Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Time: 1:00 p.m. Eastern (12:00 p.m. Central, 11:00 a.m. Mountain, 10:00 a.m. Pacific)
Speakers:
- Tim Sullivan, Director of C&I Business Development, Touchstone Energy Cooperatives
- Ray Gosney, Executive Vice President, New Hampshire Electric Co-op
- Eddie McKnight, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, Berkeley Electric Co-op, SC
Cost: FREE for Touchstone Energy co-ops
Registration: Registration will be available soon on Cooperative.com. Please register by close of business on Friday, September 26, 2008. Call-in and Web access details for participants to follow.
This Web conference is accessible from any Internet location. The only items you will need are:
- PC Computer (the Web conference will not work on Apple Macintosh computers)
- Internet Access (56k or higher)
- Computer or Projector Screen
- Speaker Phone
Questions? Registration-related: contact Kathryn Momot at 703.907.5707 or at kathryn.momot@nreca.coop. Content-related: contact Tim Sullivan at 651.686.7477 or at tim.sullivan@nreca.coop.
Editor, Erin Keogh
erin.keogh@nreca.coop
703.907.5572