The first bill for electricity — a whopping $50.40 — was paid to Edison Electric Light Company 140 years ago this week on Jan. 18, 1883. A decade later, people were still not convinced electricity doesn’t impact sleep or make you sick. We pull three story-sharing ideas from the past to help you reach today’s consumers.
At StoryConnect, rural telco and electric utility communicators swap stories, share inspiration and connect with peers. Never been? Discover some of the sessions and networking opportunities featured this spring, and learn three ways the conference supports your storytelling skills and strengthens your peer network, too.
Pioneer utility storytellers Mike Teegarden and Megan McKoy-Noe shared ideas to help strengthen your storytelling in this recorded webinar from Jan. 12, 2023. They refer a few times to Pioneer’s content planning calendar. You can download a digital version at pioneer.coop/2023contentplanner. Want a printed version? Email your name and address to hello@pioneer.coop and we’ll send […]
ChatGPT, Jasper and other writing bots are making headlines. How will artificial storytellers impact the perceived value of utility communicators? I found four features which could help strengthen your content (as long as you stay in control).
We’re celebrating Pioneer Senior Editor Pam Blair's storied career by marking how she strengthened stories and supported utility storytellers. She shares the importance of human connections, why she designs story experiences and how to build a career with curiosity.
Stories are critical for connecting with consumers. How can utilities use proactive communications and engagement strategies to reach their audience? Get four steps to help strengthen your brand's story, then join our Nov. 2 webinar to build your story in 2023!
Pioneer, as a communications co-op, was built to share the story of Utility Pioneers. To celebrate National Cooperative Month, we’ve added a free, customizable campaign on Pioneer Studio.
Ruralite readers from Alaska to California popped thousands of leftover corks into the mail to meet a stranger’s unique request, demonstrating the power of community storytelling and the reach of the monthly magazine in the process.
What You’ll Learn A lot of utilities are weighing rebrands and new brands as they add broadband service, merge with other utilities or expand to new communities. Meridian Cooperative Vice President of Marketing and Creative Services Lindsay Tyson led her co-op’s rebranding efforts. She talks about using a rebranding timeline, engaging staff as brand ambassadors […]
How do Utility Pioneers find people and community groups to feature as community champions for their story? Hear ideas from NCTC’s Amy Phelps and Pioneer’s Susan Bain in this webinar, recorded on Aug. 18, 2022.
What You’ll Learn Michael Rovito, deputy director at the Alaska Power Association, explains the role of photography and finding your focus in storytelling. He’s watched Alaskan utility storytelling in Ruralite magazine evolve from a focus on utility news to shining light on more compelling stories about the people and programs connecting rural Alaskan communities. Michael’s […]
Utility Pioneers are served by a team of dedicated industry communicators. In July Pioneer Associate Editor Victoria Hampton won national recognition in Public Utilities Fortnightly magazine for her storytelling commitment.
