Challenge: Tennessee’s electric providers want to build a relationship with their customers beyond bill inserts while also sharing information about additional programs and services. But with limited time, they weren’t sure how to create engaging content. Solution: Working through the Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association, several pioneering utilities partnered with Pioneer to create Tennessee Connections […]
Expanding into new territory doesn’t just require a technical plan for building out your infrastructure. It also requires a communications plan to build brand awareness with a new audience, drive interest and generate sales. Just like your technical plan for the rollout, your communications plan will need to be customized specifically for your new territory. […]
It’s no secret that many utilities have not invested in digital marketing compared to print. But that’s changing rapidly. Today, utilities are seeing more and more that their satisfaction ratings and take rates are directly tied to their ability to communicate online. The challenge for today’s utility communicators is being able to translate their messages […]
As a provider of electric or broadband services, you are on the front lines of restoring critical functions — and a sense of normalcy — to your communities in the aftermath of an outage or crisis. As such, you know the importance of a good plan. But even the best plans cannot account for every […]
When MonCre began working with us in 2018, its name was listed in various ways across several channels: “MonCre Telephone,” “Moncre Telephone,” “Mon-cre Telephone” or “Mon-Cre Telephone.” At the same time that MonCre was looking to standardize and reestablish its brand, the cooperative also had opportunities to rework its bundles with higher speeds at lower […]
As a state or regional association, your efforts shape the work of service providers throughout your state and represent not only your members but the residents and businesses relying on those members to stay connected. But if the association’s website or brand hasn’t been updated in years, it’s easy for your audience to miss the […]
Member meetings come in all sizes. Some utilities pair co-op businesses with festivals featuring carnival rides and antique car shows. Other co-ops hold meetings online. All member-owned co-ops share a need for strong storytelling content and collateral (digital and print) to engage members in the democratic process. Over the last 15 years, retired Pioneer storyteller […]
Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative (CVEC) Manager of Marketing and Member Services Jon Cullimore was challenged in 2020 to develop and launch marketing for his co-op’s broadband service. He wanted members to understand the impact broadband will have on streaming services, online video game platforms, telemedicine, distance learning, and a host of other data-intensive applications. The […]
Three-Stage Marketing Effort Helps Utility Meet (and Exceed) Broadband Goals East Mississippi Electric Power Association (EMEPA) successfully secured rural broadband grant money for its subsidiary East Mississippi Connect from the CARES Act (PDF) and the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. The funding was an important step for the new broadband build. However, the company was […]
As Big Bend Electric Co-op, Washington, got ready for their virtual member meeting, they needed an effective way to print, distribute, and receive ballots from members. Pioneer Assistant Editor David Herder worked with their team to design a bangtail envelope, an envelope with a detachable ballot, and voting directions for members. The envelope, marked business […]
