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One-Page Marketing Plan
Nine Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful, Customer-Oriented, Actionable Plan
April 17, 2013
We often receive questions about developing a utility marketing plan, so we’ve updated our nine-step process for creating a simple one-page template to help guide you in creating a customer-oriented, actionable plan for all your marketing campaigns.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: RES-RB-26 | Author: Beth Hartman, Matthew Joyce
Are You Wasting Money on Marketing? Part I
Calculating Marketing ROI
March 26, 2013
Rather than a cost center, the utility marketing department represents an essential investment opportunity for the company to expand programs that will sustain profits long into the future. Understanding the challenges to and creating a framework for calculating ROI can lead to better results.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: RES-F-49 | Author: Beth Hartman
Are You Wasting Money on Marketing? Part II
Current Utility ROI Measurement Solutions
March 26, 2013
Although marketing measurement solutions in use among utilities vary widely, overall, those that make an effort to evaluate results are able to generate a higher return on investment. Using tools such as Google Analytics, Salesforce, and Excel, utilities can improve marketing results.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: RES-F-50 | Author: Beth Hartman
Are You Wasting Money on Marketing? Part III
Outside Industries and Future Opportunities
March 26, 2013
There are several innovative marketing strategies from outside industries that utilities could apply to their own campaigns to more effectively calculate return on marketing investment (ROMI). Also, utilities are uniquely positioned to build higher ROMIs by leveraging smart grid data.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: RES-F-51 | Author: Beth Hartman
Carrotmob in Boulder County, Colorado
Forget the Stick—Use the Carrot to Spark Energy-Efficiency Action
March 18, 2013
In Boulder, Colorado, the county's EnergySmart program and students in the Colorado Public Interest Group at the University of Colorado worked together to launch a Carrotmob event in the Colorado town to raise awareness about and encourage participation in the program.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: RES-RB-25 | Author: Katie Ruiz
Get Others to Do the Work for You!
Channel Your Marketing Through Existing Networks and Partnerships
January 9, 2013 | Updated: March 18, 2013
Sometimes the most effective way to reach your target customers is to let someone else do it for you. E Source has learned of several utilities that have successfully collaborated with existing networks and local organizations to spread their marketing messages.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: RES-RB-19 | Author: Katie Ruiz
Reinventing the Utility Brand Experience: Starbucks or Just Plain Coffee?
February 21, 2013
Utilities are in danger of losing brand value as other industries become more important in peoples’ lives. But by following the path of successful brands both inside and outside the industry, utilities can revitalize their brand for the emerging market.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: ECM-F-3 | Author: Bill LeBlanc
Who Participates in Residential Energy-Efficiency Programs?
A Look at the Key Drivers
February 12, 2013
E Source’s investigation of energy-efficiency program participation drivers, based on one of the most robust sets of data in the industry, provides utilities with some of the tools and information necessary to achieve better marketing traction and to accelerate program participation.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: RES-F-48 | Author: Kim Burke, Rachel Cooper
Data Center Demand-Response Strategies
An E Source Sound Bite
February 7, 2013
Demand response for data centers can be a bit of a challenge. In this sound bite, we go over nine different strategies for shedding load in this growing customer segment.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: TAS-RB-64 | Author: Andrea Salazar
HEAL Program: Employers Alleviate the Pain of Energy-Efficiency Financing
January 30, 2013
HEAL, a project of the Clinton Climate Initiative, was developed to facilitate commercial retrofits and, at the same time, help residents access capital for home energy improvements.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: RES-RB-24 | Author: Melanie Wemple
Stormy Weather’s Silver Lining: Opportunities to Accelerate Energy Efficiency After Disasters
January 30, 2013
Natural disasters have the potential to wreak massive financial damages to properties and unquantifiable emotional and personal losses, but program administrators at ground zero are uniquely poised to help victims rebuild or renovate their damaged homes and businesses to be more secure, affordable, and ...
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: EDRP-F-46 | Author: Melanie Wemple, Rachel Reiss Buckley, Dulcey Simpkins
Internal Communications at Utilities
January 24, 2013
What channels and strategies do utilities use to communicate to their employees?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: ECM-AskES-2 | Author: Felicity Tucker
Healthcare
February 15, 2010 | Updated: January 18, 2013
What are the primary energy uses in healthcare facilities and what are the best bets for energy savings? This Snapshot provides these answers and discusses hot button trends and ways for utilities to work with healthcare facilities.
Content type: Sector Snapshot | Document ID: MAS-S-23 | Author: Chad Garrett
Fun and Games: Using Facebook Apps for Marketing and Customer Engagement
January 14, 2013
Utilities that meet their customers on social media channels can achieve dramatic results in marketing and customer engagement. Online and mobile applications for games, sweepstakes, trivia contests, and other fun social activities abound and can be used to increase interest in energy efficiency.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: RES-F-47 | Author: Beth Hartman
Puget Sound Energy’s Green Power Rewards Program
January 9, 2013
Puget Sound Energy developed a unique value proposition around its green power program by creating a community that ties together participating households and businesses. An exclusive rewards program provides households with discounts to green-powered businesses.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: RES-RB-22 | Author: Katie Ruiz
Daily Deals Increase Program Participation: Leveraging Networks Like Groupon
January 9, 2013
CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy in Minnesota were looking for a way to get more people interested in a visit from the Home Energy Squad. Turning to a strategy employed by many other businesses, the utilities used an online deals network to spread the word.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: RES-RB-21 | Author: Beth Hartman
Community Rewards by New Jersey Natural Gas
Referrals Spread the Word and Earn Cash for Community Organizations
January 9, 2013
The New Jersey Natural Gas Conserve to Preserve Community Rewards program uses the power and reach of nonprofit networks to help drive enrollments for its online dashboard. Each successful enrollment that is referred by a registered nonprofit earns a referral reward for that community group.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: RES-RB-23 | Author: Dulcey Simpkins
Hotels and Motels
September 8, 2009 | Updated: December 19, 2012
No-cost and low-cost energy-efficiency opportunities abound for the lodging sector. This Sector Snapshot provides the knowledge and insights you need to understand this complex industry and helps you guide your customers to valuable energy saving opportunities.
Content type: Sector Snapshot | Document ID: BMS-S-2 | Author: Mary Horsey
Efficiency Beyond Widgets: Residential Behavioral Program Options
December 18, 2012
Behavior-change programs for the residential sector have proliferated rapidly over the past few years, evolving more quickly than virtually any other energy-efficiency program offering. What elements drive successful residential behavioral approaches?
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: RES-RB-46 | Author: Dulcey Simpkins
Key Takeaways from the 2012 Energy Star Partner Meeting
December 3, 2012
Didn’t get to attend this year’s Energy Star Partner Meeting? Never fear—we attended for you! In this seven-minute video, we share some key takeaways, helpful resources and intriguing graphs.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: TAS-RB-62 | Author: Andrea Salazar, Lee Hamilton
Residential Revenue-Generating Products and Services: Six Ways to Boost Utility Earnings
November 29, 2012
As technologies, policies, and consumer preferences evolve, utilities are finding new ways to adapt their business model by offering products and services that extend beyond energy sales.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: RES-RB-20 | Author: Katie Ruiz
Restaurants
June 22, 2009 | Updated: November 1, 2012
Utility account managers often overlook the food service sector despite the energy intensity of food service operations. E Source Sector Snapshots provide account managers and program designers an opportunity to brush up on industry trends from the owner’s and facility manager’s perspective. ...
Content type: Sector Snapshot | Document ID: MAS-S-22 | Author: Yuki Iida
Help! U.S. Businesses Waste $60 Billion Annually on Energy
How to Increase Interest in Efficiency Programs
September 27, 2012
Utilities can use surprising industry statistics on energy waste to startle their business customers into participating in energy-efficiency programs. Presenting this information in terms that make sense can make it more compelling.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: BCO-RB-3 | Author: Beth Hartman
Talking Tough Topics with Small Biz: Rate Communications Channels and Strategies
September 26, 2012
What are the primary challenges to reaching out to small and midsize business (SMB) customers regarding a rate change? What are the most effective channels and outreach strategies for communicating a rate-structure change or rate increase to SMB customers?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: BCO-AskES-9 | Author: Kim Burke, Rachel Cooper, Dulcey Simpkins
Listen to Your Business Customers, and They’ll Listen to You
Get Smart Through Business Advisory Panels
August 30, 2012
Would you like to better understand the needs of your business customers and strengthen your customer relationships? Look no further—business advisory panels can help you achieve these goals!
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: BMS-RB-12 | Author: Katie Ruiz
Great Minds Think Electric: Highlights from the 26th Annual Electric Vehicle Symposium
August 28, 2012
The electric vehicle (EV) has finally come of age. Or at least, that’s what EV industry insiders are all abuzz about.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: TAS-RB-55 | Author: Bryan Jungers
ComEd's Customer Experience Project
Notes from the 2012 E Source Utility Customer Experience Conference
August 16, 2012
These notes summarize a presentation given by ComEd’s director of marketing, Jennifer Montague, at the 2012 E Source Utility Customer Experience Conference.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: ECM-RB-4 | Author: Matthew Burks
Social Media for Outages and Beyond
How Utilities Can Respond to Emergencies and Improve Customer Communications
August 9, 2012
Increasingly, emergency management organizations are turning to social media to help with more-effective crowd-sourced communications during disasters. Utilities can use this approach to help better manage their own communication strategy during power outages and to build customer relationships.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: ECM-RB-3 | Author: Beth Hartman
Customer Satisfaction Improvements
Notes from the 2012 E Source Utility Customer Experience Conference
August 2, 2012
These notes summarize a presentation given by DTE Energy’s Carolyn Mackool at the 2012 E Source Utility Customer Experience Conference.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: ECM-RB-2 | Author: Matthew Burks
Marketing Dynamic Pricing: Three Residential Case Studies
August 1, 2012
Can utilities successfully drive enrollment in dynamic-pricing programs and help their customers succeed in them? This report contains messaging, targeting, channel-usage, and education lessons from three residential case studies: Gulf Power, Pacific Gas and Electric Co., and Toronto Hydro-Electric System. ...
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: RES-F-45 | Author: Rob Hall
