Transforming Member Communications: Strategic Engagement Success at Midsouth Electric
Led comprehensive communications transformation for Midsouth Electric Cooperative
Company
Midsouth Electric Cooperative
Industry
Energy
Timeline
2017
Overview
Led comprehensive communications transformation for Midsouth Electric Cooperative, achieving 22% increase in engagement, 8% growth in member satisfaction, and 400% increase in social media following through strategic initiatives.
The Challenge: Elevating Member Engagement in a Utility Space
Midsouth Electric Cooperative faced a common challenge in the utility sector: how to transform traditional member communications into engaging, meaningful interactions while managing crisis communications and budget constraints. With limited social media presence and untapped brand awareness opportunities, the cooperative needed a comprehensive strategy to enhance member engagement while optimizing its communications investment.
Strategic Approach: Building Member-Centric Communications
Our transformation strategy focused on three key areas that would revolutionize how Midsouth Electric connected with its members.
Strategic Communications Framework
We developed a comprehensive communications framework that went beyond traditional utility messaging. The storytelling strategy we created helped humanize the cooperative, sharing stories of community impact and member success. Crisis response protocols were established to ensure clear, timely communication during outages or emergencies.
A cornerstone of this framework was the "Who Powers You" campaign, which transformed how members viewed their cooperative. This multi-channel initiative spotlighted over 20 cooperative employees, from linemen to customer service representatives, showcasing the human face of Midsouth Electric. The campaign included:
Documentary-style video series featuring day-in-the-life stories of linemen
Employee spotlight features in the state-wide cooperative magazine
Social media campaign highlighting personal stories and community impact
Blog series diving deep into employees' dedication to member service
Behind-the-scenes content showing emergency response preparations
Brand guidelines were developed to ensure consistency across all touchpoints, from bill inserts to social media posts. This included visual standards, messaging templates, and tone of voice guidelines that reflected the cooperative's community-focused mission.
Community Engagement
The community engagement strategy centered on creating meaningful connections with members. We developed:
Local outreach programs that brought the cooperative into neighborhoods
Strategic event planning that created opportunities for face-to-face interaction
A robust member feedback system that informed future initiatives
Strategic local partnerships that amplified community impact
Comprehensive engagement tracking to measure program effectiveness
The "Who Powers You" campaign played a crucial role in our community engagement efforts, creating natural touchpoints for interaction. Featured employees became local ambassadors, participating in community events and strengthening the cooperative's connection with members. This personalization of the Midsouth Electric brand helped transform routine utility interactions into meaningful community relationships.
Budget Optimization and Management
We took a data-driven approach to budget management, overseeing:
$250,000 in local marketing initiatives
Development of efficiency metrics and ROI tracking
Implementation of performance reporting systems
Creation of optimization protocols for resource allocation
Overview
Led comprehensive communications transformation for Midsouth Electric Cooperative, achieving 22% increase in engagement, 8% growth in member satisfaction, and 400% increase in social media following through strategic initiatives.
The Challenge: Elevating Member Engagement in a Utility Space
Midsouth Electric Cooperative faced a common challenge in the utility sector: how to transform traditional member communications into engaging, meaningful interactions while managing crisis communications and budget constraints. With limited social media presence and untapped brand awareness opportunities, the cooperative needed a comprehensive strategy to enhance member engagement while optimizing its communications investment.
Strategic Approach: Building Member-Centric Communications
Our transformation strategy focused on three key areas that would revolutionize how Midsouth Electric connected with its members.
Strategic Communications Framework
We developed a comprehensive communications framework that went beyond traditional utility messaging. The storytelling strategy we created helped humanize the cooperative, sharing stories of community impact and member success. Crisis response protocols were established to ensure clear, timely communication during outages or emergencies.
A cornerstone of this framework was the "Who Powers You" campaign, which transformed how members viewed their cooperative. This multi-channel initiative spotlighted over 20 cooperative employees, from linemen to customer service representatives, showcasing the human face of Midsouth Electric. The campaign included:
Documentary-style video series featuring day-in-the-life stories of linemen
Employee spotlight features in the state-wide cooperative magazine
Social media campaign highlighting personal stories and community impact
Blog series diving deep into employees' dedication to member service
Behind-the-scenes content showing emergency response preparations
Brand guidelines were developed to ensure consistency across all touchpoints, from bill inserts to social media posts. This included visual standards, messaging templates, and tone of voice guidelines that reflected the cooperative's community-focused mission.
Community Engagement
The community engagement strategy centered on creating meaningful connections with members. We developed:
Local outreach programs that brought the cooperative into neighborhoods
Strategic event planning that created opportunities for face-to-face interaction
A robust member feedback system that informed future initiatives
Strategic local partnerships that amplified community impact
Comprehensive engagement tracking to measure program effectiveness
The "Who Powers You" campaign played a crucial role in our community engagement efforts, creating natural touchpoints for interaction. Featured employees became local ambassadors, participating in community events and strengthening the cooperative's connection with members. This personalization of the Midsouth Electric brand helped transform routine utility interactions into meaningful community relationships.
Budget Optimization and Management
We took a data-driven approach to budget management, overseeing:
$250,000 in local marketing initiatives
Development of efficiency metrics and ROI tracking
Implementation of performance reporting systems
Creation of optimization protocols for resource allocation
Execution + Deliverables
Communication Framework
Strategy documentation
Crisis response playbook
Brand guidelines
Content calendar
Measurement tools
Engagement Programs
Event planning guides
Community outreach plans
Feedback systems
Partnership programs
Performance tracking
Budget Management
Allocation strategy
Optimization protocols
ROI calculations
Performance reports
Efficiency metrics
Implementation and Results
The transformation delivered impressive results across key metrics:
22% increase in overall member engagement
8% growth in member satisfaction scores
400% growth in social media following, largely driven by the "Who Powers You" campaign content
96% positive member feedback on new initiatives
Optimized allocation of $1.5M total marketing spend
The "Who Powers You" campaign generated additional impressive metrics:
Over 50,000 views of employee spotlight videos
300% increase in social media engagement on spotlight posts
Featured in multiple industry publications as a best-practice example
85% of members reported improved perception of the cooperative
Significant increase in employee participation in community events
The business impact extended beyond metrics to include:
Enhanced crisis communication effectiveness during weather events
Strengthened relationships with community organizations
Improved brand visibility in service territories
Increased member participation in cooperative programs
More efficient marketing investment with measurable returns
Stronger employee engagement and pride in the cooperative
Key Insights and Future Directions
This transformation revealed several crucial insights about utility member communications:
Data-driven decision making proved essential for optimizing both messaging and budget allocation. The metrics we established helped justify investments in new communication channels and programs.
Crisis communication protocols became a cornerstone of member trust, particularly during severe weather events. The systems we put in place enabled quick, clear communication when members needed it most.
Community engagement emerged as a powerful driver of member satisfaction, with face-to-face interactions generating the highest impact on member perception. The "Who Powers You" campaign demonstrated that putting human faces to the cooperative's work created lasting connections with members.
The success of the employee spotlight initiative showed that authentic storytelling and employee advocacy can transform traditional utility communications into engaging, community-focused content that resonates with members and drives meaningful engagement.
Regular budget optimization helped maximize the impact of both local and national marketing investments, ensuring resources were allocated to the most effective channels and programs.
Implementation and Results
The transformation delivered impressive results across key metrics:
22% increase in overall member engagement
8% growth in member satisfaction scores
400% growth in social media following, largely driven by the "Who Powers You" campaign content
96% positive member feedback on new initiatives
Optimized allocation of $1.5M total marketing spend
The "Who Powers You" campaign generated additional impressive metrics:
Over 50,000 views of employee spotlight videos
300% increase in social media engagement on spotlight posts
Featured in multiple industry publications as a best-practice example
85% of members reported improved perception of the cooperative
Significant increase in employee participation in community events
The business impact extended beyond metrics to include:
Enhanced crisis communication effectiveness during weather events
Strengthened relationships with community organizations
Improved brand visibility in service territories
Increased member participation in cooperative programs
More efficient marketing investment with measurable returns
Stronger employee engagement and pride in the cooperative
Key Insights and Future Directions
This transformation revealed several crucial insights about utility member communications:
Data-driven decision making proved essential for optimizing both messaging and budget allocation. The metrics we established helped justify investments in new communication channels and programs.
Crisis communication protocols became a cornerstone of member trust, particularly during severe weather events. The systems we put in place enabled quick, clear communication when members needed it most.
Community engagement emerged as a powerful driver of member satisfaction, with face-to-face interactions generating the highest impact on member perception. The "Who Powers You" campaign demonstrated that putting human faces to the cooperative's work created lasting connections with members.
The success of the employee spotlight initiative showed that authentic storytelling and employee advocacy can transform traditional utility communications into engaging, community-focused content that resonates with members and drives meaningful engagement.
Regular budget optimization helped maximize the impact of both local and national marketing investments, ensuring resources were allocated to the most effective channels and programs.
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