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10 December 2024
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Getting the Word Out: How Strategic Marketing Can Drive Engagement in CCA Programs

Sydney Fitch   |   Insights   |   No comment

CCA Communicator logoCommunity Choice Aggregators (CCAs) are doing more than delivering clean power and local control to communities — they’re inspiring real, grassroots change through their innovative energy programs. With initiatives like electric car rebates and affordable home solar and battery options, CCAs are helping customers reduce their carbon footprint and save money.

Of course, these programs can only make a difference if customers know about them and see the value they bring. Tripepi Smith’s recent collaboration with Pico Rivera Innovative Municipal Energy (PRIME) showcases the power of a strategic marketing campaign to boost community awareness and drive customer engagement in a CCA energy program.

PRIME’s new Power Choice program offers residential customers installation of Tesla rooftop solar panels and Powerwall batteries at no upfront cost and with no credit check. The objective is to bridge the equity gap with these systems by making them more accessible to households regardless of financial capacity or credit status.

Tripepi Smith worked with PRIME to develop a holistic, tailored marketing strategy to educate, raise awareness and drive participation in Power Choice. Some of its guiding principles included:

  • Reach diverse customers through diverse channels. Meeting our audience where they’re at is essential in our modern media environment. Often, geography is one of the only unifying threads of all customers in a CCA — otherwise they are splintered by many other demographics and behavioral patterns. The Power Choice campaign leveraged platforms such as the PRIME and City of Pico Rivera websites, social media pages, YouTube channels, traditional TV and print media, direct home mailers and in-person community workshops. A multi-platform approach ensures the highest likelihood of reaching most customers at least once, if not multiple times.
  • Zero in on your target audience. Power Choice is designed to benefit customers who may not have the resources to invest in home solar and battery systems upfront. Crafting marketing materials that resonate with this audience and address their specific needs boosted our ability to raise awareness and enthusiasm. To promote inclusivity, we also translated materials into Spanish to ensure broad accessibility in this predominantly Spanish-speaking locale.
  • Maintain consistent, engaging communication. Frequent, steady messaging helps build sustained program awareness. By keeping the community informed with regular information and updates about Power Choice, the campaign established a strong presence and heightened program visibility over time.
  • Stay on message. Streamlining the messaging to focus on the program’s benefits — such as no upfront costs, long-term bill savings and emergency backup power — helped residents immediately recognize its value.
  • Build trust and credibility. Emphasizing that Power Choice is a PRIME and City of Pico Rivera sponsored program built community trust, reassured residents of its legitimacy and aligned it with local priorities.

Altogether, these efforts significantly increased the community’s awareness and engagement in the program and culminated in a well-attended workshop and sign-up event at City Hall. The success of this partnership underscores the value that thoughtful, sustained marketing campaigns can deliver for CCAs and their communities.

Tripepi Smith’s CCA CommuniCAtor Insights series examines aspects of and best practices for communicating the value and impact of CCAs to ensure community messaging is reaching and engaging key audiences to promote their involvement.

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