The document provides an overview of marketing to electric cooperatives. It discusses the structure and operations of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and its role in representing electric cooperatives. NRECA works with over 900 electric cooperatives serving over 40 million Americans and provides various services including legislative advocacy, education/training, insurance, and research and development. The document also reviews the history and structure of electric cooperatives in the United States and compares them to other types of electric utilities.

1. Marketing to Co-ops
Steps for Success

2. Marketing to Cooperatives
WORKSHOP MODERATORS
Janine Weidow
Manager, External Marketing
NRECA
janine.weidow@nreca.coop
Steve Collier
Vice President of Business Development
Milsoft Utility Solutions
steve.collier@milsoft.com

3. Marketing to Cooperatives
AGENDA
8:00 am
8:30
10:00
12:00
1:00 pm
2:00
2:30
Welcome Remarks – Introduction/Goals
Workshop Session: Electric Co-op 101
The Cooperative Perspective
Working Luncheon – NRECA Resources
Doing Business with/Selling to Co-ops
Discussion/Closing Remarks
Adjourn

4. Workshop Goal: Education
Workshop Goal = EDUCATION
– Better understand cooperatives’ structure & operations.
– Hear cooperatives discuss how they do business with vendors.
– Learn about NRECA structure & operations.
• And how NRECA works with its sister organizations.
• And NRECA resources for Associate Members
– Hear successful vendors discuss doing business with co-ops.
– Get your questions answered.

5. Marketing to Co-ops
“The Electric Cooperatives’
National Trade Association”

6. Electric Utility Trade Associations
Cooperatives
Municipals
Investor-Owned
-

7.  National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
– www.nreca.coop
 Primary Focus: Rural Electric Cooperatives
– Distribution Cooperatives
– Generation & Transmission (G&T) Cooperatives
– Statewide / Regional Trade Associations
– Products & Services Co-ops
– Affiliate Members (vendors)
 >99% of electric cooperatives are Members.

8.  RE Magazine
– Advertising
– Editorial Content
 Conferences
– Flagship conference = TechAdvantage & Expo
 Cooperative Research Network
– Part of NRECA
• All NRECA Members benefit
 Touchstone Energy

9.  American Public Power Association
– www.appanet.org
 Primary Focus: Public Power Systems
– Divisions of local government: municipal, county, state
• Include other utilities: water & wastewater, gas, telecomm
–
–
–
–
Joint action agencies (like co-op G&Ts)
Statewide / regional trade associations
Associate Members (vendors)
Municipal leagues & related government organizations
 Less than half of public power systems are members.

10.  Public Power magazine
– Advertising
– Editorial Content
 Conferences
– Flagship Conference = Annual National Conference.
• Relatively small, limited exhibitor space & exposure.
 DEED R&D network
– Voluntary, dues based.
• A minority of APPA Members participate.

11.  Home Town Connections is a for-profit affiliate
– APPA owns 64%, public power systems the remainder.
– Selects an exclusive preferred vendor in each category.
– Public power systems and trade associations are indirect
marketing & sales channels.
– Charges a marketing fee and receives commission on
sales to any public power system.
– Vendor partners discount products / services to APPA
Members.

12.  Edison Electric Institute
– www.eei.org
 Primary Focus: “Shareholder-Owned” Electric Utilities,
– aka Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs).
– International Affiliates
– Associate Members (vendors)
– Edison Institute
– Institute for Energy Efficiency
 >95% of IOUs are Members

13.  Publications & Conferences are not central to
membership.
– Scant advertising, exhibitor opportunities or exposure
 Electric Power Research Institute
– Independent of EEI
– Voluntary, dues supported
– Also has co-op and public power members.

14. Marketing to Co-ops
More On NRECA

15.  Founded in 1942
 Organized specifically to:
– Overcome World War II shortages of electric
construction materials,
– Obtain insurance coverage for newly constructed
rural electric cooperatives, and
– Mitigate wholesale power supply problems.

16.  Member-Elected Board of Directors
– 47 members
– One from each state with an electric cooperative
 Glenn English – Chief Executive Officer
– Formerly U.S. Representative, Oklahoma
 Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia
– RS&I Division in Lincoln, Nebraska

17. “THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO
REPRESENTING ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES AND
THE CONSUMERS THEY SERVE”
– National leadership and member representation for
legislative, regulatory, and public policy.
– Education and training programs
– Insurance, employee benefits and financial services
– Technical expertise, advice and R&D
– Electrification assistance in developing countries around the
world
– National branding and services

18. Marketing to Co-ops
NRECA Members

19. DISTRIBUTION MEMBERS
“Poles, wires and meters”
– Electric distribution cooperatives and nonprofit
associations, nonprofit corporations, public utility districts,
and government corporations
or authorities
– Located in a state, territory, possession or commonwealth
of the U.S.
– Engaged in furnishing electricity at retail to
consumers

20. GENERATION & TRANSMISSION MEMBERS
– Generate and resell wholesale power to their member
utilities
– Cooperatives, nonprofit associations, nonprofit
corporations and public utility districts
– Located in a state, territory, possession or commonwealth
of the United States
– Engaged in the marketing, generation and/or transmission
of wholesale bulk electricity for sale to others for the
purpose of resale

21. TRADE & SERVICE ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
– Related organizations that are not actually engaged in
the marketing, generation, transmission or distribution of
electricity
• members are generation & transmission or distribution cooperative,
associations, nonprofit corporations, public utility districts
– Located in a state, territory, possession or commonwealth
of the United States
– Engaged in support of electric co-ops’ marketing,
generation, transmission or distribution of electricity

22. TRADE & SERVICE ASSOCIATION MEMBERS (cont)
– Unified advocacy to the general public, regulatory bodies
and state legislatures on behalf of their members
– Voluntarily membership
– Governed by member-elected representatives
– Offer desired services
•
•
•
•
Education & training
Publish newspapers or magazines for members
Group purchasing
Other

23. PRODUCT & SERVICE COOPERATIVE MEMBERS
–
–
–
–
Cooperatively-owned organizations
Members generally include NRECA members
Objectives are aligned with the objectives of NRECA.
Provide products and services at better price, quality,
terms, service than would be available elsewhere
•
•
•
•
•
Insurance - Federated
Banking - NRUCFC
Data Processing – NISC, SEDC
Telecommunications – NRTC
Transformers & Equipment - UUS

24. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
– Companies doing business with NRECA members
– Includes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Utility equipment manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers
Consulting / professional services
IT & software products and services
Telecomm products and services
Financial products and services
Consumer products and services
– Many participate in TechAdvantage & Expo and advertise in
Rural Electric Magazine.

25. Marketing to Co-ops
Other NRECA Organizations

26. November 1962 - NRECA and the newly-established U.S.
Agency for International Development (USAID) signed an
inaugural cooperative agreement in the White House Oval Office
in a ceremony witnessed by President John F. Kennedy. NRECA
International, Ltd. was incorporated as a wholly owned
subsidiary of NRECA in June 1972.

27. HELPING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ELECTRIFYY
– Original purpose: Share lessons learned from US rural
electrification with developing countries around the world.
– Assisted development and deployment of rural
electrification programs in over 40 countries.
– Support from USAID, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the
World Bank, the UK Department for International
Development (DFID), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and
host country government agencies.

28. “THE NATIONAL BRAND OF ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES”
– Voluntary membership for NRECA members
– More than 660 Touchstone Energy® cooperatives in 46 states are
delivering electric power and energy to more than 30 million
consumers.
– www.touchstoneenergy.com

29. “THE POWER OF HUMAN CONNECTIONS”
– National promotion & advertising
• Television ads on various channels including:
• Print ads in major national publications including:
• Advertising brand and collateral for member co-ops to use.

30. NATIONWIDE SERVICES FOR MEMBERS’ CUSTOMERS
–
–
–
–
–
–
Bill Consolidation and Energy Management Program
Touchstone Energy® Home
Energy Saver Program
Co-op Connections
Sites Across America.com
Energy education programs
• Kids "Super Energy Saver" Program
• Discovery School Program - Get Charged!

31. NRECA
®
“Monitor, evaluate & apply technologies that help electric
cooperative utilities control costs, increase productivity, and
enhance service to their consumer–members.”
– Results are available to all NRECA voting members.
• Online and printed studies, reports, newsletters
• Web conferences
• Seminars and presentations at conferences
– Partners with US DOE, EPRI and other R&D organizations.
– Six Member Advisory Boards & an Industry Advisory Group

32. NRECA
®
 Principal areas of investigation include:
– Clean coal and environmental-management technologies
– Renewable and alternative energy
– End-use solutions that help the customer make better use of
electricity
– Distribution system operations best practices
– Broadband communications and information technology
– Transmission capacity and security

33. Marketing to Co-ops
National Cooperative Business
Network Organizations

34. INSURANCE EXCHANGE
FOR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES
– Founded in 1959
– Property & casualty insurance for rural electric co-ops in 40
states.
– Includes coverage for water, sewer, propane and natural gas,
surge suppression, security systems and other cooperative
business ventures.
– Phil Irwin, President
– www.federatedrural.com

35. “SERVICE | INTEGRITY | EXCELLENCE”
– Founded by NRECA, incorporated in 1969
– Original purpose was to develop independent financing to
supplement / replace REA
– Provides banking services to more than 1,050 electric
cooperative owners serving 32 million ultimate users.
– Also provides banking services to rural telephone utilities.
– Sheldon Petersen, Governor & CEO
– www.nrucfc.org

36. NATIONAL INFORMATION SOLUTIONS COOPERATIVE
– Merger of CADP & NCDC in 2000
– 500+ electric & telco members in 47 states
– Accounting & business services, customer information &
billing services, e-commerce solutions, E&O solutions.
– Also provides CIS services to national retailers in cooperation
with Touchstone Energy.
– Vern Dosch, CEO
– www.nisc.coop

37. SOUTHEASTERN DATA COOPERATIVE
– 200+ electric members in 33 states
– Accounting & business services, customer information &
billing services, e-commerce solutions, E&O solutions.
– Ron Camp, CEO
– www.sedc.coop

38. UNITED UTILITY SUPPLY
–
–
–
–
–
230 electric co-op members in 17 states
Manufactures and sells distribution transformers
Distributes electrical distribution supplies & equipment
Ron Sheets, President
www.uus.org

39. “YOUR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COOPERATIVE”
– Founded 1986 by NRECA, NRUCFC and NTCA
– To provide telecommunications for internal use and for resale
by rural electric and telephone utilities.
– Bob Phillips, CEO
– Original business was satellite television for members and
affiliates eventually serving >2 million retail subscribers
– Also offers IPTV, satellite broadband, AMR, SCADA, voice &
data dispatch radio, MVNO mobile phone.
– www.nrtc.org

40. Marketing to Co-ops
What Is a Cooperative?

41. COOPERATIVELY-OWNED BUSINESSES
– A business incorporated under local state law.
– 1752, Benjamin Franklin forms Philadelphia
Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by
Fire, still in operation today
– 1844, the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society opened a
cooperative store on Toad Lane in Rochdale, England.
– Cooperatives are deemed to be not-for-profit and therefore
usually tax-exempt.

42. THE COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLES
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Voluntary & Open Membership
Democratic Member Control
Member Economic Participation
Autonomy & Independence
Education, Training & Information
Cooperation Among Cooperatives
Concern for Community

43.  Cooperatives usually form to provide products or
services with greater economy, efficiency, quality or
values than would otherwise be available.
– Often to achieve economies of scale or leverage of scope.
 There are three kinds of cooperatives:
– Consumer-owned
– Producer-owned
– Employee-owned
 Electric cooperatives are consumer-owned

44. COOPERATIVES IN THE US
– Over 120 million people are members of 48,000
cooperatives.
– Nearly 10,000 U.S. credit unions have 84 million members
and assets in excess of $600 billion.
– Well known national cooperatives include:
• USAA (customer-owned)
• ACE Hardware (employee-owned)
• Ocean Spray, Land O’ Lakes (producer-owned)

45. Marketing to Co-ops
More About Electric Cooperatives

46. A Brief History of Electric Cooperatives
FDR learned in 1930 that 80% of the US was electrified,
but only 10% of rural America had electric service.
– FDR formed Rural Electrification Agency in 1934.
• Congress formed Rural Electrification Administration under USDA
in 1935.
• Offered loan guarantees / low interest loans to qualified borrowers
(not just cooperatives).
• Provided financial and engineering standards.
• USDA reorganized in 1994 and replace the REA
with the Rural Utilities Service (RUS).

47. A Brief History of Electric Cooperatives
RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES
– Most IOUs were not interested in the risks and low rate of return
for extending rural electric service.
– Consumers banded together to form cooperative (consumerowned) corporations to qualify for REA loans and loan
guarantees.
– Within ten years of the REA being formed, 90% of rural
Americans had electric service.

49. Electric Co-op Facts
 864 distribution cooperatives and 66+ generation and
transmission cooperatives serve:
– Over 40 million people across 47 states
• 15.5 million+ residences
• 1.8 million commercial accounts
• 138,792 industrial (less than 1% of the total)+ industrial accounts
– 17.5 million meters
– 2,500 of 3,141 counties in the U.S.

50. Electric Co-op Facts
– Assets worth $100 billion
– Own and maintain 2.5 million line miles
• 42% of the nation’s electric distribution lines
• covering ¾ of the nation's landmass
– Deliver 10% of total kilowatt hrs sold in the U.S. each year
– generate nearly 5% of total electricity produced in the U.S.
each year
– Spend nearly $9 billion annually on products and services
needed to operate their systems
– Employ nearly 67,000 people

51. Electric Co-op Facts
 Rural Electric Cooperatives
– Only 16 of 47 states with electric regulatory authorities
regulate some aspects of electric co-ops' operations
– Rates are reviewed and approved by local Board of Directors
– Rate Objectives of Utility: covering costs/expenses

52. Electric Co-op Facts
DISTRIBUTION COOPERATIVES RESELL POWER
– Purchase wholesale power
• A handful of distribution cooperatives generate some power
– G&Ts provide about 40% of power purchased by
distribution cooperatives
• Full and partial requirements contracts
– Distribution cooperatives obtain the remainder of their
wholesale power from a variety of other sources

53. Electric Co-op Facts
SOME ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES ALSO OFFER
– Community development & revitalization projects
• Improvement of rural water and sewer systems
–
–
–
–
–
–
Assist in delivery of health care and education
Internet service provider (ISP)
Propane
Natural gas
Premises security monitoring & control
HVAC equipment & service

54. Electric Co-op Facts
COOPERATIVE COMPARISONS
– Pedernales (TX) is largest with 230,000 meters.
– Alaska Village serves the largest land area of any electric
utility in the world with only 7,400 meters.
– Gila River Community Utility Authority is the smallest with 26
meters.
• I-N-N (AK) is the next smallest with 296 meters.
– Average size = 19,000 meters
– Median size = 12,500 meters
– Rio Grande (TX) is the sparsest with <2 meters / line mile
(national average = 7 meters / line mile)

55. Marketing to Co-ops
Comparing Electric Co-ops
to Other Electric Utilities

56. Division of Activities – America’s Electric Utilities

57. Utility Comparison
Electric Utility Comparisons
Number of
Utilities
Investor Owned
Publicly Owned
Cooperatives*
Size
(median)
220 400,000
2,000
2,000
930 12,500
Residential Residential Residential
Customers, Revenues, kWh sales,
% of total % of total % of total
73%
15%
12%
*864 Distribution, 66 Generation & Transmission Cooperatives
Source: Department of Energy
Year of Data: 2006
76%
14%
10%
74%
16%
10%

58. Cooperatives Compared
With Other Electric Utilities:
Co-op sales grew twice as fast as the total
electric industry average in 2000.
Customers
Per Mile of Line
Revenues
Per Mile of Line
Cooperatives
6.6
Investor-Owned
34
$8,500
$59,000
Municipals
44
$72,000

59. Who Sells America’s Electricity?

60. Total U.S. Electric Utility Comparison by
Sector

61. Co-op Retail Sales

62. Co-op Power Generation

63. Co-op Fuels Used in Power Generation

64. Marketing to Co-ops
Understanding Electric Cooperatives

65. Understanding Electric Co-ops
ELECTRIC CO-OP CHARACTERISTICS
–
–
–
–
–
They are customer-owned, not-for-profit, principle-based.
Their primary focus is cost, not profit.
They are extremely sensitive to individual customers.
Staff roles are broader & duties overlap.
Their have distinctive practices & vocabulary.

66. Understanding Electric Co-ops
ELECTRIC CO-OP CHARACTERISTICS
– Business is very relationship based, more personal, less formal.
– Cooperatives nationwide are a tight knit community.
– Individual cooperatives are locally controlled, operate like a
family, are very independent.
– Co-ops prefer that you already work well with other co-ops.

67. Understanding Electric Co-ops
ELECTRIC CO-OP CHARACTERISTICS (cont.)
– Most electric cooperatives share many characteristics
– But, no two electric cooperatives are just alike.
– What most impacts a co-op’s view of planning & operations?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Size
Growth
Load factor
Wholesale power cost
C&I customers
Community demographics
Leadership

68. Marketing to Co-ops
The Cooperative Perspective
Panel Discussion

69. The Cooperative Perspective
Panel Discussion
Moderator:
Steve Collier, Milsoft
Panelists:
Final list to come ASAP

70. The Cooperative Perspective
 Purchasing
 Technology
 Operations

71. How Co-ops Buy Products & Services
 Cooperatives vs. Municipals
– RUS procurement rules (CFR 1726)
– Government procurement rules
– RUS borrowers must purchase from approved
materials list

72. How Co-ops Buy Products & Services
 Common purchasing practices
– 5 vendors or less (few suppliers)
– 3 bids – orally requested
– 90% of purchasing activities are manual transactions
– Public bid opening not required unless a large power plant
– Supply chain management decisions by committee, OR
– Purchasing responsibilities are split among several functions
So find the “center of influence” for your product or service

73. How Co-ops Buy Products & Services
 Advantages for the supplier:
– Co-ops are easy to work with – less bureaucratic
– Co-ops are dependable and pay on time
– Co-ops are usually willing to pay for JIT deliveries
and other value added services
– Co-ops are known to be honest and loyal

74. The Co-op Supply Chain
Engineering
planning
Purchase
need
Suppliers
contacted
Warehouse
Review
Quotes
received
Supplier
selected
Order typed
& transmitted
Price &
Delivery
Order shipped
or backorder
released
Warehouse
receives
Receiving copy is
sent to purchasing
&/or A/P
Invoice
received
Supplier
Paid

76. How Co-ops Buy Products & Services
 What Co-ops Buy
– Line transformers (20%)
– Conductor (18%)
– Poles, towers, etc (13%)
– Station equipment (11%)
The big 4 account for @ 2/3 of the spend!

77. How Co-ops Buy Products & Services
 The Supplier’s role
– Long standing relationships – mutual trust
– Products priced on a case-by-case basis
– Stocking/Consignment/JIT programs
– Little long-term planning

78. Areas of Potential Improvement
 Some co-ops manage their supply chain, some don’t
 Growing focus on supply chain cost performance and
measurement
 Group buying, standardization, etc. can reduce costs
– Almost ½ of all co-ops are unwilling to join with other co-ops in
the purchase or storage of materials
 Normally utilize short-term forecasting
 3 bids and a cloud of dust – preferred method
 Inventory turnover varies based on vendor alliances vs. self
management

79. Decision Influences
 Having other co-ops as customers
 Understanding what a co-op is and how co-ops operate
 Successful track record
 Appearances at NRECA conferences/shows
 Customer Support/Tech Support

80. Panel recommendations:
 Show success with other co-ops (if not a co-op, then
a similar sized electric utility)
 Understand what a co-op IS and what a co-op is
ABOUT
 Demonstrate a willingness to work with the co-op,
even if they’re not huge
 Create a relationship
 Customer Service

81. How do co-ops find information?
 Shows/Conferences (mostly NRECA)
 Trade Magazines (RE, T&D,…)
 Web sites
 GOSSIP
– Talking with counterparts at other co-op shows,
meetings, schools

82. Staying Informed
 Reading publications such as:
– Rural Electric Magazine
– Transmission & Distribution
– Electrical World
– Utility Automation
– Energy IT
– PC Magazine
 Networking with other cooperatives.
 Keeping informed on technology projects ongoing at
cooperatives.

83. Staying Informed
 Attending trade shows
–
–
–
–
–
Distributech
NRECA TechAdvantage® Conference & Expo
IEEE Rural Electric Power Conference
IEEE Transmission & Distribution
Other specialty conferences and shows (GITA
Autovation, CS Week)

84. Leveraging NRECA Resources
 Publications
 Conferences/Trade Shows
 Associate Membership

85. Rural Electric Magazine
 Mission is to help readers become more informed
participants in the electric utility industry and in the
business life of their co-ops and local communities.
– With nearly 26,000 subscribers, RE Magazine has
the widest circulation among employees of electric
co-ops of any utility industry magazine.
– Two-thirds of those readers make or affect
purchasing decisions.

86. NRECA Publications

Two major publications inform and educate
members, decision makers and the interested public:
1. Rural Electric Magazine, published monthly
2. Electric Co-op TODAY, a weekly newspaper

87. Rural Electric Magazine
 Help readers become more informed about new
technologies, products and services through monthly
technical articles and special issues and sections.
 Technical Articles
– Co-op Tech
– Solutions
– Utility Marketplace

88. Rural Electric Magazine
 Special Issues/Sections
– TechAdvantage® and Expo Preview (usually
February)
– “Connections” Supplement (April and
October)
– Buyers Guide (May)
– Directory of Electric Co-ops (July)
– Advertiser’s Study (September)

89. Rural Electric Magazine
 Associate Members can help by supplying RE
with examples how they work with co-ops to
improve their utility operations and enhance
customer service.
 Check for upcoming topics in the printed media kit
or at the RE Magazine Web site:
www.remagazine.coop
 Contact us three months ahead of the issue
date.

90. Rural Electric Magazine:
NRECA Contacts
 Co-op Tech and Utility Marketplace: Bill Koch, (206) 772-0283,
specrep@earthlink.net
 Solutions: John Lowrey, (217) 529-5561, lowrey@aiec.org
 “CONNECTIONS”: Nancy McMahen, (800) 230-2601,
nancy.mcmahen@nreca.coop
 Editor: Perry Stambaugh, (703) 907-5712, perry.stambaugh@nreca.coop
 Advertising: Danielle Burton, (301) 829-6333, dburton@remagazine.org
Contact us anytime to discuss how your product or service helps
electric co-ops do a better job for their consumers

91. NRECA Conferences and Expos
Overview of NRECA’s Conferences and
Expos

92. Overview of Conferences
Month
Jan.
Feb.
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Oct
Nov
Dec
Conference
CEO Conference
Touchstone Energy New & Emerging Technologies Conf.
TechAdvantage Conference & Expo (Engineering &
Operations; Supply Management, Information Technology)
NRECA Annual Meeting
Directors' Conference
Legal Seminar & Workplace Law
Human Resource Management & Benefit Update
Conferences
Legislative Conference
Legal Seminar & Workplace Law
Connect Conference
Tax, Accounting and Finance Conference
Cooperative Supervisors Institute
Executive and Administrative Assistants Conference
G+T Legal Seminar
Expo
Platinum
Sponsorship
YES
Attend
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES

93. Identifying Conference Topics
and Speakers
 Electric Cooperative Business Network
– Access e-communities of electric cooperative
employees to identify key issues, objectives, and
potential speakers for conferences
 NRECA input
 Year-round input welcome, especially on hot topics
and new technologies
 Call for Presentations-6-9 months before each
conference

94. Participants Have Told Us:
 They like to hear co-op success stories
 They like to hear directly from the co-ops
– Case studies
 They do NOT prefer to hear sales talks
 They want practical information to take home. This is the
way they can sell ideas to management.
BOTTOM LINE:
The more success stories you have with co-ops, the higher your
chances are to get the word out about your products.

95. Associate Membership

96. Marketing Opportunities
 Sponsorships
 Program Advertising
 Golf Tournament
 Exhibits
 Presentation Opportunities
 Networking

97. Associate Member Benefits
 Increased exposure to electric utility decision-
makers
 Access to electric utility industry information
 Valuable networking opportunities
 Potential for sales, partnering and other business
alliances

98. Types of Memberships
 NRECA offers you a choice of three associate
membership levels designed to fit the needs of your
company and your business:
– Silver Associate Member
– Gold Associate Member
– Platinum Associate Member

99. Exposure Benefits
for Associate Members










Subscription to Rural Electric Magazine
Annual Subscription to Electric Co-op Today
Designation in the Annual Network Services/Associate Membership Directory
Designation in our Annual Buyer's Guide
Access to NRECA Conferences and Seminars
Associate Member Logo for Print Advertising
Certificate of Associate Membership
Link to NRECA's Home Page
I&FS Benefits
Access to NRECA member database
 Listing In NRECA’s Buyers Guide
 2010 Network Services/Associate Membership Directory
 Rural Electric Magazine — Utility Marketplace section
 CONNECTIONS: RE Magazine Supplement
 Listing in NRECA’s Membership Directory – Published in July issue of RE Magazine

100. Exposure Benefits for
Gold and Platinum Associate Members
 All Silver Associate Member benefits, plus:
– Discounts on Space at TechAdvantage® Expo:
– VIP Suite at TechAdvantage® Expo
– Discounts on Full-Page, Four-Color Ads in RE Magazine
– One complimentary registration to the CEO Leadership Conference
– One complimentary registration to the Marketing to Co-ops
Workshop

101. Exposure Benefits for
Platinum Associate Members
 All Silver Associate Member Benefits, plus:
– Complimentary Space and Discounts on Space at TechAdvantage®
Expo
– VIP Suite at TechAdvantage® Expo
– One Free Full-Page, Four-Color Ad in RE Magazine
– One Free ½-Page, Black & White Ad in RE Magazine
– Platinum Associate Membership Plaque
– $12,000 Annual Dues

102. Leveraging NRECA Resources
 Questions?

103. Marketing to Co-ops
Doing Business With Cooperatives
Panel Discussion

104. Vendor Panel
 Members of panel have spent years working
with co-ops
 Are Platinum Associate Members and
Affiliate Members of NRECA
 All have extensive knowledge of co-op
business practices, sales cycles and
business needs

105. Final Points: Selling to Co-ops
 Assist - don’t pester
 Understand position and perspective
 Do homework for the co-op
 Be available - not underfoot
 Price to co-op pocketbook
 Produce what you promise
 Provide Excellent Customer Service

106. Appendix: Resource Information
 2007/2008 NRECA Annual Report
 About NRECA Brochure
 Associate Member Brochure and web site on nreca.coop
 Touchstone Energy® web site on www.touchstoneenergy.com
 2010 TechAdvantage Exhibitor Prospectus
 2009 Connect Exhibitor Prospectus
 2009 New and Emerging Technologies Exhibitor Prospectus (for
information only)
 CONNECTIONS Supplement Information
 Rural Electric Magazine Media Kit

107. Final Points - Selling To Co-ops
Final Questions?