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Creative Energy Source

Marketing-Technical
Dictionary

A handy guide to essential marketing and technical


vocabulary in the energy efficiency world
Become Bilingual
Learn Marketing AND Tech Speak
Lets assume that you do not speak Swahili. Wouldnt you have a difficult
time trying to convey complex ideas to someone who only spoke that
language? Try to think of marketers and engineers in much the same
way. We all get caught up in our own jargon direct install, O&M
costs, prescriptive vs. market engagement, open rates, and social media
messaging. This will not change. The solution is to take the time to learn
your colleagues language.
Marketing Technical
vocabulary vocabulary
AIDA acronyms of any sort
brand reinforcement audit
concept mining ballast
content generation building envelope
cooperative marketing capital investment projects
customer engagement color rendering index (CRI)
design by committee direct install
infographic kilowatt hour
integrated marketing low-flow aerators
market engagement measure
market segmentation O&M costs
mass media prescriptive program
messaging retro-commissioning
metrics simple payback
open rate standard/custom program
program collateral total resource cost
social media walk through audit
AESP
Marketing-Technical
Dictionary
Marketing Side
AIDA
(Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)

Sales and messaging model to


influence high-potential, non-
participant market actors. AIDA is
also taught to contractors to help
them identify where customers are
within the decision making process
to implement energy efficient
measures.

usage example:
According the AIDA sales model,
Jims Fabulous Fried Chicken is in the
desire stage. Time for me to seal
the deal!

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


brand
reinforcement
Creating and developing
recognizable, themed program
identity packages to promote
branded program (and cross-
program) marketing campaigns.

usage example:
The brand reinforcement police will
arrest you if you change the colors of
our logo and add that energy-saving
talking fish.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


concept
mining
Web concept mining is the mining,
extraction and integration of useful
data, information and knowledge
from Web page content.

usage example:
Since I know nothing about flat plate
heat exchangers, I will be doing some
concept mining today lest we look
foolish in the Wonderful World of Flat
Plate Heat Exchangers white paper.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


content
generation
Solicitation of topics and ideas from
internal team and/or with input
from client regarding specifics theyd
like to see in marketing materials.

usage example:
I need help with content generation
for the next trade ally newsletter or
else it will be all about my cat and
her hobbies.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


cooperative
marketing
Marketing campaigns of which
clients or trade allies share a
percentage of the advertising or
promotion costs. These campaigns
may also involve the cooperative
agreement in which trade allies or
other interested parties promote
and/or sell their products along
with the campaign program, adding
legitimacy to the partnership.

usage example:
Since most of our trade allies have
small marketing budgets, the
co-op marketing plan will be a great
resource and will help them advertise.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


customer
engagement
Refers to the engagement of
customers with a company, a brand
or one another.

usage example:
Twitter is a great tool for customer
engagement. Offer energy saving tips
though, not photos of your meals.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


design by
committee
Disparaging term for a design
process in which a team of persons,
often representing organizations
with an interest in the outcome,
produce a design in collaboration.
The term is used to refer to
suboptimal traits that such a process
may produce as a result of having
to compromise between viewpoints
of the participants, such as needless
complexity, internal inconsistency,
logical flaws, banality, and the lack
of a unifying vision.

usage example:

Love it!!

Lets move
this here.
Can we see it
with more blue?

Do we even
Hate it. need this
project at all?

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


gies

y than compressed air-powered


of pneumatic tools minimizes
Gaining
Efficiencies
energy use.

infographic
Machinery
e to the work space, reducing the

in
sensors and centralized controls,
5 to 25 percent annually.

h 100 percent outside air that


work temperatures. Localizing
ist can save a significant amount
Manufacturing
Graphic visual representations of
information, data or knowledge
controls to shut down ventilation intended to present complex
circulation systems can minimize
plications, exhaust heat recovery information quickly and clearly.
ency project.
Infographics canmanufacturing
As Iowas second largest improve industry,
cognition machinery is a significant contributor to Iowas economy
by utilizing
overall energy use.graphics toenergy
To improve the enhance
efficiencythe
of machinery manufacturing facilities, MidAmerican E
Company provides incentives through their EnergyAdvantage programs.

human visual systems ability to see


patterns
Control your and trends.
utility bill now by implementing cost-effective, energy efficiency measures with MidAmerican
encies at any facility. A key EnergyAdvantage technical assistance and financial incentives. By utilizing process and non-process relate
n be the basic resources energy efficiency measures available through the EnergyAdvantage programs, you can reduce project sim
s through its EnergyAdvantage
ciency improvements. usage example:
payback while benefitting from long-term energy savings, without compromising product quality.

ciency improvements, call


anenergy.com/ee.

16% 5% 51% 25%

The average machinery The machinery industry in More than half of the Approximately 2
facility can save Iowa could save $7.6 eligible machinery facilities machinery facili
approximately 16 percent million in annual energy in MidAmerican Energys have committed
of their annual energy costs costs by reducing energy territory have participated in multiple energy
by implementing leading use by 5 percent. EnergyAdvantage programs. measures.
energy efficiency measure
recommendations.

www.midamericanenergy.com/ee

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


integrated
marketing
Targeted, integrated approach that
drives customers to a program via
multiple communication mediums.

usage example:
With our integrated marketing
campaign, they are sure to learn
about our new promotion. If they
dont see the bill insert, they will
certainly see the email.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


market
engagement
Collaboratively engaging a market
by raising awareness of energy
efficiency to promote behaviors
and practices that acquire energy
savings.

usage example:
This is the citys first energy efficiency
program. Education and market
engagement will be key to the
programs success.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


market
segmentation
Marketing startegy that involves
dividing a broad target market into
subsets of consumers who have
common needs (and/or common
desires), as well as common
applications for the relevant
goods and services. Depending
on the specific characteristics of
the product, these subsets may be
divided by criteria such as age and
gender, or other distinctions, such
as location or income. Marketing
campaigns can then be designed and
implemented to target these specific
customer segments, addressing
needs or desires that are believed to
be common in this segment, using
media that is used by the market
segment.

usage example:
Since I suspect not every local
business has an electric-injection
molding machine, we should
probably do market segmentation
for the plastics manufacturing energy
efficiency program.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


mass media
Strategic print, online and broadcast
advertising campaigns that align
with client brands and other active
programs.

usage example:
Lets promote the program through a
mass media campaign rather than
having Bob go door to door.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


messaging
Strategic promotional concept that
is meant to get across a certain
message about the goods or services
the company is promoting.

usage example:
We need to hone our messaging on
this campaign and decide what is
most important the energy savings,
the environmental benefits or the free
snuggie?

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


metrics
Measurement by which a marketing
campaign is judged.

usage example:
The high participation metrics for the
eblast campaign brings me immense joy!

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


open rate
Measure of how many people on an
email list open (or view) a particular
email campaign. 20 to 40 percent
open rate is average in the industry.

usage example:
Oh no, we only had a nine percent
open rate for the email! Could it be
that our subject line Metal Halides
and You was just not enticing
enough?

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


program
collateral
Branded marketing materials
aimed at generating awareness and
assisting trade allies in promoting
program services.

usage example:
Tom is heading out to visit some
small businesses. Load him up with
program collateral!

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


social media
Means of interactions among
people in which they create, share,
exchange and comment on content
among themselves in virtual
communities and networks.

usage example:
By utilizing social media, you can
educate and engage customers (as
well as find a date for Friday night).

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


AESP
Marketing-Technical
Dictionary
Technical Side

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


acronyms of
any sort
There is no better way to confuse a
customer than through the use of
multiple acronyms or abbreviations
in program or marketing materials.
The exception is in writing, in
which case the rule is to write the
phrase out fully the first time you
use it and then put the acronym in
parentheses. From there on out in
your written text, you can use the
acronym or abbreviation.

Alternative approach:
Make sure when you replace
fluorescent bulbs also known as
CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps)
that they are disposed of properly
or recycled.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


audit
The word audit can often have
negative connotations due to its
assimilation with the IRS and taxes.
Therefore, most audiences will be
more receptive to a softer term, such
as energy assessment.

Alternative approach:
Get a clear picture of what your
utility bills are paying for and how
your facility uses energy by signing up
for an energy assessment today.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


ballast
Everybody knows that an electrical
ballast is a device used to limit the
amount of current in an electric
circuit, right? Wrong. We often see
the term ballast thrown around
in materials that introduce or
explain energy efficiency lighting or
lighting upgrades, but this makes
no difference to the typical end-
user. When they see that rebates are
available for a certain number of
ballast replacements, they might not
realize that they could be eligible.
Best to keep the electric-speak
between you and the electrician.

Alternative approach:
Mrs. Business-Owner, you can save
thousands of dollars off the energy
bills for your warehouse when you
take advantage of the opportunities
available to you in ACME Utilitys
Lighting Rebate Program!

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


building
envelope
Also known as building shell or
building enclosure, we know this
to be the physical separator between
the interior and the exterior
environments of a building (i.e.
walls, windows, doors or any barrier
of a building that keeps the hot/cool
air in/out.) When customers hear
building envelope, however, they
might envision a very large mailing
device.

Alternative approach:
Rebates are available for
weatherization improvements, such
as insulation, vent sealing and the
replacement of inefficient windows
with high-efficiency windows.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


capital
investment
projects
A new capital investment project
is important for the growth and
expansion of a company. Although
this may resonate with large
business owners, we find that
small business owners may not
understand how energy efficiency
improvements may affect them
in a similar manner. Use your
discretion here some may respond
well to capital investment, but
we dont typically use this term
on the report or any marketing
materials. Consider terms such as
energy efficiency improvements or
projects.

Alternative approach:
Energy efficiency improvements made
to your business can bring you many
advantages, including greater employee
and customer comfort, increased
productivity, more efficient operating
systems, and lower utility bills.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


color
rendering
index (CRI)
Engineers, electricians or
contractors will often refer to the
CRI or color rendering index
associated with LED (light emitting
diode) lighting when speaking to
customers about lighting efficiency
upgrades. This will likely mean
nothing to the average business
customer, unless it is explained in
terms of how the lighting may affect
the appearance of their business or
product.

Alternative approach:
Remember to advise retail business
owners about how new, efficient LED
lighting may actually improve the
color reproduction of their inventory
compared to how it looks under older,
inefficient lighting.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


direct install
What the heck does direct install
mean? Have you ever tried to
explain what you do to a friend that
doesnt work in our industry? Do
their eyes glaze over when you say
direct install? While it makes perfect
sense to us, a customer is most
likely going to tune out this type
of terminology. Most direct install
programs are designed to appeal to
customers who dont have a lot of
capital to make energy efficiency
improvements on their own.
Therefore, to enable these hard to
reach customers to save energy over
the long-term, they are offered free
assessments and some equipment is
installed directly when the assessor
is on site.

Alternative approach:
ACME Utilitys energy advisors will
complete a free energy assessment and
install free energy-saving products so
you can start saving right away!

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


kilowatt hour
The kilowatt hour (symbol kWh) is
a unit of energy equal to 1000 watt
hours. While the term kilowatt
hour is commonly used by
electrical distribution providers for
purposes of billing or in reference to
savings targets, the typical consumer
doesnt necessarily recognize why
this term may be important to their
bottom line. Best to refer to savings
as they equate to the consumers
wallet, as opposed to only their total
watt hours.

Alternative approach:
The Happy Customer Company is now
saving more than 9,500 kilowatt hours
a year and enjoying more than $1,000
savings on their annual utility bill.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


low-flow
aerators
While most consumers have at least
one aerator in their building, they
might not know what it is. However,
the term faucet tends to be easily
recognizable whether the customer
is commercial or residential.

Alternative approach:
ACME utilitys energy advisors will
install free low-flow adaptors to your
faucets when they perform the energy
assessment of your home.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


measure
Measure is a term that is often
used in the utility DSM/Energy
Efficiency program industry, but
one that customers are not initially
familiar with. In customer-facing
program documents, the term needs
a qualifier for large customers (i.e.
energy-efficiency measure) or a
more customer-friendly term should
be used with small- to medium-
sized business and residential
customers.

Alternative approach:
ACME Utility is offering rebates for
a variety of energy-efficient measures
improvements for your home or
business.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


O&M costs
Auntie-Em costs? Excuse me?
Similar to the acronym rule,
remember to spell out exactly what
O&M is. When hearing or seeing
the term in reference to ones own
business, they might have an easier
time following along when you say
or use the full term: operations and
maintenance.

Alternative approach:
Youll see a reduction in your
operations and maintenance costs by
taking advantage of ACME Utilitys
HVAC Tune-up program.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


prescriptive
program
The utility DSM/Energy Efficiency
industry typically describes
prescriptive programs as a
program in which specific rebates
are assigned to specific types of
equipment. Everyone knows what
a prescription is, when they receive
one from their doctor. However,
equating the term prescriptive to
saving money or energy can be a
big pill for the average consumer
to swallow. Best to call it like it is
whether an energy savings rebate or
energy savings incentive program.

Alternative approach:
Introducing a new equipment
rebate program from ACME Utility,
designed to make it easy for you
to save money and energy while
enjoying a more comfortable home.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


retro-
commissioning
Those of us in the utility DSM/
Engineering Efficiency industry
know that retro-commissioning is
an organized approach to identifying
operating problems within facilities
and their operating systems. But
when they hear retro, the typical
customer may envision a contractor
in bell-bottoms and platform shoes
attempting to sell energy efficient disco
balls. Remember to take the time to
educate the consumer about what the
retro-commissioning process actually
entails and how they will benefit from
the process.

Alternative approach:
With ACME Utilitys retro-
commissioning service, well verify and
document that your key building systems
are performing in accordance with their
defined operational needs to help you
reduce both energy consumption and
operating costs.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


simple
payback
When we offer a simple payback
estimate, we are providing a
customer with an assumption of the
amount of time it will take them
to recover the funds they initially
invested in their energy efficiency
improvement. This is calculated
by dividing the initial installation
cost by the annual energy cost
savings, and is very effective when
marketing an efficiency program.
If the simple payback is short, it
almost always helps close the deal.
The disadvantage to simple payback,
however, is that it cannot account
for maintenance costs, inflation,
or other influences outside of an
engineers control.

Suggestion:
When making simple payback
estimates, be sure to clarify that
they are only estimates, else risk
disappointing a customer if the
savings dont meet expectations.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


standard/
custom
program
Standard to you and me may
not be standard to the Happy
Customer Company. Similar to
the use of prescriptive to name
an incentive or rebate program,
using the term standard and/or
custom might not give enough
detail to stimulate interest or
participation from your customers.
If you have incentives or rebates
available for a broad spectrum of
efficiency opportunities, help them
understand which opportunities
might be most relative to their
situation.

Alternative approach:
ACME Utility has a number of
savings opportunities available for
our customers, regardless of whom
or where they are. Learn how we
can help you save money and energy
in your home, office, factory, even
shower!

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


total
resource
cost
Total resource cost is the net cost of
a DSM program based on the total
costs of the program, including both
the participants and the utilitys
costs. Generally, customers will not
have a need to understand what the
utilitys program costs are, unless
it has a substantial impact on the
customers costs. However, the
utility and their contractor teams all
need to have an understanding of
what a programs total resource cost
is, in order to effectively plan and
budget.

Alternative approach:
The total resource cost for ACME
Utilitys Commercial Rebate program
was minimal, as compared to the
positive effects it had on the local
business community.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


walk
through
audit
When you tell a customer that
you will perform a walk through
audit chances are that they will not
know what this entails. They might
envision an IRS agent showing up at
their door, ready to take a leisurely
stroll through the building. Take the
time to explain what will take place
when an energy advisor arrives.

Alternative approach:
When you sign up for an energy
assessment, ACME Utilitys
energy advisor will evaluate your
homes energy efficiency and make
recommendations for improvements
to help you save energy and money.
They will also explain how you may
qualify for other rebate programs.

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary


To download the complementary white paper,
Marketing/Technical Translation Dictionary
A Handy Guide to Essential Marketing and Technical
Vocabulary in the Energy Efficiency World,
please visit the Nexant Creative Energy Source website -
www.Nexant.com/CreativeEnergy.
Please note that the online portfolio can be viewed by typing
in the password nexant (case sensitive).

Nexants Creative Energy Source is a team of seasoned


marketing professionals with expertise in project management,
graphic design, branding, communications and market
research. With a thorough knowledge of marketing best
practices in the energy industry, Nexants Creative Energy
Source develops creative and innovative solutions to promote
and build awareness for energy efficiency programs.

Contact us at CreativeEnergy@Nexant.com to learn more!

AESP Marketing-Technical Dictionary

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