Is your messaging aging gracefully? Very often, we find that that phrases and concepts that resonated deeply two years ago today might feel out of touch, especially in a sector like energy where technology, policy, and public sentiment evolve quickly. For organizations driving energy programs and electrification initiatives, it’s essential to pause and ask: Is our outreach still meeting people where they are?
Even the most effective outreach strategies can be vulnerable to inconsistent messaging. A campaign may start strong, grounded in a firm grasp on data and reflecting appropriate customer empathy, but as the landscape shifts (energy prices fluctuate, incentives change, public priorities evolve), original messages can lose relevance.
Perhaps your audience’s top concern has moved from reliability and resilience to affordability. Perhaps the key motivator for EV adoption in your early strategy – targeting customers deeply motivated by issues related to climate and environmental considerations – has shifted to potential EV adopters who now prioritize accessing reliable vehicles in the used car market to capture fuel and maintenance savings.
When organizations fail to regularly update messaging, outreach efforts too often risk sounding as if they’re addressing a different moment. Rather than delivering authentic connection, energy messaging too often can trigger auto unsubscribes.
Is your message standing the test of time? Here are four signs it’s time for a messaging check-in:
- Your engagement feels flat. You’re getting fewer clicks, lower attendance, or less energetic partner feedback. All signals that your message isn’t connecting emotionally.
- Your community’s priorities have shifted, so the value proposition you led with last year won’t have the same reach as it did when you first introduced it.
- Your words feel stale. Is “clean” still right for your audiences? How about innovative, or innovation? How about helping you save?
- You are hearing new stories from your customers and community. When people describe their challenges differently than you’ve heard before (choosing rising costs as a top concern over navigating confusing technology terms), it’s time to adjust your framing.
Real-world insights come from listening to partners, community leaders, and community members, not just being driven by assumptions shaped within conference room walls. Actively using tools like surveys, listening sessions, and informal conversations can help surface what’s top of mind. What’s actually driving decision-making across the communities you serve? Shape the stories you tell to serve those circumstances. Even a slight shift, such as reframing your message to emphasize savings over sustainability, can help reveal what resonates now and continue to connect with your engaged audience.
Effective outreach isn’t a set of messages; it’s a living dialogue. The best communicators don’t just broadcast information; they evolve with their audiences, adapting tone, content, and focus to reflect what people need most right now.
At REACH, we believe that kind of adaptability is what keeps engagement genuine, equitable, and impactful. Because when your message evolves alongside the people you serve, it doesn’t just stay relevant, it drives results.
Want to talk more to us about our unique and proven approach? Reach out!
