[Terrapreta] Marketing Renewable Energy to Americans

[MMBTUPR at aol.com]

          from           Lewis L Smith

In a message dated 1/27/08 12:15:25 AM, dyarrow at nycap.rr.com writes:


> Consumers are very reluctant to make an extra effort to purchase a product 
> that they already get easily, says Keane. SmartPower's research shows that a 
> large number of people think purchasing renewable energy means they must live 
> off the grid and completely change their lifestyle.
> 

I have spent much of my life since 1979 trying to persuade people to [A] use 
renewable energy and [B] adopt conservation measures. So I very much agree 
with SmartPower's analysis of the marketing problem, especially the above 
statement.

But it goes beyond that. Many people suffer from the Ronald Reagan syndrome. 
They think that energy conservation means being cold in the winter and   hot 
in the summer.

And there is a special problem with renewable technologies for vehicles, one 
which is seldom discussed. I call it the "fear problem". It works like this   >
>>

It is Sunday night, I am out in the country at Aunt Minnie's and I have 
something  very important to do at work the next day. The question is, will my 
newfangled auto get me home. Or will it conk out when I try to start it   or when 
I am halfway home ?   This is why hybrid vehicles are so important. If nothing 
else works, that mini-gasoline engine will surely get me home, albeit slowly. 
It is my totally trustworthy backup.

Until we take account of these problems in marketing conservation and 
renewables, we are not going to achieve the high volumes necessary to drive down 
costs, by obtaining scale economies and by working our way far down the slope of 
the learning curve.

Incidentally, it is very hard to "sell" these products by TV, but TV is an 
excellent medium for intriguing people and getting them to request more info, 
which in turn will "soften them up" for a sales pitch. In other words, marketing 
renewables and conservation measures is often a multistage process.

Forgive me for putting it so crudely, but even if you have invented "a better 
mousetrap", the World will NOT beat a path to your door. You have to beat a 
path to a great many doors out there in the World. In brief, you have to design 
a marketing program and then go out and SELL the product. 

And selling is tough. In many cases, nine out of ten "doors" will not open or 
will not buy. As the old hobo song puts it, "I went to a house and I asked 
for some bread, but the lady came out, said "The baker is dead !". If someone 
tells you your product is "dead", how to you answer ?

Cordially. ###







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