KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 2, 2023 – Rural fiber-optic network design and construction management leader, Conexon, is marking the third anniversary of its Marketing Services business line. Marketing Services now supports over 30 electric cooperative marketing clients and partners to reach a combined total of nearly 900,000 homes and businesses across 15 states with an array of communications, marketing, branding and creative services.
Launched in mid-2020 as a pilot project, Conexon’s Marketing Services division rapidly scaled its reach and capabilities to answer the member and community communications needs of co-ops deploying fiber broadband – from early to established builds. In mid-2023, the division expanded to include communications and member engagement support for co-op electric services in addition to broadband operations.
Conexon offers co-ops a combination of electric co-op, broadband and overall marketing and communications knowledge and expertise. The team possesses decades of telecommunications marketing, strategic communications and FTTH deployment experience, delivering end-to-end consultative and operational solutions for electric cooperatives deploying fiber.
“We knew early on that experience and creative marketing support was going to make a big difference for us as we launched our fiber business,” said long-time Conexon Marketing client Michael Kirkland, CEO of Petit Jean Electric and Petit Jean Fiber in central Arkansas. “We have worked side by side with the Conexon team to achieve our desired customer take rate and communications goals. We give Conexon a lot of credit for our success to date.”
Conexon’s Marketing Services portfolio includes dedicated account management, co-op support communications, social media management, video services, branding, design and website development, and co-op-centric customizable assets from the Conexon Marketing Hub creative repository. The company’s 2022 acquisition of zfactor Inc., rounds out the marketing solution set with award-winning brand development and creative services.
In addition to the marketing and communications services, Conexon marketing clients also have access to a proprietary member lead generation tool that allows a co-op to efficiently gauge interest in FTTH services from members and engage with them about offerings.
“From the beginning, we quickly saw the value Conexon’s marketing team provided, with a wealth of knowledge and resources to help us reach our customers and improve our take rates as we have grown our fiber broadband footprint,” said Tommy Thurmond, VP of Habersham EMC and Trailwave Fiber Inc. in Georgia. “Conexon has been a great collaborator as we implement strategies to bring 100 percent fiber high-speed broadband service to all of our members and beyond.”
“Our success over these past three years clearly speaks to the need co-ops continue to have for creative, affordable and impactful marketing solutions,” said Abby Carere, Conexon Senior Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Account Management. “We take pride in our ever-evolving service lines that ensure we meet the needs of co-ops in all stages of their fiber builds. And with the addition of electric member engagement services, we can now offer co-ops a streamlined, one-stop solution for their marketing and communications needs.”
About Conexon
Conexon works with electric cooperatives to bring fiber to the home in rural communities. The company is comprised of professionals who have worked in electric cooperatives and the telecommunications industry, and offer decades of individual experience in business planning, building networks, marketing and selling telecommunications. Conexon offers its electric cooperative clients end-to-end broadband deployment and operations support, from a project’s conception all the way through to its long-term sustainability. It works with clients to analyze economic feasibility, secure financing, design the network, manage construction, provide operational support, optimize business performance, and determine optimal partnerships. To date, Conexon has assisted more than 275 electric cooperatives, 75 of which are deploying fiber networks, with more than 500,000 rural Americans connected to fiber to the home. The company has secured more than $2 billion in federal, state, and local grants and subsidies for its clients.
