Webinar review: Retrofit marketing
The Retrofit marketing webinar by Portsmouth City Council, which is part of the RISE Masterclasses, communicated how marketing techniques were applied to encourage domestic sustainability retrofitting within social housing. RISE is a reaction to the Energy and water at home strategy (2020-2025) paper, which guides Portsmouth city council to approach sustainable utility use in a holistic, but primarily means-tested way.
The organisation its-self seems dynamic working with multiple types of funding. RISE reaches out to different parts of the community by offering a range of domestic sustainability advice and projects, such as providing the local ‘library of things’ with a heat gun. Something which I can’t wait to borrow myself. To paraphrase the talk, ‘We won't turn you away though even if we cannot help you, we will at least give you advice,’ showing the dedication to supporting local sustainability holistically.
The marketing team took a two-pronged approach to advertising their product: digital and tangible. Trust and legitimacy are key ingredients, as the support offered may seem too good to be true or a waste of time. This was created by using mascots and branded goods as a talking point in public areas. Paying for billboards etc., to prompt and inform potential recipients. This supported the website which contains a range of information and a scheme application. The customer's journey was diagrammed, and website tracking was applied to ensure efficiency.
The final part of the talk covered a successful retrofit case study. It showed the installation of a new heat pump to a flat, a big white box attached to an exterior wall next to the front door. Saving the flat’s inhabitants £940 a year (approximately) if they follow the provided instructions and training. From my vague knowledge of heat pumps, I imagine that the pump’s use gets easier with practice.
Overall, the webinar provided valuable insights. It was interesting to see both marketing strategies and domestic sustainability being applied. Additionally, seeing the local council tackling the climate crisis is reassuring. I will definitely be interested in seeing more from RISE.
My Notes
Referencing
Portsmouth City Council. (n.d.). Home | Retrofit Information, Support and Expertise. Riseretrofit.org.uk; PCC. Retrieved 2024, from https://riseretrofit.org.uk/
Portsmouth City Council. (2020a). ENERGY AND WATER AT HOME. In Switched on Portsmouth. Portsmouth City Council. https://switchedonportsmouth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/10.477-Energy-and-water-at-home-strategy-accessible.pdf
Portsmouth City Council. (2020b). Energy and water at home strategy. Portsmouth City Council; Portsmouth City Council. https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/services/housing/safety-and-cost-saving-in-the-home/energy-and-water-at-home-strategy/
Retrofit Information, Support and Expertise | LinkedIn. (n.d.). Linkedin.com; LinkedIn. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.linkedin.com/company/rise-retrofit/
Spotify. (n.d.). [Podcast]. In open.spotify.com. Portsmouth City Council. Retrieved 2024, from https://open.spotify.com/show/0sEhRw76no9DhxqSgZfxPV?si=e6364a7268e146e6
