WindStream, Cost-Effective Breakthrough in MicroWind, Targets Schools

It looks like I’ll be taking on some marketing responsibilities for my client WindStream, a start-up with a fabulous breakthrough in “microwind,” i.e., small, inexpensive, easily installed wind turbines. I certainly won’t be able to publish every aspect of the strategies I evolve for them, but I don’t think they’ll mind if I provide an example of my current thinking, so here goes:

I propose to target schools in a big way.

First, I’ll write up the best case study we have in which a school district has successfully deployed the WindStream product. I’ll probably choose either Eastbrook High School, or South Ripley Elementary in Versailles, both in the company’s home state of Indiana. Think of all the benefits for a school:

 • It’s a commitment to sustainability, visible to proud students, parents, faculty, and the entire community, offsetting energy that would have come from fossil fuels.

 • It’s a working example of the two most common forms of renewable energy.

 • It’s an example of dozens of topics within the physical sciences: the photo-electric effect, the particle nature of light, electricity and magnetism, conservation of energy, wind as part of meteorology, astronomy / the solar system, cosmology / The Big Bang, and drag vs. lift fluid dynamics.

I’ll develop a database of the facilities managers and other relevant titles, and market to each by email, sending e-newsletters that inform them on each new deployment, with testimonials that communicate how pleased administrators are, how happy science teachers are to have a live example of so many different topics that can be taught at virtually any level.

Obviously, schools are just one of a dozen vertical markets in the end-users space. Characteristically, I’ll be taking a customized approach to each one. And then there are resellers, where there is a great deal of work to be done. I want to establish mutually profitable relations with many thousands of energy efficiency consultants, solar installers, and so forth.

More on this later.