If energy marketing had a hardest-to-explain contest, demand response would take home the trophy. It’s one of the most valuable programs utilities can offer—and one of the least understood by customers.
“Turn down your AC at 5 p.m. because the grid is stressed” doesn’t exactly sing in a Facebook ad. Customers don’t wake up dreaming of “load shifting.” They wake up hoping the lights stay on, the bills don’t spike, and they don’t have to sweat through dinner.
So how do you take a program that feels abstract and make it irresistible? Let’s talk tactics.
Translate Grid Jargon into Human Stakes
The grid is fragile, but “grid stress” doesn’t resonate. What does? Real stakes. A sweltering evening. Rolling blackouts. Higher bills if everyone cranks the AC at once.
The job is to translate system needs into personal benefits. Instead of saying:
- “Participate in demand response to help balance the grid.”
Say:
- “Earn rewards for keeping your home comfortable while helping prevent blackouts.”
It’s not just semantics. It’s shifting from the system’s perspective to the customer’s.
Sell Comfort, Not Kilowatts
Demand response often gets pitched as a sacrifice—“please use less.” That’s a dead end. Customers don’t want to give something up; they want to gain something.
- “Stay cool, get paid” works better than “reduce your load.”
- “Set it and forget it” is more appealing than “opt into an event.”
- “Your AC works smarter while you relax” beats “curtail your demand.”
Make the message about comfort and control, not conservation.
Make the Invisible Visible
The hardest thing about marketing demand response? You can’t see it. Customers flip a switch, the lights stay on, and nothing feels different.
That’s where visualization becomes powerful. Show customers:
- A simple dashboard with “You saved $12 this month by participating.”
- A community tracker: “Together, your neighborhood prevented 4,000 pounds of emissions this summer.”
- Gamified progress bars that turn “abstract load reduction” into “look what you achieved.”
Invisible benefits need visible proof.
Use Social Proof, Not Just System Proof
Nobody brags about “joining a demand response program.” But they will brag about saving enough to pay for a weekend dinner—or about being part of a neighborhood that outperformed the next zip code.
Highlight peer stories:
- “Maria cut her summer bills by 15% without lifting a finger.”
- “2,000 families across the city joined last month—have you?”
System reliability matters, but social reliability sells.
Timing Is Everything
Try explaining demand response in January, and you’ll get blank stares. Customers need relevance in the moment.
- Market ahead of peak season, when discomfort is fresh in memory.
- Trigger reminders during weather alerts—when energy choices suddenly matter.
- Reinforce benefits immediately after events with “You saved $X today” messages.
Relevance isn’t just about content; it’s about timing.
Design for “Yes” in Three Clicks
Signing up should feel as easy as downloading a playlist. Yet too many campaigns bury customers in PDFs and six-step enrollment forms.
If your program requires a scavenger hunt to join, it’s not marketing—it’s sabotage. Build the process around:
- Mobile-first sign-up flows.
- Single-screen benefit summaries.
- Immediate confirmation (“You’re in. Rewards start with the next event.”).
Every extra click bleeds participation.
Fear Works—But Only When Paired with Hope
Yes, people care about avoiding blackouts. But fear on its own is paralyzing. Pair it with empowerment:
- “The grid is stressed—here’s how you can keep the lights on and get rewarded.”
- “Don’t sweat through peak hours—let your thermostat do the work.”
Fear motivates, but hope converts.
Segment Smarter, Not Louder
Not all customers are the same. A tech-savvy millennial with a smart thermostat responds to different cues than a retiree worried about fixed income.
- Tech adopters: emphasize automation and control.
- Cost-sensitive households: lead with bill savings.
- Community-minded segments: highlight shared impact.
Segmentation is not optional—it’s the backbone of relevance.
Build the Campaign Narrative
Demand response doesn’t sell itself in one line. It needs a story arc:
- Awareness: “Here’s why peak hours matter.”
- Engagement: “Here’s what you’ll get.”
- Conversion: “Sign up now—it takes 90 seconds.”
- Retention: “Look what you saved this month.”
Think less like a transaction and more like a mini-series. Each message builds on the last.
Why This Matters
Demand response is the hinge point between today’s grid and tomorrow’s. Done right, it cuts costs, reduces emissions, and builds resilience. Done poorly, it becomes another ignored program link buried on a utility website.
The difference isn’t in the technology. It’s in the message.
Stop Explaining, Start Connecting
Customers don’t care about “demand response events.” They care about staying comfortable, saving money, and feeling part of something bigger.
If your campaign still sounds like a regulatory filing, it’s time to rethink the message. At IDLab, we help energy marketers translate programs into human language, tell stories that resonate, and design campaigns that actually move customers to act.
Don’t just explain demand response. Connect it. And watch participation climb.
