Food Trucks and Fireworks: How to Creatively Connect Community Events, With Greg Mullis

When you have multiplebroadband competitors pulling potential subscribers away, how do you set your story apart? Hear how Georgia's Tri-CoGo turned powering food trucks, fireworks shows and parks and recreation spaces into a way to build brand awareness in its community.

Creators and Guests

Host

Megan McKoy-Noe

Brand Storyteller

What is The StoryConnect Podcast?

StoryConnect features interviews with marketers, communicators, CEOs and other leaders at cooperative and independent broadband companies, electric cooperatives and municipal power providers. The goal of the podcast is to help listeners discover ideas to shape their stories and connect with their customers. It is produced by Pioneer Utility Resources.

Intro:
A production of Pioneer Utility Resources.

StoryConnect, helping communicators discover ideas to shape
their stories and connect with their customers.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Food trucks and fireworks: how to creatively connect community
events.

That's what we'll be talking about on this episode of The
StoryConnect Podcast.

Hi, I'm your host, Megan McKoy-Noe, one of the storytellers at
Pioneer Utility Resources, and I am joined by Greg Mullis, chief

operating officer at Tri-CoGo in Georgia, my home state.

It is very exciting to see you.

We are not in Georgia right now.

We are in Vegas at Calix ConneXions, the conference.

So Greg, thank you so much for joining us today.

Greg Mullis:
You're very welcome.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Now, your tagline is delightful, and not just because it rhymes.

Tri-CoGo, Say No To Slow.

Tell us a bit about your co-op and your broadband program.

Greg Mullis:
Absolutely. Well, we are the fiber affiliate for Tri-County EMC
located in Gray, Georgia.

We are at about 8,500 subs.

We hope to be around 9,100 by the end of the year.

And just things are going well.

We're growing by about 2.5 To 3% per month.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Wow.

Greg Mullis:
And just doing really well.

We are about two months away from being completely built out.

So that's exciting.

So from here on it becomes how well can we market?

How well can we let our reputation carry us into other parts of
our community?

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Well, and you're not the only person facing that challenge right
now.

A lot of folks, there was a big push initially just to get
things built out.

And now it's about fighting churn, looking at your take rates,
how can we get more folks to know about us?

And then you have a really unique challenge in middle Georgia.

You've got nine broadband competitors, I believe you told me,
pulling some of your potential subscribers away.

Greg Mullis:
That is correct. We've had –

Megan McKoy-Noe:
No pressure.

Greg Mullis:
We've had fiber built over the top of us by one competitor.

We've got, you know, a lot of interesting things going on.

None of them, other than the little bit of fiber that's been put
in, are really that innovative or, you know, really enhancing a

customer experience. Quite the opposite.

It's the race to the bottom.

Drop our prices, cut our prices, play bundling games, and that
sort of thing.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
No one wins with that.

But the question is, how do you set your story apart when you're
dealing with that?

Greg Mullis:
Well, we absolutely are best in class.

We are 100% fiber, you know, greenfield place.

So we're able to control the quality.

We're doing a really good job with putting great installers in
homes.

We're fulfilling our promises to our members and also our
community.

We've built to now over 2,000 off system locations.

We have a tremendous reputation in the community.

The best thing I've seen is someone will go on a community
Facebook page and ask, "Hey, can anybody tell me about Tri-CoGo?

Is it any good?" And the last one of those I saw at last count,
there were around 60 very supportive,

just enthusiastic.

"Heck yes. Go get it.

It's great." And you know you can't buy that.

You know, that has to be earned, and we've really earned a great
reputation in the community.

And when we say we are your best internet experience, we can
truly back that up.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Well, that is exciting.

Now, I have to say, one of the best parts for me of Calix
ConneXions is the conversations that folks are having in the

halls, the circles of success.

Greg Mullis:
They're fabulous. Yes.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
I saw you, and I was like, "Hey, how are you?" And you were like,
"Wait, I know you." It was fun.

And –

Greg Mullis:
It's a small world after all.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
It is a small world, I know.

I love our small world.

But my personal favorite is just the coffee line.

I've had the best conversations with people trying to get more
caffeine.

But that brings me to food trucks, obviously, because you and I
got into the craziest conversation yesterday about food trucks.

So tell me how powering food trucks became a way to build brand
awareness in your community.

Greg Mullis:
So everybody loves food trucks.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
I mean, who doesn't?

Greg Mullis:
Except when you can't run a credit card transaction at a food
truck.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
No one carries cash anymore.

Greg Mullis:
No one carries cash anymore.

So our Chamber of Commerce, we have a community that we're based
in is Gray, Georgia.

Great little bedroom community to Macon, right in the center of
the state.

Our chamber is always trying to be innovative and push the
envelope and do fun things.

So they had established a 4th of July fireworks display, which
was a lot of fun, except there was nothing to

eat.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Oh.

Greg Mullis:
Tried to bring in food trucks.

No cell service there at the rec complex.

So that aspect was a miserable failure that first year.

So here we are –

Megan McKoy-Noe:
It didn't reach its full potential, Greg.

Greg Mullis:
It did not reach its full potential.

So we're right in the middle of this fiber build.

And we've built to that rec complex with fiber.

And our first thought was, "Hey, we could fix this." You know,
Calix has just come out with some new outdoor APs that are really

quite amazing. They've been a game changer for us in terms of,
you know, certain market segments and just some, you know, do

something that the competitor can't, which is awesome.

But we thought, let's figure out how we can get out there.

And you know, this is a pretty large rec complex.

There are probably eight football fields, at least that many
baseball fields, softball, pickleball, lots of stuff going

on.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Yeah.

Greg Mullis:
So we start looking at it.

And, you know, what would it really take?

So about the time all this was going on and we're trying this,
we were asked about a grant

program. Actually our friends at Georgia EMC.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
We love Georgia EMC.

Greg Mullis:
I'll have to give Lindsay Bridges a shout out.

She's awesome. She heard about this grant opportunity from
CareSource.

They were looking to spend some money and try to bring some
broadband to lower income homes or folks

in our region.

So, you know, we put our hand out and said, "Yeah, let's put some
ideas together." And the first thing that came to mind was, we

need some places for kids to be able to study that we can't
reach.

You know, we've built 24,000 passings, really 26 with our aww
system, but there's places we're probably never going to get to.

But that doesn't mean we can't come to the rescue a little bit
in the community.

So we said, "All right, great.

Let's apply for this." We got the funds, and we leveraged that
to go buy these APs and put them up at two fire

stations, a rec facility with all of the Little League and
football and stuff that also happens to house the

fireworks. So for, as you might imagine, the next year there's
lots of fire food trucks, and everything

worked flawlessly. Now we, we had some lessons to be learned.

We did learn very quickly that people are full of water and
water blocks the internet signal, you know, more than you

might think.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
What?

Greg Mullis:
Yeah, I mean people.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
I'm sorry. I thought you were going to talk about the
port-a-potty line.

No, you're just saying when you have that many people there.

Greg Mullis:
Yep. It really absorbs and blocks signal.

So it took us a little while of learning and figuring out how
many of these APs we needed.

So once we kind of figured that out and got things kind of
squared away, it really works well.

So fireworks are super –

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Is there a magic number? Sorry, I just got to – the people
blocking the signal is very exciting.

Greg Mullis:
You know, my operations folks probably can quote you something
there because they had a lot of fun experimenting with this.

Because we are going to take this concept and like our friends
in Mississippi, we're going to go put some APs up at football

games and provide, you know, community service there.

Because we do have some football stadiums that have really lousy
cell signal, and when you put that many people in there, of

course, it just drops off the world.

So, you know, we're learning and using this, but it was really a
lot of fun to watch people.

We put up signage all around the facility with, you know, a QR
code and, you know, free internet brought to you by

Tri-CoGo. So it's free advertising that's going to stay there
for years and years.

And, you know, a local bank got the naming rights for the
facility which is nice.

And they spent, you know, $50,000 or $60,000 on that.

And I pretty much got free advertising for as many years as I
wanted without any additional expense.

So it's fun when you can leverage things successfully.

You know, the food trucks are great, and they had lines backed
up.

You know, they were doing a really good business, and that's
awesome because that's something that can be there to help from

economic development standpoint, supporting the chamber.

But what really brings it home is when you go out there on a
normal weeknight and you see, you know, there's a little league

practice going on, and there's 2 or 3 moms over sitting working
on something where they scan their QR code.

Or even better, from what we understand, the pickleball league
just loves us because before they couldn't take photos and share

them, and they couldn't, you know, get on the internet while
they were out there.

So now they can.

And one of our employees, his wife plays pickleball in that
league, and she came home and told her husband, "Look, y'all need

some more signs out there because these pickleball moms love
this."

Megan McKoy-Noe:
The pickleball moms.

Greg Mullis:
It's like soccer moms, only different.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
What? Yes.

Greg Mullis:
I'm not sure if it's better or worse, but it's fun.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Unclear, at this point.

Greg Mullis:
But that's been a lot of fun.

We've, you know, Calix has really done some neat things with
their innovation.

You know, they've got a new one of these devices that apparently
will go a mile.

We haven't figured out how to apply one of those yet, but we've
put a lot of the other two devices, the 360 device and the other

AP, and they're great technology, but we're able to really
differentiate ourselves.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Yeah.

Greg Mullis:
We've got a lot of lake homes where people who want to have their
dock and pool and backyard well equipped for

internet. Well, they can sit out and stream football or whatever
to their heart's desire.

That's been very, very successful.

But it's fun to really, when you think about APs, food trucks
lined up, feeding the people and having a good time at the

fireworks.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Well, and the fireworks, I think I was excited about something
else, and we went off on a trail with that.

But you also made it possible not just to have people watch the
fireworks there, but talk to me about how you were able to

then share the fireworks with other folks.

Greg Mullis:
Well, definitely.

You know, there's enough bandwidth there.

You know, you're not going to get gig speed wirelessly, but
you're going to get, you know, half that at least.

And we made sure to be able to saturate that area.

So yeah, if you want to stream the fireworks on your phone or
for the chamber to do that and be able to share with folks who

can't be there, it's just an added benefit.

The capacity of the broadband networks we're putting out there is
pretty amazing.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Well, you mentioned a couple times QR codes.

Greg Mullis:
Yes.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
And folks are, you know, I was interviewing Brenda at Pea River
Cooperative about their Friday night Wi-Fi.

Greg Mullis:
Yes.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
So they are doing that in stadiums as well.

And everyone has a different approach to how you share your
story, your brand, and have folks connect.

Can you explain how the QR codes work?

I mean, do they know?

Is there a name?

Greg Mullis:
Yes, absolutely.

So, you know, in the Calix technology, you have the ability to go
in and name your SSID.

And if you want to just, if you're at your home, you can just
share that QR code with any guests who don't want to have to put

in their password and do all that.

Well, you can do the same thing –

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Are you making it easy?

Greg Mullis:
They really are.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
What?

Greg Mullis:
Yep. You know, we're really proud to be a Calix partner.

They've been great.

And it's little things like the QR code.

So our marketing folks will take those and blow them up and put
them on either a metal or plastic signs.

One of my favorite applications that we did was to put, we've
got a board member that has an event

facility, and it'll house 500 to 600 people.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Yeah.

Greg Mullis:
You know, like at a table setting.

And he does songwriters nights and sells tickets and with the
money going to different charities.

So he called me one day and he said, "I want to do this, silent
or not, not silent auction, but auction, live auction.

And everybody's going to use their cell phone.

And as you know, where I live, there's barely cell coverage,
period.

Can we do this?" So, as you might imagine, we put up two of the
APs, and then

back to the bodies are made of, you know, filled with water.

We got –

Megan McKoy-Noe:
I've heard. I've heard that's an issue.

Greg Mullis:
We got a little nervous.

So we actually put a third in, and one of our folks sat there
throughout the night with their laptop out and monitored.

You know, how many folks are connected, and are they being able
to get the speed they need to do this auction?

Went off flawlessly.

So we took a lot of confidence from that that we can do a lot of
different stuff.

All it takes is creativity.

But yeah, our marketing guy has really gotten creative with
taking these signs and putting them in a lot of different

applications that are weatherproof or just like in this barn
just around, you know, sponsored by or brought to you by

Tri-CoGo. And when you scan it, it comes up on your phone.

It's connected, you know, thanks to Tri-CoGo.

So it's a great marketing tool.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
I would love to see a screenshot of what that looks like too.

Greg Mullis:
I'll send one.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Wonderful. See, this is why it pays to have friends.

Greg Mullis:
Absolutely.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Over many, many years.

So yeah, we'll have that attached to the podcastat
pioneer.coop/podcast.

You'll be able to see it there.

So we've talked about how food trucks are free to roam the
community.

Fireworks are blazing for all to see.

What other community areas have potential for Tri-CoGo to grow?

Greg Mullis:
Well, we're definitely going to move into football stadiums.

You've heard that around the country.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
You heard it here first.

Greg Mullis:
You heard it here first.

Really, the sky's the limit.

You know, we don't serve in any downtowns, but we're looking at
how we might be able to work in some community spaces.

We've already been asked, one of our really tiny communities
that's got some persistent poverty, but is really kind of

the citizens there are really doing a good job of pulling
themselves up by their bootstraps, so to speak.

They're having a Christmas event.

And we were approached about being a sponsor and we said, "Well,
hey, what if we put up one of our APs and everybody there for the

two days of the event can get free Wi-Fi?" And, you know, we'll
also, you know, be a sponsor as well.

So that's exciting. So there's, the sky's the limit of what we
can do.

It just takes creativity.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
And listening to your subscribers, to your community and finding
ways to connect folks to solutions.

Greg Mullis:
Absolutely.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
It's not just being a sponsor and giving out money.

It's becoming part of their life and part of their experience in
the community, which is just a lot of fun.

You're doing other fun things at Tri-CoGo.

Greg Mullis:
We are.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
You are. I was on y'all's Facebook page last night.

What is the middle Georgia duck hunt?

Greg Mullis:
So this was one where my marketing guy thought maybe he had gone
too far, and he was going to get fired.

But it actually has been pretty fun so far.

So I'm going through check requests one day, and there's a check
request for ducks.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
And not live ducks.

We should clarify.

Greg Mullis:
Well, I didn't know that.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
You didn't know?

Greg Mullis:
You know, I couldn't tell from the, you know, the memo field on
the check request.

So I had to go walk in his office, and I said, what is this
thing with ducks?

And he kind of looks over and sure enough, there's a box of
these bright blue, shiny glittery.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
I was gonna say they're like glitter ducks.

Greg Mullis:
Yeah, they're really shiny.

They're impressive.

And they've got little tags on them with QR codes.

And the concept is you go and hide them around the community.

There are, I think, ten participating businesses.

And the first person who finds a duck from every business wins
$1,000 cash.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Wow.

Greg Mullis:
So we've been – I say "we," I have not had an opportunity to do
that yet, but I'm thinking about taking some to church and kind

of hiding them around Sunday and seeing if anybody notices.

You don't think that's blasphemy do you?

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Mhm. I mean ducks were created in the beginning, so.

Greg Mullis:
So but they're really fun, and I'll have to give him credit for,
you know, he's thinking outside of the box.

And that's what it takes as a marketer sometimes to really think
of new things and get people laughing and participating.

But, you know, the first time they went out to hide these,
Christopher shared them on our Facebook page.

And within minutes, apparently, somebody went out and got all of
them and like, you know, shared that, "Hey, I got all those."

Well, that was, you know, why did you get all of them, instead
of letting others?

Megan McKoy-Noe:
It's a very strange competition.

Greg Mullis:
It really is.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Going on in middle Georgia.

Greg Mullis:
You know, you got to give Christopher's props.

He went out and found something creative, and some folks had fun
with it.

And I'll have to say, our CFO, who's normally kind of a little
bit square, I mean, it's the CFO, right?

She said, "You know, that's really cool.

I really like that." I was like, okay.

Hey, we have a convert.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
I love it, and it's not something that Tri-CoGo created.

You're just participating and being part of the community and –

Greg Mullis:
Part of the community.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Having fun.

Greg Mullis:
And that's what it's all about, is, you know, this is we serve
internet, we sell electricity where we live and work

and play.

And what better motivator than making where you live better?

Megan McKoy-Noe:
I love that so much, Greg.

Well, I think you're going to make everyone's communities better
right now just by sharing these ideas and what

you've learned through your experience with connecting folks
outside and helping to connect your communities in some really

unique ways.

Greg Mullis:
It's been a heavy lift, but it's probably.

Well, it's without a doubt the most rewarding thing I've ever
tried to do.

You know, we work really hard at it.

At times it's been an avalanche trying to open new zones and
keep up with the lead times on the installs.

But seeing somebody at the grocery store or seeing a Facebook
post about how you've changed their lives.

And the same with businesses.

We've got a business customer that makes a very obscure product.

They actually it's a piece of equipment that processes chicken
and a turkey gizzards.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
Wow.

Greg Mullis:
And they literally ship these all around the world.

But they lived in a space in Jones County, the county where
we're headquartered in, where they had single

digit, you know, virtually dial up speeds on a legacy, you know,
provider that had no interest in upgrading them ever.

You know, their data caps and the whole nine yards and paying
$250 a month.

So we brought them gig speed internet to their location.

They're now completely able to use the functionality of their
billing system, all of their CRM stuff, and they're really

thriving now.

And we're actually going to shoot a testimonial with them week
after next when we get back and talk about, you know, what we've

been able to help them do.

And those are the kind of things that, you know, keep you going,
that gets you excited about going to work.

Megan McKoy-Noe:
I love that.

That and then finding the blue sparkle duck.

Greg Mullis:
Yes. Yeah. If anybody really wants a duck, you know, send $100
bill and a self-addressed, stamped envelope and –

Megan McKoy-Noe:
It is fun.

If you have not seen, I will include a picture of the ducks, and
they have your brand and everything on them.

So it's just a fun community project that maybe somebody else
will hear and say, "Hey, we should do that," and have the co-op

lead or the utility lead, that idea.

So anyhow, I could talk to you all day about this, Greg.

So it's just, it's a treat.

Thank you so much for sharing your story with utility pioneers.

He is Greg Mullis from Tri-CoGo, and I'm your host, Megan
McKoy-Noe, at Pioneer Utility Resources.

And until we talk again keep telling your story.

Outro:
StoryConnect is produced by Pioneer Utility Resources, a
communications cooperative that is built to share your story.