A Scavenger Hunt and Livestream for World Wi-Fi Day, With Lisa Fannin

Mountain Rural Telephone wanted to educate members about Wi-Fi, broadband and the capabilities they provide. So working with local businesses, they built a campaign around World Wi-Fi Day in June.

Creators & Guests

Host

Andy Johns

Vice President of Marketing

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.

Andy Johns:
How can you help celebrate World Wi-Fi Day?

That's what we're going to talk about on this episode of
StoryConnect: The Podcast.

My name is Andy Johns, and I'm joined on this episode by Lisa
Fannin, who is the Director of Marketing and PR at Mountain Rural

Telephone in East Kentucky.

Lisa, thanks so much for joining me.

Lisa Fannin:
Thank you for asking.

Andy Johns:
So this is a little bit of a celebrity sighting here.

If you were on Pioneer's annual meeting, you may have seen that
Lisa was named our D'Avanzo

Communications Leadership Award recipient.

So congratulations, Lisa, again on that.

Lisa Fannin:
Thank you very much.

I was quite honored to receive that award.

Andy Johns:
Well, certainly well-deserved.

And Lisa, we wanted to be sure to get her on a podcast this fall
because Lisa is looking at retirement coming up pretty soon.

So we want to be sure that we helped squeeze a little bit of
knowledge out of her before she checks out.

So excited to have you on today.

Lisa Fannin:
I like that, checks out.

I that's what I feel like I'm checking out.

Andy Johns:
Well, what we want to talk about today, obviously, being a
broadband provider, there at Mountain Rural Telephone

Cooperative, Wi-Fi is a big deal.

And, you know, it's been a talk for a long time about how do
people even, you know, do people use the word broadband?

Do they use the word high speed internet?

Do they just call it Wi-Fi?

You guys saw in the calendar World Wi-Fi Day, which is kind of
one of those made up holidays, but it's a good time to do it.

And you guys decided that World Wi-Fi Day was something that you
wanted to celebrate there at Mountain Telephone.

What kind of went into to that decision that, hey, we're going
to do something on that day?

Lisa Fannin:
Well, we like to do a number of community events where it's
interactive, you know, and can be around our customers.

So I just kind of flipping through that calendar, seeing, you
know, thinking maybe there's something I'm missing.

Found World Wi-Fi Day was June 20th.

Well, it kind of worked into the time frame that I could get
that going, you know, and get something going.

We decided to do a celebration.

One of the main things that caught my eye with World Wi-Fi Day
is we always talk about Wi-Fi.

When customers call in, they'll say, and it's a new customer.

They'll say, "I want to sign up for Wi-Fi." The next question,
"Okay, what broadband package would you like?" "No, no, I don't

want broadband. I want Wi-Fi." You know, so we wanted, we
definitely wanted education to go into this.

So it just kind of all fell into place.

We had some goals we knew that we wanted, you know, needed a
another interactive community event.

We needed some education involved.

We wanted them to understand, the customers to understand, what
is Wi-Fi, and the difference between Wi-Fi, broadband?

How do they use it in their homes?

How do we use it in the communities?

Just, you know, just general information, anything that we can
put out there about Wi-Fi and kind of celebrate it because, you

know, it does play a big part in our lives now, today.

Andy Johns:
Yeah. Let's take a little detour down that road, if we can, about
like, you know, what are people calling it?

Does that change the way that you guys are talking about it?

And I know that this is something that we agonize over all the
time.

Is it high speed internet?

Is it broadband? Is it internet service?

Is it Wi-Fi?

You know, what are you guys when you're communicating to people,
if it's not World Wi-Fi Day, how are

y'all communicating or what kind of phrasing?

Or, I mean, fiber is another thing people are using.

You know, some people just call it fiber.

So how do you all normally refer to the service, and is that
what resonates with folks?

Lisa Fannin:
The main thing that we wanted them to understand is you have to
have broadband service.

You have to actually have the internet service to be able to
receive or use Wi-Fi, that that's just kind of a different

tool or handle off of broadband.

And of course, if you've got everything wired in, you're
strictly broadband service, you know.

But if you're using signal, that's Wi-Fi signal.

So, you know, that's just, and it's the ability to be able to be
mobile, you know, to be able to not have to

be in one spot, you know, to use internet service.

Andy Johns:
You can tell some of those folks never had to plug the phone line
into their computer and make it make all those terrible noises

when they logged on to AOL in 1997.

Yep.

Lisa Fannin:
The joy.

Andy Johns:
Let's get into the celebration.

So what you guys did there, and what I like about this is it had
like an in-person component out in the communities that you all

serve, which y'all are always good to recognize and help promote
those.

But then also a virtual side.

So let's talk about the in-person side, the scavenger hunt
first.

Tell us a little bit about because you guys serve primarily four
counties, and so you tried to make some

in-person interaction in each one of those counties with some
local businesses.

Tell us about scavenger hunt.

Lisa Fannin:
One of our people on their Wi-Fi committee and just came up with
the idea, why

don't we have a scavenger hunt?

So I was kind of leery at first because didn't know exactly how
this would go about.

But we ended up finding we chose five businesses that we thought
would

most likely participate and be on board with this, but we chose
five businesses in each county.

With those businesses, we put clues out there on Facebook

to get them started, and we had QR codes that were posted,
supposed to be posted on the front door

or window of each business.

That way a person could either – we wanted them to be able to go
up and scan with ease, scan that QR code, but also we

wanted to put these businesses out there so that maybe it would
entice the customer to go in and see what the business had

or what they offered.

So when they would scan the QR code that would lead them, give
them a clue to the next business.

Like for instance, I got some of my businesses and my clues.

In Morgan County, one of our businesses was Bank of the
Mountains.

So Bank of the Mountains had a QR code posted on their door.

But the clue to that whenever they saw this on Facebook was,
there's "gold in them mountains."

So that was the clue to go to the bank of the mountains to get
started.

So it was kind of like little clues, you know, along the way
that way.

Andy Johns:
Yeah. I saw the one for Elliott County.

"This place has pizza power." Yeah.

"Classic capital institution, wax threads and infinity." And to
be clear, those are three different businesses.

That's not all one business that has pizza power and waxing and
threads, and just to be clear.

Lisa Fannin:
Right. Right.

Andy Johns:
But, yeah.

So they've got that on Facebook.

They're seeing it, and then they go to the actual place to scan
the QR code.

Lisa Fannin:
Exactly. So at the last one they found that would tell them, you
know, we appreciate them playing, and their name would be entered

in for a drawing for $150.

Andy Johns:
Not bad.

Lisa Fannin:
And again, people, you know, the public uses their phones and
that was just another branch of, you know, using Wi-Fi.

There's so many ways we use Wi-Fi.

Again, it was part of an educational experience, too.

Andy Johns:
Yeah. And were you all picking those businesses?

Did they have service with y'all, or how did you go about
picking those?

just places that folks would know in the communities or a little
bit of both.

Lisa Fannin:
All the businesses, it was just a combination.

It would be some of them were well known because we didn't want
it to be so hard or have the clues.

Maybe some businesses had only been in for a month, you know,
and they had no clue even about the business.

Andy Johns:
Right.

Lisa Fannin:
So it was a combination of banks, pharmacies.

And then we would throw in like a boutique.

You know, maybe that's something that's not, hasn't been as
established as other businesses had been.

So it just, you know, good combination.

Andy Johns:
Got it. And so folks are going around to scan those, and they're
entered in if they what?

They have to find them all to be entered in.

You said, I think to be entered in for the $150.

Lisa Fannin:
Yes. They had to have all five.

Andy Johns:
Okay. And so that started what it looks like on Facebook about
June 17th, June 15th, somewhere around there about

a week before the World Wi-Fi Day itself?

Lisa Fannin:
No that's probably one of the last posts that we made that you
saw.

We started maybe about 2 to 3 weeks before the actual Wi-Fi
event that night.

Andy Johns:
Okay, so they had plenty of time, 2 or 3 weeks to go out there a
nd do that.

Okay. Got it.

And then it comes to World Wi-Fi Day itself, June 20th in 2024.

I'm not sure what the date will be in 2025.

I don't remember if it's one of those that stays the the same
day, or if it bounces around a little bit.

But then on the day, you and Matt Daniel, who we've recorded an
episode with a couple years ago about multi-gig service.

Then you guys are on camera streaming for about an hour on
Facebook.

And then you guys had it on your local channel as well.

Lisa Fannin:
On our local TV channel as well.

Andy Johns:
Okay. And you guys covered a lot of ground in that time.

Lisa Fannin:
We did. And, you know, you'd be surprised what all there is to
talk about.

But we had not really – we had not scripts or anything, but we
wanted our employees to be involved in this,

too. Like, we had someone that like well Hope.

Hope Keaton did a little video on exactly the history of Wi-Fi.

Then we had maybe another department, some people in that
department that would talk about how they install Wi-Fi in the in

community places for hotspots.

Somebody else talked about how they installed Wi-Fi, another
hotspot for, like, a campground, you know,

and there's nothing that's too remote for us to, you know,
install internet.

We'll go to the extra mile.

Andy Johns:
Yeah, literally. Sometimes it's several extra miles to get where
you all are, the way that y'all are spread out there.

I saw somebody, one of the other demonstrations about security
systems and kind of things you can do with Wi-Fi.

So you're you're promoting some of the services as well, right?

Lisa Fannin:
Yes, yes.

Also during that night, we would periodically stop and just say,
you know, we want the first caller call-in, and you're going to

win one of our security cameras, Wi-Fi security cameras.

Another thing was a gift was if they call in, they'll win a fire
stick.

So, you know, they were gifts that would eventually come back
to us because they need that service, you know, for us.

But kind of, oh, we got lots of calls.

Andy Johns:
Oh, good. Good. And that's where I was headed next was, you know,
the first time you do something like this, you never know quite

what to expect.

But how were y'all kind of measuring success, or what were y'all
looking for?

And do you think that you hit the mark that you were after?

Lisa Fannin:
We didn't know what.

Because, you know, Wi-Fi is not an exciting I've heard the term
used sexy service.

Andy Johns:
Sure, sure.

Lisa Fannin:
And yet, it's something that needs to be talked about.

But we really didn't really know what we would get.

But it was, if nothing else, it was a good experience for our
employees, maybe to do video and talk

about on the camera what they do.

And, you know, they were really proud to talk about when you had
good employees there.

And they take their job serious, and they had a lot of pride,
you know, in telling where they'll go and where they'll install

service and what they'll do.

And I think they really enjoyed it.

Andy Johns:
Yeah. So and that's a really good point.

There's an internal piece of this too to highlight some folks
that maybe don't get a ton of attention or, you know, not always

out in front. That's an important piece too.

And it looks like, and we don't have to get too far into any of
it, but it looks like just scrolling through your Facebook feed,

which I would recommend folks checking out.

The Mountain Telephone Facebook page, if you want to see some of
the trivia questions and see the video, some of the other stuff

done there, but it does seem like some of the more popular
content that you all put out there is stuff related to World

Wi-Fi Day. So that's great.

You brought up the committee earlier.

So we've talked about kind of what happened on the day and what
happened, you know, with scavenger hunt, but you

know better than anybody how much work goes into something like
this.

So you had a committee to do it.

How far out were y'all planning to make it happen?

What all went into to making this together?

Because obviously when you're doing stuff in four different
counties and recording those videos ahead of time, I mean, it

took a lot of work to do it. So how far back did you start off,
and then what kind of staff and other resources you pull in to

make it happen?

Lisa Fannin:
Well, we didn't start probably as early as we needed, but I will
say when you have good people in place,

things come together.

They know how to do it.

So I'm thrilled with our team.

I had Jonathan Keaton, who is our media specialist, does all of
our TV.

My marketing person in training, she helped quite a bit, too.

We just kind of pulled people from different departments that
could have some input into it.

So we started 2 to 3 months in advance.

Andy Johns:
Okay.

Lisa Fannin:
Didn't work on it full-time.

Actually it wasn't all that hard to pull together.

You know, once we got the plan and how we wanted to do it.

Andy Johns:
Got it. And so that committee met just to kind of move things
along and plan things out, and 2 or 3 months to pull it off.

Yeah, I could see how that would have been.

You know, you always, like more time, starting earlier.

Lisa Fannin:
Yeah.

Andy Johns:
Yeah, I can see that working well.

Well, last thing I had for you.

Now that you've done this once and, you know, I don't know if
y'all will do this again if for somebody who's retiring

pretty soon, it may not matter to you whether they do it again.

But what advice would you have if somebody else is thinking,
hey, this, you know, we were looking for an event to do in June

as well. And we've got, you know, folks talking about Wi-Fi as
well, want to highlight that.

If somebody is thinking about doing something like this for next
year, what are some things you learned this year that you can

pass on as advice for them for next year?

Lisa Fannin:
Well, like I said, it's not as complicated as it sounds to get
together.

Once you finally get your point of what your goals you want to
set for yourself to

do, and just kind of what you, you know, the general idea of what
you want to do.

I would be glad to talk with anybody if they did want to do a
Wi-Fi Day.

The do's and don'ts, if they would like to give me a call or
whatever or email.

Probably one thing I took away from this, and I'm sure anybody
watching this understands

now, nowadays people just don't cooperate like they used to.

So even though you think you choose the the right businesses
and when you call them initially and say, "Hey, do

you care if we put a QR code up in your door or in your window
so people can go by and scan?" Just because they say yes does not

mean they're going to do it.

Because I don't think they really understood what it was until,
you know, I started calling them and saying, "So-and-so can't

find the fourth QR code." "Oh, okay.

Yeah, I laid that over – Oh!

Oh, here it is." Ha, ha.

Andy Johns:
Right.

Lisa Fannin:
Yeah, well we need that up, so.

You kind of have to stay after those people.

Mhm.

Andy Johns:
Yeah. Maybe some extra communication, or I don't know if y'all
will use the same places next year or switch it up, but, you know

maybe once folks have seen it once now they can understand a
little better.

Lisa Fannin:
I think it's different now.

I don't think they realized what it was, and I do believe that I
would have me or whoever does it again, we'll go put them up

ourselves.

Andy Johns:
Okay. There you go.

Lisa Fannin:
Tell them exactly. You know, this is where we need this, and we
want them to scan.

Plus, we want them to visit your business.

Andy Johns:
Right. We're driving people to you.

Lisa Fannin:
Exactly. You know, that's the whole point, because we've always
made a point, like with the magazine.

Also, I love to do stories in the magazine about our small
businesses and our artists and things and, you know, people in

the area. Because if they prosper, then so do we.

And I want to – I'm all about the tourism and economy.

Andy Johns:
Yeah, yeah, it's a very pretty area up there, but one that I
think does get overlooked quite a bit.

So they're lucky to have folks like you and Mountain Telephone
advocating for them for stuff like this.

Lisa Fannin:
Thank you.

Andy Johns:
Well, Lisa, thank you so much for joining me on this episode, for
sharing that idea and for letting folks know how they can

celebrate World Wi-Fi Day.

Lisa Fannin:
All right. Thank you so much, Andy.

Have a great day.

Andy Johns:
She is Lisa Fannin, director of marketing and PR at Mountain
Rural Telephone.

I'm your host, Andy Johns with Pioneer.

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.

StoryConnect is engineered by Lucas Smith of Lucky Sound Studio.