This year marks the 10th anniversary of Smart Irrigation Month. The Irrigation Association (IA) first launched this initiative in an effort to increase public awareness of the value of water-use efficiency and to grow demand for water-saving products, practices and services. Over the years, the objectives of Smart Irrigation Month have grown to include:
- Helping water providers minimize peak water use and reduce demands on infrastructure in their communities;
- Educating homeowners, businesses, growers and other users about simple ways to save money and water;
- Encouraging industry firms and professionals to promote smart irrigation practices and technologies to customers;
- Reinforcing the role efficient irrigation plays in providing real solutions to today’s water challenges.
For the past decade, IA has encouraged its members to participate in Smart Irrigation Month by educating their employees, customers and business partners about the importance of water-use efficiency. To help companies build their own promotional campaigns, IA offers a collection of free resources that anyone can download from the initiative’s website, www.smartirrigationmonth.org. These resources include:
- Free webinars
- Logos
- Articles
- Sample proclamation language (for use when obtaining a state or local proclamation declaring July as Smart Irrigation Month)
- Printable statement stuffers with simple watering tips
- Pre-recorded public service announcements
- Sample press release language
- A children's activity book
- Bumper stickers
- Stickers (for use on packages and invoices)
To date, dozens of companies have participated in helping spread the word about smart irrigation. IA members work with state and local legislatures to obtain official proclamations declaring July as Smart Irrigation Month; distribute press releases to local media outlets; create internal and external company newsletters; hold contests for customers to win water-saving products; and hand out activity kits and coloring books to children at summer camps. These campaigns not only have a positive impact on the end users directly affected by them, but they also help companies gain credibility in their community and establish a loyal customer base.
In recent years, IA and its members have kicked up their efforts to take Smart Irrigation Month from an association project to an industry-wide campaign. Last year, volunteers from all over the country submitted requests to their state and local governments to recognize July 2014 as Smart Irrigation Month. Nineteen states, cities and counties issued official proclamations.
Additionally, IA hosted its first ever Thunderclap crowd-speak campaign to help spread the Smart Irrigation Month message on social media. Individuals who joined the IA Thunderclap campaign donated their social media accounts to send out the same message at the same time. IA’s campaign had 133 participants, with a total social reach of almost 132,000 contacts.
To help encourage participation from even more people and companies in 2015, IA replaced its traditional Smart Marketing Contest with a social media campaign. IA invites members, nonmembers and consumers to promote the initiative through social media, traditional media and public relations channels.
Supporting Smart Irrigation Month can be as simple as including the Smart Irrigation Month logo in internal and external communications to promote water-use efficiency and best practices for irrigation management.
Other opportunities to participate in Smart Irrigation Month include:
Sharing how you, your company or your customers are supporting Smart Irrigation Month on IA’s social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) using the official initiative hashtag, #SmartIrrigationMonth;
Opting in to IA’s second annual Thunderclap campaign to bring the Smart Irrigation Month message to more people than ever;
Engaging local media and your community by issuing press releases about your participation;
Supporting the initiative by working with local and state governments to obtain official proclamations.
Since its inception, Smart Irrigation Month has become a valuable solution to drive awareness of the need to use water wisely. The initiative provides a platform for the irrigation industry to showcase the latest innovative technologies and services that can help farmers increase productivity.