Creating Marketing Creating Marketing Plans on a Plans on a smallsmall BudgetBudget

Karen Thistle, Service Team Lead - Capacity Building, Ontario Library Service – North

Douglas Davey, Chair of the Marketing Committee - Halton Hills Public Library

A Toolkit and Proof it A Toolkit and Proof it

works!works!

AgendaAgenda

KarenKaren Why libraries need to engage in marketing Why libraries need to engage in marketing

planningplanning What that means for a small / medium size libraryWhat that means for a small / medium size library The Toolkit The Toolkit

DouglasDouglas The HHPL’s marketing planThe HHPL’s marketing plan How the plan was developedHow the plan was developed Implementation & EvaluationImplementation & Evaluation

Q&AQ&A

Ontario Library Services - Ontario Library Services - NorthNorth

Marketing Marketing Tool KitTool Kit

Marketing- Marketing- What are we really talking What are we really talking

about.about. Marketing is:Marketing is:

– Increasing awareness of the value of a Increasing awareness of the value of a product or service. product or service.

– The process of through which services are The process of through which services are planned, values are assigned to services, planned, values are assigned to services, services are promoted and through which services are promoted and through which they are delivered.they are delivered.

For the Public Library For the Public Library Marketing is…Marketing is…

Making sure the public knows Making sure the public knows – Who you areWho you are– Where you areWhere you are– What you doWhat you do

andand– The Value you bring to the communityThe Value you bring to the community

Why Market a Public Why Market a Public Library?Library?

Raise profile in communityRaise profile in community– Library usersLibrary users– Library non-usersLibrary non-users– Community Stakeholders and Decision Community Stakeholders and Decision

MakersMakers Promote the Library as a Community Promote the Library as a Community

Destination PointDestination Point Directly promote services and Directly promote services and

programs programs

Small and Medium Size Small and Medium Size Libraries… the quest for Libraries… the quest for

resourcesresources Making the most of “free” Making the most of “free”

opportunitiesopportunities Using resources already in the libraryUsing resources already in the library Establishing a plan of actionEstablishing a plan of action Keeping it Realistic and ManageableKeeping it Realistic and Manageable

The ToolkitThe Toolkit

Created by OLS-Created by OLS-North to assist North to assist libraries in creating libraries in creating a marketing plan a marketing plan for the library.for the library.

Situational AnalysisSituational Analysis

To better understand Environment:To better understand Environment:– SWOTSWOT

Internal EnvironmentInternal Environment– Mission StatementMission Statement– Vision StatementVision Statement– Statement of ValuesStatement of Values

Understanding ServicesUnderstanding Services

What services does the library offer? What services does the library offer? – What value do they have to clients?What value do they have to clients?

What services should be continued?What services should be continued?

What services should be discontinued?What services should be discontinued?

What services should be developed?What services should be developed?

Assessing GoalsAssessing Goals

What are the long term plans for the What are the long term plans for the library?library?– (Strategic Plans)(Strategic Plans)

What are the libraries goals over the What are the libraries goals over the next three years? next three years?

Which goals are priorities?Which goals are priorities? What are the libraries timelines in What are the libraries timelines in

achieving these goals?achieving these goals?

Target Markets Target Markets

Geographic, Demographic, Geographic, Demographic, Psychographic and BehavioralPsychographic and Behavioral

Who is currently receiving the Who is currently receiving the libraries message?libraries message?

Who in the community is not Who in the community is not receiving the libraries message?receiving the libraries message?

Who in the community does the Who in the community does the library want to reach?library want to reach?

Understanding CompetitionUnderstanding Competition

Who are the libraries competitors?Who are the libraries competitors? What are the libraries “threats”?What are the libraries “threats”? How does the library compete?How does the library compete? How can threats be turned around?How can threats be turned around?

Marketing Strategies / Marketing Strategies / BudgetBudget

Direct MarketingDirect Marketing AdvertisingAdvertising NetworkingNetworking Web ResourcesWeb Resources CampaignsCampaigns Media Media Events at the libraryEvents at the library Public DisplaysPublic Displays

Drafting the PlanDrafting the Plan Library BackgroundLibrary Background Mission StatementMission Statement ServicesServices GoalsGoals Target MarketsTarget Markets StrategyStrategy TimelineTimeline BudgetBudget Measures of SuccessMeasures of Success

EvaluationsEvaluations

What does success look like?What does success look like? How will the library measure success?How will the library measure success?

– Increased Public AwarenessIncreased Public Awareness– Increase in library usageIncrease in library usage– Circulation increaseCirculation increase– Program UseProgram Use– Customer SatisfactionCustomer Satisfaction

Tools to measure successTools to measure success

And now for the proof…And now for the proof…

Halton Hills Halton Hills Public Public

LibraryLibrary

Halton Hills Public Halton Hills Public LibraryLibrary

Halton Hills Public Halton Hills Public LibraryLibrary

Halton Hills – Georgetown and ActonHalton Hills – Georgetown and Acton 2 branches2 branches Total Pop. 55, 300Total Pop. 55, 300

Who Created our Plan?Who Created our Plan?

No marketing staffNo marketing staff The Marketing CommitteeThe Marketing Committee

– representatives from different representatives from different departments and branches within the departments and branches within the LibraryLibrary

– input from other relevant staffinput from other relevant staff Met once a month during developmentMet once a month during development

Why a Marketing Plan?Why a Marketing Plan?

To remain vibrant and relevant To remain vibrant and relevant To support current users and reach new onesTo support current users and reach new ones To direct our resources effectively To direct our resources effectively To meet the objectives of the Strategic PlanTo meet the objectives of the Strategic Plan

StepsSteps

Called in an expert to teach us how to Called in an expert to teach us how to market our servicesmarket our services

Decided to market ourselves via Decided to market ourselves via expanding and promoting our servicesexpanding and promoting our services

Research to get resultsResearch to get results

Marketing – Then and Marketing – Then and NowNow

THEN = Broad-based marketingTHEN = Broad-based marketing– traditional traditional – focus is on productfocus is on product

NOW = Service-based marketingNOW = Service-based marketing– modernmodern– focus is on customerfocus is on customer

Service-Based MarketingService-Based Marketing

Shift the way we think about servicesShift the way we think about services Instead of trying to please everyone, think Instead of trying to please everyone, think

about certain segments of users about certain segments of users What can you do for them?What can you do for them?

What is our Marketing What is our Marketing Plan?Plan?

In general, we followed these steps:In general, we followed these steps:

1.1. Segment the marketSegment the market

2.2. Develop representative personaeDevelop representative personae

3.3. Develop service initiativesDevelop service initiatives

4.4. Implement service initiativesImplement service initiatives

Step One: Step One: Segmenting Our MarketSegmenting Our Market

What are our “hot” demographics?What are our “hot” demographics?

Determined using info from demographic and Determined using info from demographic and other documentsother documents

Segment: Age (now part of registration)Segment: Age (now part of registration)

Sub-Segment: Library use associated with that Sub-Segment: Library use associated with that ageage

Defining the segmentsDefining the segments

What are our Segments?What are our Segments?

Youth aged 8-14Youth aged 8-14 Adults aged 40-64Adults aged 40-64 Adults aged 65+Adults aged 65+

Segmentation WorksheetSegmentation Worksheet

Youth aged 8-14Youth aged 8-14

Sub-segments*:Sub-segments*: Youth who select library material for funYouth who select library material for fun Youth who select library material for schoolYouth who select library material for school Youth who use the library computersYouth who use the library computers Youth who use library as study spaceYouth who use library as study space

*These came from an earlier study we conducted*These came from an earlier study we conducted

Adults aged 40-64Adults aged 40-64

Sub-segments*:Sub-segments*: E-resource usersE-resource users Small business usersSmall business users Recreational usersRecreational users

*These came from a desire to reach these groups*These came from a desire to reach these groups

Adults aged 65+Adults aged 65+

Sub-segments*:Sub-segments*: Recently retired and activeRecently retired and active Elderly and homeboundElderly and homebound Recently retired with ability issuesRecently retired with ability issues

*These came from a comparison of mobility and *These came from a comparison of mobility and stage of stage of

lifelife

Step Two:Step Two: Developing PersonaeDeveloping Personae

For each sub-segment representative For each sub-segment representative personae were createdpersonae were created

Details of the personae were created by Details of the personae were created by Marketing Committee members using a Marketing Committee members using a combination of personal experience and combination of personal experience and reasonable suppositionreasonable supposition

Persona WorksheetPersona Worksheet

Step Three:Step Three: Developing InitiativesDeveloping Initiatives

A service initiative was developed for A service initiative was developed for each personaeach persona

Each initiative matches its persona’s Each initiative matches its persona’s characteristics (age, etc.) and also its characteristics (age, etc.) and also its values (e.g. a healthy community)values (e.g. a healthy community)

Initiative WorksheetInitiative Worksheet

The InitiativesThe Initiatives

Youth aged 8-14Youth aged 8-14 Film Festival - funFilm Festival - fun Exploration Stations - computersExploration Stations - computers Homework Help Zone - homeworkHomework Help Zone - homework

The InitiativesThe Initiatives

Adults aged 40-64Adults aged 40-64 HOP-ping Titles – recreational /e-resouceHOP-ping Titles – recreational /e-resouce Information is Our Business – small Information is Our Business – small

businessbusiness Are you E-Ware Pt. 1 – e-resourceAre you E-Ware Pt. 1 – e-resource Are you E-Ware Pt. 2 – e-resourceAre you E-Ware Pt. 2 – e-resource Stay Connected – e-resourceStay Connected – e-resource

The InitiativesThe Initiatives

Seniors aged 65+Seniors aged 65+ Coffee, Books and ConversationCoffee, Books and Conversation Expand Your WorldExpand Your World Silver LearningSilver Learning Volunteer ConnectionVolunteer Connection Are you an E-Ware SeniorAre you an E-Ware Senior Friendly FacesFriendly Faces

Step Four:Step Four: Implement InitiativesImplement Initiatives

Each initiative has a detailed Each initiative has a detailed implementation strategy including:implementation strategy including:

Who will be involved?Who will be involved? How will it be promoted?How will it be promoted? When/where will it happen?When/where will it happen? How much will it cost?How much will it cost? What will be the outcomes?What will be the outcomes?

When Will the Plan When Will the Plan Begin?Begin?

Half of the initiatives were to begin in Half of the initiatives were to begin in 20072007

The rest to start over the next four years The rest to start over the next four years

An assigned Coordinator investigates the An assigned Coordinator investigates the best possible timing for each initiativebest possible timing for each initiative

Initiatives will be rolled out progressively Initiatives will be rolled out progressively to avoid staff overloadto avoid staff overload

What does the Plan cost?What does the Plan cost?

Each coordinator will assess the cost of Each coordinator will assess the cost of their initiativetheir initiative

No initiative should cause undue strainNo initiative should cause undue strain Soliciting alternate funding has already Soliciting alternate funding has already

begunbegun

How is the plan How is the plan evaluated?evaluated?

Each initiative will have a complete Each initiative will have a complete report created to evaluate the different report created to evaluate the different aspects of the programaspects of the program

Status of the InitiativesStatus of the Initiatives

Film FestivalFilm Festival Ran one film festival Ran one film festival

(Indiana Jones) and just (Indiana Jones) and just began another (Creature began another (Creature Feature)Feature)

Approx. 10 teens per Approx. 10 teens per showingshowing

Increased interest in / Increased interest in / cachet of librarycachet of library

Moderate successModerate success

Status of the InitiativesStatus of the Initiatives

Exploration StationsExploration Stations Early Literacy Station - Early Literacy Station -

one up and running and one up and running and one more on the wayone more on the way

Approx. 600 uses / monthApprox. 600 uses / month Increased customer Increased customer

satisfaction, improved satisfaction, improved computer skills and computer skills and literacyliteracy

Huge successHuge success

Status of the InitiativesStatus of the Initiatives

Expand Your WorldExpand Your World 9 displays targeted to seniors - displayed 9 displays targeted to seniors - displayed

in prominent local spacesin prominent local spaces Statistics are hard to trackStatistics are hard to track Positive feedback – a successPositive feedback – a success

Status of the InitiativesStatus of the Initiatives

Coffee, Books and Conversation – Coffee, Books and Conversation – ActonActon

2 sessions have been held2 sessions have been held 8 first session, 5 second 8 first session, 5 second 2 circs / participant2 circs / participant Increased interest, patron satisfaction Increased interest, patron satisfaction

and interaction and interaction Good successGood success

Status of the InitiativesStatus of the Initiatives

CBC – GeorgetownCBC – Georgetown 3 sessions have been held3 sessions have been held 12 each session (12 on a wait list + 12 each session (12 on a wait list +

more)more) Circ’d “stacks”Circ’d “stacks” Library knowledge andLibrary knowledge and

appreciationappreciation Amazing successAmazing success

Status of the InitiativesStatus of the Initiatives

H.O.P.-ping H.O.P.-ping TitlesTitles

Available to public Available to public since Dec. 07since Dec. 07

No stats yetNo stats yet Increased use, Increased use,

satisfaction and satisfaction and tech ‘cred’tech ‘cred’

Success? TBASuccess? TBA

Questions?Questions?

Karen ThistleKaren Thistle 705-675-6467705-675-6467 ext. 206ext. 206 kthistle@olsn.cakthistle@olsn.ca www.olsn.cawww.olsn.ca

marketing@olsn.camarketing@olsn.ca 705-675-6467 ext.507705-675-6467 ext.507

Douglas P. DaveyDouglas P. Davey 905-873-2681905-873-2681 ext. 2508ext. 2508 daveyd@hhpl.on.cadaveyd@hhpl.on.ca www.library.hhpl.on.cawww.library.hhpl.on.ca

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