Marketing Analysis and Marketing Analysis and AdvertisingAdvertising

Allison Andrews

Kathy GrimensteinApril 25, 2006

Focus of PresentationFocus of Presentation

Marketing overviewAmerican Case StudyCommunity/Culture ProfileRecommendations for other librariansLessons learned

Goals of ProjectGoals of Project

Determine successful uses of marketing tools.

Share those tools with librarians around the globe.

Incorporate multi-cultural aspects of results in library services.

Storyboard ExampleStoryboard ExampleStress to students the importance of specific, measurable Stress to students the importance of specific, measurable

marketing tools, as in the following examples:marketing tools, as in the following examples: Newsletters Surveys Local media coverage Community

involvement Feedback from other

librarians and patrons

Cultural Activities– Multi-cultural author book

talks– Spanish story time– Book clubs for teens or

‘tweens'

Digitization or automation – Computer classes– Electronic resources or

database subscriptions– Library OPAC

Examples of Library MarketingExamples of Library Marketing

http://berkeleypubliclibrary.org/teen/booklist.html– Teen page with links to suggested books from varied genres and

subjects; not updated recently, some links not since the late 1990’s; boring-no graphics.

http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6299836.html – Gives examples of public libraries that received the support of the

community through outreach and effective marketing techniques to build new libraries or to purchase expensive scholarly periodicals.

– Used the example of a few Latino patrons who were loyal to the library because of Hispanic story time activities and who caused many more Latinos to support the efforts of the library.

Other examplesOther examples

http://mei.net/~elsner/marketing.html#barriers– The Public Library Helper by Edward J. Elsner, an online tutorial.– Public Library Director and Library Consultant in Michigan who

specializes in small and rural libraries, marketing and collection development.

http://dsej.arl.org/spec/evalinst/survey.html– An example of an online survey on evaluating library instruction

programs, with specific questions for patrons to answer.

American Case StudyAmerican Case Study

Fairview Public Library, Branch of the Williamson County System in middle Tennessee:

Friendly staff Media connections New materials near front

door Outreach to community

Reader’s Advisory binder Effective reference

interviews Programs

– Preschool story time– Focus Day activities– Free guitar lessons– Income Tax help– Monthly Book Club– Professional entertainers

Community / Culture ProfileCommunity / Culture Profile

Data collection tools (surveys / questionnaires) help libraries to better understand community needs or makeup.

Marketing and advertising are essential for libraries to reach their community of users.

Funding, technology, and demographic changes exist in local communities.

Survey Questions: Small Survey Questions: Small LibrariesLibraries

What kind of marketing plan or advertising methods does your small library currently use?

Do you use flyers, press releases, local media, or radio announcements to reach the community?

Survey Questions: Culture-Survey Questions: Culture-Specific MaterialsSpecific Materials

What type of new marketing campaign would attract a wider diversity of users?

What groups within your community does the public library target in its advertising?

Survey Questions: DigitizationSurvey Questions: Digitization

How many public access computers are available in your public library?

Do you have a library website?Does your library offer and advertise

computer or technology classes?

RecommendationsRecommendations

Get to know community leaders and members of local organizations.

Meet the needs of a diverse community in creative ways.

Be prepared to convince the governing body of the library’s importance to the community.

Deliver high quality services.

More RecommendationsMore Recommendations

Have a marketing plan, idea, or a set of goals to achieve.

Outline ways to achieve the marketing objectives.

Make sure to involve the community and library staff.

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Even when a goal is not reached, an effective project is possible.

A small public library must approach marketing from many angles.

All segments of the population can be reached with the correct techniques.

Lessons Learned…cont.Lessons Learned…cont.

Evaluate marketing and advertising efforts.Identify areas that require improvements.Determine the success of new programs or

marketing techniques.– Increases in services, usage, funding, or new

patrons?

Measure community response.

Questions ?Questions ?

Any questions or comments?

Thanks for listening !