Brand Positioning for Academic Libraries

1. Brand Positioning for Academic Libraries Yoo-Seong Song University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2. Brands

3. Brand Management “Brand Management is the art of marketing and most distinctive skill of professional marketers.” - (Philip Kotler, 2002)

4. BM Process Build awareness and recognition Consumers have positive perceptions Consumers associate product with certain values (e.g. expensive, luxurious, economic, authentic, affordable) LOYAL CUSTOMERS Consumers “experience” product & product delivers its promise

5. BM Strategy Decision Model (Kotler) Brand Positioning Name Selection Sponsorship Development

6. Brand Positioning: Components Brand Positioning Service assessment Value proposition Environment assessment

7. Step 1: Environment Assessment Economy Industry Companies Consumers

8. Key Results

9. Comparing BEL & Google vs. • Assess Google and BEL in terms of: • “Width” of business information • “Depth” of business information

10. Perception Map: Google DEPTH WIDTH Business Librarian Business Student

11. Perception Map: BEL DEPTH WIDTH Business Librarian Business Student

12. Step 2: Library Assessment Facility-based Service Collection-based Service BEL Service Assessment Expertise-based Service

13. BackgroundBusiness & Economics Library • One of the most frequently used libraries on campus • Mainly serves students and faculty at the College of Business • Graduate students > Undergraduate • Employs 3 librarians,3 FTEs, and students • 65,000 volumes and 1,200 periodical titles

14. Business Education: Requirements Information Requirements • Large sets of data • Real time data • Complex financial databases • Quantitative analysis skills • Problem solving skills • Effective presentation skills Pedagogical Requirements

15. Importance of Library Services Likert scale: 5 = Very important 4 = Somewhat important 3 = Neutral 2 = Of little importance 1 = Not important • Personal study area • Public access computers • Electronic resources • Space for group meetings • Virtual reference

16. Importance of Library Services:Results Students view that library’s physical facility is more important than human services

17. BEL Assessment Facility-based Service Collection-based Service BEL Service Assessment Expertise-based Service

18. Step 3: Value Proposition • Questions to be answered: • What services do students want from BEL? • Can BEL deliver what it promises? • Can BEL’s services be replaced easily by competitors? • Can BEL’s services be sustained and lead to loyalty? • Are BEL’s services distinctive, consistent, and recognizable?

19. Differentiators • What students can find via Google: • Easily searchable • Easily understood • Students cannot rely on Google when: • Difficult to understand • Info needs more than simple retrieval • Google offers too much (and different results) • Expertise is needed

20. Determining BEL’s Brand Values Convenience Expertise Wide coverage Deep coverage Focused Speed Consultation Self-Reliant

21. BEL’s Brand Positioning Proactive Proactive Partner Proactive Provider Provider Partner Reactive Partner Reactive Provider Reactive

22. Next BM Steps and Further Studies Brand Positioning Name Selection Sponsorship Development

23. Thanks!