Library Marketing Strategies

1. Library Marketing Strategies Less is More

2. Library Marketing Strategies Less is More

3. Marketing libraries is like marketing mayo … Hellmann’s Mayonnaise markets in a lot of places … Magazines TV Outdoor Advertising / Subway NASCAR Who has rushed to the grocery store after the Talladega 500 to buy a jar? BRAND AWARENESS

4. Don’t expect huge dividends on one-off promotions. Why Strategic Marketing works • ‘Team Approach’ – Various forms of a similar message repeated many times across multiple platforms. • People will think of you when they need you. (and not someone else) • Build more meaningful relationships with consumer/patrons.

5. Have a clear vision • Develop strong partnerships. Get local. • Develop personalized experiences • Make conversation starters. Get local. • Be creative and willing to experiment • Revise and make adjustments • THINK LIKE A BUSINESS PERSON

6. Work collaboratively • Hone tone & messaging. • Not realistic to be all things to all people • Find ways to say “No.” Set deadlines. Avoid doing too much. • Communication cannot be understated. • Bounce ideas off of community around you. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.

7. Average attention span of human is 8 seconds! Experts indicate it is the effects of a digital lifestyle on the brain. Don’t do something crazy to attract attention. (negative attention) Really just a great soundbite. Stat is goalpost of transient attention Great experiences come from selective sustained attention! TELL A STORY!

8. Tell a story with Content Marketing • Think about why people keep coming to the library. • Develop in-depth stories. Not sales pitches. • Do cover stories. • Interview parents and patrons. Gain perspective on what they want. • Crowdsource. • Ask other library workers to be on the lookout for good story ideas. • Ask open-ended questions. • Listen for stories with emotion, conflict, resolution. • Turn simple a simple ‘thank you’ into a feature article. • Send a list of questions to author before library event. • QUALITY over QUANTITY. Remember, less is more.

9. What is news anyway? • TIMING – The word news is just that, things which are new. Stay current. A story with average interest needs to be told quickly if told at all. • SIGNIFICANCE – The number of people affected is important. Fender benders aren’t news, but a crash involving a bus full of children is news. • PROXIMITY – Stories happening near us are considered more important. This is the cornerstone of local newspapers and TV stations. • PROMINENCE – Famous people get more coverage because they are famous. You breaking your arm won’t make the news, but if the Queen of England breaks her arm, it’s suddenly a big deal. • HUMAN INTEREST – Special case, and often discard other rules of newsworthiness. They don’t date as quickly, they need not affect a large number of people, and it may not matter where the story takes place. They appeal to emotion, and aim to evoke a response.

10. “News Math” • 1 ordinary person + 1 ordinary life = 0 • 1 ordinary person + 1 extraordinary adventure = NEWS • 1 husband + 1 wife = 0 • 1 husband + 3 wives = NEWS • 1 bank cashier + 1 spouse + 7 children = 0 • 1 bank cashier - $20,000 = NEWS • 1 person + 1 achievement = NEWS • 1 ordinary person + 1 ordinary life of 79 years = 0 • 1 ordinary person + 1 ordinary life of 100 years = NEWS

11. Market your collection Pew Research Center, Sept. 2015 66 percent of library users borrow books 17 percent attend a class, program, or lecture. Don’t assume or take for granted patrons know what libraries have. Do patrons think of you or Amazon when looking for a new book title?

12. Why do you watch local news? Biggest reason people watch local news is the local weather forecast. In local news, meteorologists typically make most money because weather is king. In libraries, your collection is king.

13. Make Social Media work for you • Assess current social media strategy – What is going on right now? • Are you starting conversations? • Are your posts being shared? • Are your posts generating clicks? • Develop a real and concrete idea of what works and what doesn’t. • Find out what your competition is doing. • Follow bookstores, libraries, museums, Redbox, Netflix, and others. • Figure out their successes and failures and learn from them. • There is no one path to success here. Figure out where your patrons/cardholders are and focus on those platforms. • Concentrate efforts on things that work; ditch those that don’t.

14. Four tricks to fire up your social media • BE AN ACTIVE LISTENER – Respond to comments (negative or positive) as soon as possible. Keep track of that feedback and incorporate it into future promotions. • MAKE USE OF ALREADY EXISTING CHEERLEADERS – Think of two or three people who constantly praise the library, and offer them something special (Think goodie bags or behind-the-scenes tours). They can quickly become huge brand advocates for you, and in turn they will post positive comments about you on their personal social media pages. • CREATE A SOCIAL MEDIA CALENDAR – Schedule quality content to appear on a regular basis. Remember “Must-See TV?” You can do the same thing with social media. • TRACK RESULTS – You’ll learn what works and what doesn’t if you gauge interest. Repeat the good stuff, ditch the bad.

15. Remember that Social Media is fluid • Social media platforms are constantly evolving. Try to stay on trend. • Don’t be rash and jump on bandwagons. (Snapchat) Study trends and take baby steps initially. Don’t be afraid to experiment. • Incorporate video if possible. [10-second book reviews] • Videos do not need to be polished. Unedited video is currently perceived as more authentic. • Create and write down a strategy chart. One sentence each for mission, tactics, goals. Revise often. • Remember that library marketing is hard. This is a unique industry. • When one succeeds, we all succeed. Sharing information is key.

16. Is there anything I missed?

17. Contact Info: Ryan Godfrey rgodfrey@apls.state.al.us 334-213-3909