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M ARKETING DIGITAL REFERENCE SERVICES Mary-Carol Lindbloom Monday, June 23, 2003

M ARKETING DIGITAL REFERENCE SERVICES Mary-Carol Lindbloom Monday, June 23, 2003. OUR VIRTUAL REFERENCE PROJECT. MyWebLibrarian: I’m online to help! The project grew from two existing Illinois virtual reference programs:.

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M ARKETING DIGITAL REFERENCE SERVICES Mary-Carol Lindbloom Monday, June 23, 2003

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  1. MARKETING DIGITAL REFERENCE SERVICESMary-Carol LindbloomMonday, June 23, 2003

  2. OUR VIRTUAL REFERENCE PROJECT • MyWebLibrarian: I’m online to help! • The project grew from two existing Illinois virtual reference programs:

  3. Answers UnlimitedAsk a Librarian Live Onlinehttp://www.answersunlimited.org

  4. READY FOR REFERENCE: ACADEMIC LIBRARIES OFFER LIVE WEB-BASED REFERENCE Online! Anytime!@ your library ™

  5. WHY COLLABORATE? • Share staff. Take a few desk shifts instead of all of them. • Less need to share duty at the physical reference desk with • online desk. • Operate service more hours. • Share software expenses. • Share a website/web design. • Develop uniform guidelines/quality assurance/CQI. • Increase collective bargaining/buying power. • Meet users at their point of need. • Share marketing and public relations items/strategies.

  6. MULTI-SYSTEM MULTI-TYPE COLLATORATION • Extends and enhances the benefits of collaboration. • Provides broader pool of human resources and materials. • Illinois libraries increase their relevancy to a greater % of our State’s population.

  7. LSTA GRANT FUNDING • The Illinois State Library was interested in facilitating cooperation among library systems, and provided LSTA funding for the project.

  8. ANSWERS UNLIMTED +READY FOR REFERENCE =

  9. ???

  10. The Marketing Plan

  11. First Step: Hire a Marketing/PR Firm • Simantel (Peoria, IL) helped to develop: • Strategy • Brand (including marketing research) • Icon/Web design • Marketing materials

  12. Marketing Strategies: Librarian-targeted • FAQ (available electronically from ALS and NSLS web sites) • PowerPoint template (available electronically from ALS and NSLS web sites) • 2 E-mail teasers (available electronically from ALS and NSLS web sites) • Participating libraries distribute the materials and promote the project in their newsletters and with their local press contacts. This has resulted in new participants and potential participants.

  13. Marketing Strategies: User-targeted • Tri-fold brochure (printing of 100,000 brochures) • Bookmark (printing of 20,000 bookmarks) • Magnet (printing of 2,500 magnets) • Flyer template (available electronically from ALS and NSLS web sites) • College newspaper ad (available electronically from ALS and NSLS web sites) • 1 press release (available electronically from ALS and NSLS web sites) • 1 thirty second PSA (available electronically from ALS and NSLS web sites)

  14. The Brand • How would we name our service? • What would we name our service?

  15. Icon/Web design • Simantel and Infobahn Outfitters, the web designers (Macomb, IL), worked together to integrate the brand and icon into the web design.

  16. Icon Choices

  17. (PSA Script) :30 Public Service Announcement Have you ever found yourself in need of quick access to information? Illinois librarians are now just a click away! MyWebLibrarian.com a free service lets you interact online and in real time with a professional librarian, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s fast, easy, and a credible source for information. Visit www.MyWebLibrarian.com. You have questions. Our online librarians have answers 24/7.

  18. Sample PowerPoint Template • 

  19. Other Marketing Items Developed • Talking Points (for consistent message) • Banners

  20. PARTICIPATING LIBRARIES • Going into project, there were 21 libraries. • Now: 37 libraries, 220+ librarians: • 21 Publics • 9 Academics • 6 Hospitals • 1 School • ……..representing 4 Illinois library systems

  21. How Have the Participants Used the Marketing? • During press conferences/press releases • For newspaper articles (community & campus) • In dorms and around building (posters/flyers) • Hang banners at special events • New orientation sessions • In ads at bottom of email reference responses • To co-brand • Parents/students events • Door hangers

  22. Which approaches? • Go “broad spectrum” using and expanding upon the techniques described.

  23. Which approaches? • Icons--need to be prominently featured around one’s website: • Academic: distance learning pages; professor’s webpages. • Public: library website; Chamber of Commerce pages. • Hospital: consumer health section; physicians, nurses, and other staff. • School: homework help section, sports, etc.

  24. Which approaches? • Print marketing: • Newspaper articles • Library orientation • Bookmarks—hand out at various desks • Flyers, posters, door hangers in student residences, doctor’s lounges, offices

  25. Which approaches? • Your Voice! • Talk up the service with Boards, committees, user groups, etc. • Discuss program on local TV programs.

  26. How often do we need to advertise? • Constantly! • Beginning & middle of academic year.

  27. How do we pay? • Collaboration reduces costs. • Use free advertisement whenever possible.

  28. For more information, contact:Mary-Carol Lindbloommclindbloom@alliancelibrarysystem.com217-223-2560309-353-4110 ext. 2401 (voicemail)

  29. QUESTIONS??

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