1 / 41

Library Marketing 101:

Library Marketing 101:. Fun, cheap, and easy ways to promote your library (with a little pre-planning) !. Alexandra Simons Librarian, History/Political Science/Gov Docs Chair, Marketing Committee University of Houston Libraries. Before you dive in.

paco
Download Presentation

Library Marketing 101:

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Library Marketing 101: Fun, cheap, and easy ways to promote your library (with a little pre-planning)! Alexandra Simons Librarian, History/Political Science/Gov Docs Chair, Marketing Committee University of Houston Libraries

  2. Before you dive in • Set your goals – what do you want to accomplish? • Find out what your students, faculty and community really want from your library

  3. Develop a Marketing Plan

  4. How do I do that? • Form a marketing committee

  5. How do I do that? • Form a marketing committee • Use someone else’s strategic marketing plan and make it fit your organization

  6. How do I do that? • Form a marketing committee • Use another library’s strategic marketing plan and make it fit yours • Check fun and useful guide books

  7. How do I do that? • Contact your college’s marketing department and find out what they’re doing, especially with branding

  8. How do I do that? • Contact your college’s marketing department and find out what they’re doing, especially with branding • Go online to see what other community colleges are doing

  9. How do I do that? • Contact your college’s marketing department and find out what they’re doing, especially with branding • Go online to see what other community colleges are doing • Use free survey programs to find out what your users want from you, for example:

  10. Strategic planning helps you… • Define what your users want and need • Pinpoint library services most important to users • Develop a consistent message • Market a recognizable brand • Streamline communications

  11. We’ve got the plan! Now what?

  12. Start Getting Creative!

  13. Some fun, free, (or at least cheap) ideas! • Use social media outlets to spread the word

  14. Some fun, free, (or at least cheap) ideas! • Use social media outlets to spread the word • Start a word-of-mouth campaign utilizing your patrons’ positive experiences

  15. Some fun, free, (or at least cheap) ideas! • Use social media outlets to spread the word • Start a word-of-mouth campaign utilizing your patrons’ positive experiences • Create YouTube videos using your campus’s graphic design & marketing students

  16. Some fun, free, (or at least cheap) ideas! • Use social media outlets to spread the word • Start a word-of-mouth campaign utilizing your patrons’ positive experiences • Create YouTube videos using your campus’s graphic design & marketing students • Create blogs using free blogging software

  17. Some fun, free, (or at least cheap) ideas! • Use social media outlets to spread the word • Start a word-of-mouth campaign utilizing your patrons’ positive experiences • Create YouTube videos using your campus’s graphic design & marketing students • Create blogs using free blogging software • Collaborate with other community colleges to plan and promote events

  18. Using Social Media • Make sure you have a strong brand and a consistent message

  19. Using Social Media • Make sure you have a strong brand and a consistent message • Don’t overwhelm your patrons – send out announcements and messages for specific events

  20. Using Social Media • Make sure you have a strong brand and a consistent message • Don’t overwhelm your patrons – send out announcements and messages for specific events • Check with your campus marketing department to get guidelines and/or restrictions on using social media

  21. Using Social Media • Make sure you have a strong brand and a consistent message • Don’t overwhelm your patrons – send out announcements and messages for specific events • Check with your campus marketing department to get guidelines and/or restrictions on using social media • Go to YouTube, Facebook, and other sites to see what other libraries are doing

  22. So, how do I put it all together? 2 case studies

  23. Case Study 1: UH Libraries Mobile Site Launch The Web Services department asked the Marketing Committee to help advertise its new mobile site. Consistent branding and a strong message helped spread the word!

  24. Case Study 1: Mobile Site Launch Post cards, posters, and table tents featuring real students! We know how to use the QR code!

  25. Case Study 1: Mobile Site Launch Campus Newspaper Ad

  26. Case Study 2: McIntyre Library’s “How I Met My Valentine” • Used Facebook to launch the contest

  27. Case Study 2: McIntyre Library’s Valentine’s Day Contest • Used Facebook to launch the contest • Posted fliers around campus and in the library

  28. Case Study 2: McIntyre Library’s Valentine’s Day Contest • Used Facebook to launch the contest • Posted fliers around campus and in the library • Had participants come to the library to get their prizes

  29. Case Study 2: McIntyre Library’s “How I Met My Valentine” • The first contest went so well, they added an “Anti-Valentine’s Day” campaign!

  30. How do I know if the campaign was successful (or not)? Follow-up and Assessment

  31. Follow-Up and Assessment: • Finds out if your pre-planning paid off

  32. Follow-Up and Assessment: • Finds out if your pre-planning paid off • Figures out why and if patronsresponded to your campaign

  33. Follow-Up and Assessment: • Finds out if your pre-planning paid off • Figures out why and if patrons responded to your campaign • Helps plan for future campaigns

  34. Follow-Up and Assessment: • Finds out if your pre-planning paid off • Figures out why and if patrons responded to your campaign • Helps plan for future campaigns • Lets you tweak your approach to better meet your patrons’ needs

  35. Follow-Up and Assessment: • Finds out if your pre-planning paid off • Figures out why and if patrons responded to your campaign • Helps plan for future campaigns • Lets you tweak your approach to better meet your patrons’ needs • Gives you statistics to take back to library and college administration (maybe you’ll get some $$$!)

  36. Last Thoughts You may find that you don’t really need or want to do marketing for your library, at least not right now. That’s OK! Just keep in mind that there are lots of examples and tools to choose from if you do decide to take the plunge! Sometimes the most outrageous and silly ideas turn out to be winners! Don’t be afraid to be creative.

  37. Questions?

  38. Thanks! Please let me know if you have any additional questions or would like to follow up with me on your own marketing ideas. Most of all, havefun! Alex Simons acsimons@uh.edu 713-743-9776

  39. Some Helpful (and FREE) Resources Blogging software Organizing & editing photos Managing social media – Use Chirpstats to learn more about your Twitter followers – who’s following YOU – post from anywhere to anywhere

  40. Some Helpful(and FREE) Resources Assessment Multi-Use A Helpful(but notFREE) Resource

  41. References • Dempsey, K. (2009). The accidental library marketer. Medford, NJ: Information Today, Inc. • Dowd N., Evangeliste M., Silberman J. (2010). Bite-sized marketing: Realistic solutions for the overworked librarian. Chicago, IL: American Library Association. • Drake, M. A. (2010). Academic library challenges. Searcher, 18(9), 16-53. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.uh.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=55086721&site=ehost-live • Empey, H. & Black, Nancy E. (2006). Marketing the academic library: building on the “@ your library” framework. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 12(1), 19. http://pdfserve.informaworld.com.ezproxy.lib.uh.edu/447099_731199558_903325508.pdf • Germano, M. A. (2010). Narrative-based library marketing: selling your library's value during tough economic times. The Bottom Line, 23(1), 5. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.uh.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.lib.uh.edu/pqdweb?did=2050314321&Fmt=7&clientId=86&RQT=309&VName=PQD • Halpin, P. (2006). Marketing the proprietary college library. Florida Libraries, 49(1), 16-18. Retrieved from http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790e9dfb9859861cda097417ca8021b8849413c9f735a604e9f458920b6fbe9ca703&fmt=HPDF: • Harris, A., & Rice, S. E. (2008). Gaming in academic libraries: Collections, marketing, and information literacy. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries. • Jennings, E., Tvaruzka,K. (2010). Quick and dirty library promotions that really work. Journal of Library Innovation, 1(2) Retrieved from http://www.libraryinnovation.org/article/view/18/99 • Lauby, S. (2009). 10 must-haves for your social media policy. Mashable.com, accessed 4/21/11 • Lewis, A. (2006). Nonprofit Organizational Assessment Tool Marketing. UW Extensionwebsite, accessed 4/25/11 • Mathews, B. (2009). Marketing today's academic library: A bold new approach to communicating with students. Chicago, IL: American Library Association. • Seattle Central Community College. (2006). Seattle Central Community College Library Marketing Plan. Accessed 4/2/11. • van Leemput, G. (2011) Social media policies: trust better than control. J. Boye.com, accessed 4/21/11. • Verostek, J. M. (2006). Affordable, effective, and realistic marketing. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 12(1), 119. Retrieved from http://pdfserve.informaworld.com.ezproxy.lib.uh.edu/980679_731199558_903325515.pdf

More Related