The Accidental Library Marketer

313 Pages·2009·0.6 MB·English

by  Kathy Dempsey

Kathy Dempsey
Medford, New Jersey
First Printing,2009
The Accidental Library Marketer
Copyright ©2009 by Kathy Dempsey
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Dempsey,Kathy,1965-
The accidental library marketer / Kathy Dempsey.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-57387-368-0
1. Libraries--Marketing. 2. Libraries--Public relations. I. Title.
Z716.3.D425 2009
021.7--dc22
2009018911
Printed and bound in the United States of America
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Idedicate this book to all librarians, information professionals,
and library supporters around the world who want to understand
how to promote this essential industry and how to keep it strong,
respected, and funded for decades to come.

Contents
Foreword, by Judith Gibbons .......................ix
Acknowledgments ................................xi
About the Website ...............................xiii
Introduction ........................................xv
Chapter 1: How and Why People Become
Accidental Marketers ..............1
How Did We Get Here? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Where Are We Now? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
How Accidental Marketers Are Born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Just How “Accidental” Are We? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
The Need for More Marketing Education in
Library Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
What to Expect From This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Chapter 2: Starting With the Basics
of Communication..................13
What, Really,IsMarketing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
The Cycle of True Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
The Missing Link Revealed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Definitions and Differences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
The Four P’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
An Example of HowBusinesses Use Marketing . . . . . . . . . .19
What’s in a Name? Or in Any Word? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Chapter 3: Assessing Your Current
Situation..............................25
Your Physical Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Your Online Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Your Printed Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
v
vi The Accidental Library Marketer
Your Customer Service Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
The Attitudes of Customers and Potential Users . . . . . . . . .40
Chapter 4: Using Demographic,
Geographic, and Census Data...67
Tapping Into Demographic and Geographic Data . . . . . . . .68
Using Data to Build a SWOT Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Chapter 5: What Marketing Experts
Think Is Most Important ..........79
Howto Avoid the Five Most Common
Marketing Mistakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
What Other Experts Think and Teach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Words of Wisdom From Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
What Surveys and Studies Have Revealed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Chapter 6: Getting Administrators,
Managers, and Staff to
Buy In ................................103
Basic Rules of Thumb for Achieving Buy-In . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Getting Staff Buy-In for Extra Work on Marketing
and Promo Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
The Keys to Real Buy-In ..............................115
Chapter 7: Making Evidence-Based
Decisions With
Administrators .....................117
Examine All of Your Data and Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Look at Your Goals, Mission, and Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Think About Your Logo and Your Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Chapter 8: Don’t Shy Away
From Statistics ....................129
Start With Stats You’ve Got and Make Them
More Powerful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Statistics You Might Not Record, But Should . . . . . . . . . . . .132
Contents vii
The Importance of Cost/Benefit Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
Examples of Results From ROI Studies Around
the United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
The Cost of Value Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Chapter 9: Understanding the Cycle
of True Marketing .................145
All of the Steps in the True Marketing Process . . . . . . . . . .145
Follow These Vital Steps and You Will Find Success . . . . . .148
Chapter 10: Writing Your Formal Plans.....161
The Proper Hierarchy of Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
All About Marketing Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163
Five Steps to a Basic Marketing Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
The Marketing Plan as Partof the Cycle of
True Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
HowaCommunication Plan CanHelp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170
AWord About Technology Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172
Sharing Plans Among Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
Chapter 11: Basic Rules for Producing
Good Promotional
Materials ..........................175
Craft Your Message Carefully . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175
Design Rules for Creating Good Promotional
Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178
Tracking Workflow for Promotional Materials . . . . . . . . . . .181
Helpful Tips for Working With Print Shops . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
ItAllReflects on Your Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
Chapter 12: Getting the Message Out ......187
My Recommendations for Communication . . . . . . . . . . . .187
Working With the Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
Spreading the Library’s Message Through
Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
AFew Words About Word-of-Mouth Marketing . . . . . . . . .207
The Time Has Come for Mobile Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
viii The Accidental Library Marketer
Chapter 13: Using Your Website for
Public Relations and
Outreach ..........................211
What Do People Expect From Websites? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212
Make Sure Search Engines Can Find Your Site . . . . . . . . . .215
Learning How People Search and See . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
You Need the “Full Monty” Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220
Chapter 14: Finally, the Fun Stuff ...........223
Fun Events and Success Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224
“Wow Factor” Ideas You Can Try on Your Own . . . . . . . . . .228
Promotion That Doesn’t Feel Like Promotion . . . . . . . . . . .237
Snappy Comebacks for That Awful Question,
“Now That We Have the Internet, Why Do
We Still Need Libraries?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241
The Final Lesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Appendix A: Improving Our Media
Relations via Strategic
Communications
Planning, by
Marsha A. Iverson ..................249
Appendix B: Designing Promo Materials
That Are Legible, by
Pat Wagner .........................261
Appendix C: Promotion Is Not the
Same as Marketing, by
Christie Koontz .....................271
About the Author ................................281
Index................................................283
Foreword
It has never been unusual for library staff members to becomeacci-
dental library marketers. In challenging economic times in particu-
lar, when budgets are tight and staff is under pressure, marketing
often creeps into day-to-day responsibilities or jumps into a job
description under the “other duties as assigned” category.
Author Kathy Dempsey knows that this is often the route that
propels a library staff member to marketing duties. Accidental
marketers start out developing handy program fliers or developing
attractive computer graphics. Then, wham! Marketing, or what
passes for marketing, begins to take up 30 percent, 50 percent, or
possibly 100 percent of their day.
Even if this hasn’t happened to you (yet), there are myriad rea-
sons to begin implementing the principles in this book. Good mar-
keting saves your library money in the long run, gives you a clear
picture of your potential audiences, and helps enhance your
staturein the community.Ifyou begin thinking and working like a
marketing manager, you will develop the tools to craft and imple-
ment a well thought out marketing plan that complements your
strategic and communications plans. And, as the author points
out, “When an entire organization coordinates all of its plans at the
highest levels, it helps ensure that everyone involved is working in
concerttowardthe most important goals.”
So when Dempsey asks, “How did we get here?” you will know
that—unlike Alice Through the Looking Glass or Dorothy in Oz—
she will provide a clean and concise road map to help review where
you were, determine where you are now, and plan for where you
want to be. Although she notes that marketing is not a linear
process, she gives you a practical and descriptive guide to find your
way through the marketing maze. If you follow her tips, you will
graduate from accidental marketer to professional and proactive
ix