LibTechConf 2014: Marketing Library Services from Posters to Platforms

Presented by Danielle Loftus and Abby Moore

Hope for today is for you to take something back and think.

Marketing is engaging your audience so they understand who you are, what you do, and what it’s worth to them.

The best way to achieve this with simple message, delivered across the right platforms, and on an ongoing basis.

Who are you marketing to?

Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. Not just one pair.

Potential stakeholders

• students
• faculty
• staff
• etc.

Divide by need?

• gneral info
• master
• get passing grade

Dress it up for different audiences.

General Principles

• Decide on goals – where are you now and where do you want to go?
• research market
• set objectives – measurable
• promotion
• evaluation – measure & analyze
• modification

cycle.

Social Media

inspire lifelong learning by asking and answering questions.

Don’t over-commit. Do what you have well.

“Focus on the things you love”

Website

Example: presence in prospective students area, and more general. Differences dependant on audience.

Communication

No one cares how. Instead, focus on outcomes, aspirations, and benefits.

Not “We subscribe to more than 100 databases”, but

“We can find you things Google can’t.”

Don’t focus on what we can fix, but tell them about how they can get what can help them.

Specific Platforms

Talk about your library. Influence the influencer. GIve them the tools to spread the message.

Use Adobe In-Design.

Make newsletters relatively short.

Address it to the patron. Subject line is hugely important. Email only when you have something important to say.

Dividing up your audience is desirable.

Website

Make it easy to find what students are looking for, and aesthetically appealing. e.g. Contact, news/events, search. Not too text heavy.

Video is essential. Give people things to watch, do, listen, read or download.

Posters

Increased visibility, advocacy, networking. Take HQ photos, find someone with graphics skills. Post them outside of the library to get them in the library.

Other Places

• school/local newspaper
• local tv/radio stations

Social Media

Do one thing at a time, properly. Doesn’t matter the tool, it’s whether you pick it based on your audience. Do analysis.

Upload images, embed searches, etc.

Pinterest makes it easy to browse and curate collection, crowd source information, bring them back to catalogue

QR codes are everywhere, but not used.

Conclusion

Be creative, but keep it simple.