Marketing and your library's consortium kbh 4-2016
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This Powerpoint offers ways libararies can promote their digital collections and library services through word of mouth marketing. Content is adapted from the book Contagious by Jonah Berger
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Marketing and your library's consortium kbh 4-2016
- 1. Marketing and… Your Library’s Consortium Kimberly Brown-Harden* Indiana State Library 317-650-8492 * kbrown-harden@library.in.gov Evergreen Indiana Annual Conference
- 4. Word of Mouth Marketing: An unpaid form of promotion in which satisfied customers tell other people how much they like a business, product or service.” Entrepreneur Small Business Encyclopedia http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/word-of-mouth- advertising
- 5. Power of Word of Mouth Marketing: Real and Immediate It’s Personal It’s Honest It’s Catching It’s Customer Driven “It’s easy and fun to talk about things you know about and support.”
- 6. Why People Talk? YOU - They love you or they hate you! ME - Makes them feel good and look smart US - Feel a connection to a group
- 7. Ways to Stop Word of Mouth Marketing: Prizes and Awards Overexposure Forgetting Why People Talk You
- 8. In the Library Context… “ … word of mouth marketing is the process of actively trying to harness and develop the power of users talking about your service to their peers, in order to boost promotion of your library.” Ned Potter, What Does Word of Mouth Marketing REALLY Mean?
- 9. E-content partners for Indiana Libraries: e Indiana Digital Consortium Overdrive Freegal Hoopla TumbleBooks Axis360 Zinio Others??
- 11. Ways to Market eContent: Give it a physical presence Online outreach Think outside the library!
- 12. More Strategies: Use eye-catching images Promote by content, not by name Cross-promote next to related sources Educate your staff!
- 13. Examples of Database Promotion:
- 14. Word of Mouth Marketing Campaign: Strategic thinking Focus on your service Simple & Sharable messages Develop WOMM Team
- 15. “… shares the secret science behind social transmission …”
- 16. S T E P P S
- 19. Social Currency Triggers Emotion Public Practical Value Stories People Share things that make them look good!
- 20. Social Currency “Status by association. People like to look smart, funny, and in-the-know, so they talk about things that help them portray a positive image. People want things that make them look good rather than bad. “ Dr. Jonah Berger, Contagious
- 21. Social Currency Unleash your idea’s inner remarkability Game mechanics to get people talking Make people feel like insiders
- 22. Social Currency
- 23. Top of mind , tip of tongue Social Currency Triggers Emotion Public Practical Value Stories
- 24. Triggers “People talk about things that are top-of- mind. Using subtle reminders to help them think about your idea will make them more likely to share.“ Dr. Jonah Berger, Contagious
- 25. Triggers What makes people think about my product or idea? Why does your product or idea come to mind when you think of the “what” mentioned above? Prevalent triggers in your environment ?
- 26. Triggers
- 27. When we care, we share Social Currency Triggers Emotion Public Practical Value Stories
- 28. Emotion “When we care, we share. High arousal emotions—like excitement, anger, and awe —fire people up. This activation, in turn, drives them to share. “ Dr. Jonah Berger, Contagious
- 29. Emotion Excitement Anger Contentment Awe Fear Happiness Sadness Surprise Disgust
- 31. Emotion
- 32. Emotion
- 33. Emotion
- 34. Built to show, built to grow Social Currency Triggers Emotion Public Practical Value Stories
- 35. Public “Built to show, built to grow. People often imitate others. But you can’t imitate what you can’t observe. Making behavior more public enables social influence.” Dr. Jonah Berger, Contagious
- 36. Public Can people see when others use or consume your product? If usage not observable, how can you make the private more public? Visible social proof left behind after the usage is done?
- 37. Public
- 38. Public
- 39. Public
- 40. News you can use Social Currency Triggers Emotion Public Practical Value Stories
- 41. Practical Value “News you can use. People share things to help others, whether it is advice on saving time, saving money, or making them healthier. “ Dr. Jonah Berger, Contagious
- 42. Practical Value Do people spread useful information when talking about your product or idea? How can your product or idea highlight incredible value? Can your knowledge & expertise be packaged & disseminated? What area do you know a lot about? Can content be created that people will share because it saves others money & time? Or helps them in some other way?
- 43. Practical Value
- 44. Information travels under the guise of idle chatter Social Currency Triggers Emotion Public Practical Value Stories
- 45. Stories “Stories are like Trojan Horses: Information travels under the guise of idle chatter. People are more likely to share a memorable story than a list of technical facts and features about a product. “ Dr. Jonah Berger, Contagious
- 46. Stories Are there stories that consumers tell about your product or idea? If no captivating story, how an you develop a “Trojan Horse”? Weave your message into a story that’s contagious & also features the benefit of your product. Will people be talking about the “Trojan Horse” alone or will they remember the product, too?
- 47. Stories
- 48. BIG IDEA!
- 49. Define your Idea What is your idea as you see it? What is the message you want to spread? Determine the GOAL Why do you want people to talk? Consider the impact of WOM on your idea! Evaluate the Idea What does your idea do well? Where is your idea lacking?
- 50. Library STEPPS
- 51. Social Currency
- 52. Social Currency
- 53. Triggers People talk about things that are top-of-mind. Using subtle reminders to help them think about your idea will make them more likely to share.“ Dr. Jonah Berger, Contagious
- 54. Emotion
- 55. Public
- 56. Practical Value How much is your Library worth to you?
- 57. Stories
- 58. Stories
- 59. Wrapping it up …
- 61. Tools for Libraries BLOGS (RSS Feeds) Bookmarks , pens, etc. (people love SWAG!) Electronic boards with Library information Library cards (can sign up for e-newsletter & e- blasts) Newsletters Social Media Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram Staff Recommendations Testimonials (written & video) Wear Your Message (buttons, t-shirts)
- 63. 12 Must-Do Techniques: Web Join conversation Blog Buzzworthy Keep it simple. Unexpected Front door reminder Private newsletter Track Tell-a- friend Apologize & solve Be nice.
- 64. Examples: What are you doing at your libraries? Follow other libraries on Social Media – see what’s working!
- 65. Resources Barber, Peggy and Linda Wallace. Building a Buzz: Libraries and Word of Mouth Marketing. Chicago: American Library Association, 2010. Berger, Jonah. Contagious: Why things Catch On. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2013. Potter, Ned. What Does Word of Mouth Marketing REALLY Mean? Library Journal, December 18, 2013. Royte, Elizabeth . Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought it. New York: Bloomsbury, 2008. Sernovitz, Andy. Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking. New York: Kaplan Publishing, 2009. http://www.sethgodin.com/sg/ http://www.damniwish.com/ 3 Ideas to Market your eContent: http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2013/06/3-ideas-to-market-your- econtent/.
- 66. Marketing and… Your Library’s Consortium Kimberly Brown-Harden* Indiana State Library 317-650-8492 * kbrown- harden@library.in.gov
Editor's Notes
- Most people would argue there can never be a problem with chocolate, however in terms of marketing, chocolate does have a problem. That problem is simple and not unique, it is that chocolate isn’t new. When a person enjoys a piece of chocolate, he or she doesn’t normally dedicate a blog post to it or phone a friend about their new found love of chocolate. There are numerous products and businesses that have the same problem chocolate does and libraries are one of them. Word of mouth marketing for library consortiums is about: Restarting the conversation Getting people excited about the library and the consortium in a way they never have been before Simple, inexpensive techniques to restart the conversation in your community about the library consortium Also the psychology behind of Word of Mouth Marketing
- Word of Mouth Marketing is intentional, it doesn’t just happen. It’s not face or forced; it is a genuine effort to serve to your public. A positive buzz will be generated about the library if intentional word of mouth marketing is utilized.
- Word of mouth marketing (WOMM) doesn’t have to be expensive. Sure there are for pay services that exist to help make this easier, but WOMM actually can work as a grass roots campaign. WOM marketing does take TIME & EFFORT and is about having something worth talking about and I believe we can agree that libraries have lots of things worth talking about! Power of WOMM: Real and immediate - It encourages people to engage with others in real time (real, life people telling other people in real time) Personal - It’s not just completing a transaction but connecting transactions. (not a pitch, the person knows you & is trying to be helpful) Honest - There is no commission, no connection to the product or service (you are more likely to believe) Catching - People love to share good stories and experiences & other people love to listen, the only thing they like to share more are bad experiences Customer driven - They determine when they will talk or listen and when they will stop (it’s not imposed) The average person is exposed to over 3,000 advertising messages a day, we need to be ready to join the conversation and tell our story in a way that can engage our members, because it is a good story. Bottles of water is a marketers dream! It started in the 80’s and still hasn’t stopped! Why do we think we need to drink out of a bottle of water?!?! Because someone told us we did, but yet the water that comes out of most American taps meets or exceeds state & federal water quality standards. In 2007 alone, Americans consumed 50 billion single serve water bottles!
- There are 3 Common Reasons Why People Talk About YOU YOU-They love or hate you & your stuff, you made it easy to talk and give them something to talk about ME-They believe that talking about your service and makes look good or intelligent. Maybe even helpful. US-They Feel Connected to a group or part of a team.
- You can stop Word of Mouth Marketing by giving out Prizes & Rewards: Why do for free what someone will pay you to? This can be tricky since much of our services are free. EBooks and digital media is especially tricky. How do you get people to use your databases and econtent? Would there be more value in it if it were a paid service? Overexposure: If everyone already knows about it, no one needs to talk about it. Forgetting Why People Talk about You: Never assume that everyone already knows your story.
- Successful WOMM results in new members of the library, and in existing users thinking of better of your organization, and using it more. As with all good marketing, you want to inspire action on the part of your users and potential users—you are seeking to influence their behavior to benefit the library.
- So, what are you using? How do you promote or market your databases and eContent?
- According to a PEW study June 2013, 75% of the country’s libraries have eBooks. Great right???!!! Here’s the bad news: most of our patrons don’t know about this resource. 58% of those who say the library is very important to them say they don’t know if their library lends ebooks! Here are a few ways to market your digital collections… Latest findings from PEW Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project: most people say they like their library and feel it’s important to their community; 77% say they know either some, not much, or nothing of what those libraries offer. www.tinyurl.com/qb5bkp4.
- Physical presence: One of the best ways to market digital content is to combine with your physical collection. For example, I’ve seen a library with add a shelf talker to a book and advertise its ebook component on overdrive. Sacramento (Calif) PL added “Now in eBook!” stickers and shelf cards to promote titles that the library has in eBook and physical formats. Their eBook circulation increased over 100%! Online Outreach: Reach out to your patrons-virtually! This audience may already be tech savvy and interested in eContent. You could post/announce on facebook or other social media when you add new titles. Example: West Virginia’s Marion Co. PL System used facebook, pinterest, and twitter to expand their virtual marketing campaign with an “eBook of the Day”. As a result, the titles they featured increased in popularity. They also added a “Staff Pick” component as well. Think Outside the Library: reach out beyond your library patrons. eContent services appeal widely, especially to non-traditional library users. Rather than rely on this audience to hear about our services by word of mouth, reach them where they are. Example, Whiting PL partnered with their local water company and included codes and link to download ebooks with patrons’ water bills! Example 2: Kent District (State) Library hosted a virtual treasure hunt, hiding books throughout the community. Patrons were asked to take a picture of the found book and upload it to twitter or facebook. They were then entered into weekly giveaways of prizes. Also, they advertised their downloadables with 22 billboards throughout the community and with radio, tv, and print ads..
- Eye-catching images: We’re in a online, microwave world! Visually appealing content is a requirement, not a luxury. The human brain processes images faster than words; plus, images are easily shared, and they express ideas quickly. Keep in mind people see images first, then captions, then headlines, then copy. Concentrate on creating strong headlines and compelling images and employ little copy (of course there are exceptions). One way to practice is to create a promotion without any words and see if the image is communicates what you need it to say. Then do the same with a headline. Promote by Content, not by name: Traditionally we (librarians) tried to promote databases and eContent as products rather than promoting the helpful content within them. Concentrate on promoting or marketing the content and the benefit that it will bring to those who use it. In order to know what your patrons want and need, you have to first identify a group of people with similar needs or interests. When it comes to marketing your databases it’s best to start small. Example: Wiliamsburg (PA) Regional library promoted its auto repair database by combining 5 words with an ‘action’ graphic ; the library was able to clearly offer a solution for its patrons. Cross-promote next to related sources: An easy way to start cross-promoting is to select a few programs you already do or have already planned and look at the resources you have that are relevant to them. Example: a job-seeker graphic with a QR Code would be helpful for anyone looking for employment; so put it wherever books and magazines about jobs and careers are located. If your time and budget allows, consider adding this kind of signage to tabletop displays. You can also use shelf talkers as well, as mentioned earlier. Educate your staff: Don’t assume everyone on your staff knows what your databases and eContent does and why it’s valuable to your patrons. Encourage reference experts to teach paraprofessionals about these resources, everyone will be better informed and equipped to assist patrons. Some ideas: via staff emails, list and highlight one database each month and explain ways patrons might use it; include ‘cheat notes’ on the backs of fliers to enable staff members to get familiar at the point of demand rather than having to memorize every database; engage employees by having them conduct searches on topics and post the links online. The more they use the databases and eContent, the more comfortable they’ll be and they’ll be excited to help the patrons.
- Photo on the left: Williamsburg Regional Library : This promo image shows users how a library can help without even saying “database.” Photo on the right: Signs like this can lead searchers from your stacks straight to your databases.
- Word of Mouth Marketing is intentional, it doesn’t just happen. It’s not face or forced; it is a genuine effort to serve to your public. A positive buzz will be generated about the library if intentional word of mouth marketing is utilized. Strategic thinking - Organized, focused, consistent (how to build the buzz) Focus on your service – what do you want people to know about Craft simple & sharable messages about that service Develop a WOMM Team Who will share targeted information
- Dr. Jonah Berger has spent over 15 years studying how social influence works and how it drives products and ideas to catch on. What makes products and ideas catch on and become popular? Why do some stories get shared more than others? Why are some rumors infectious? What makes things “go viral”? In Contagious, Jonah Berger shares the secret science behind social transmission. Why we talk about and share some things rather than others. Why we pass things on. Filled with engaging stories and comprehensive research Contagious is an essential tool for anyone that wants to make their product or idea spread.
- This book isn’t geared to just libraries so there will be examples more for the consumer market but they can be adapted to any idea you want to spread through word of mouth for your library databases and eContent. Six key steps (or STEPPS) – follow as many as possible to craft contagious content
- Six Key Steps
- Lots of helpful information on his website – workbook, videos, discussion guide http://jonahberger.com
- Status by association. People like to look smart, funny, and in-the-know, so they talk about things that help them portray a positive image. People want things that make them look good rather than bad. For example, your patrons telling their friends about being able to stream movies and music from Hoopla makes them appear to be ‘in the know’, and tech savvy!
- Inner remarkability – surprising & amazing Unleash your idea’s inner remarkability (Will it blend videos for Blendtek Game mechanics to get people talking – share badges publically (video game tournaments) Make people feel like insiders (Please Don’t Tell & Rue La La) – Shhh would be perfect for this?? This place is amazing. If you don't know where it is you will never find it. Entrance is through a Phone Booth in a cool little hot dog shop in the East Village called Crif Dogs. You enter the phone booth, dial 1 and wait for an answer. The door the back wall of the phone booth. You need a reservation, but if you're lucky like us you can show up and get in if there's a cancellation.
- Inner remarkability – surprising & amazing Unleash your idea’s inner remarkability (Will it blend videos for Blendtek Game mechanics to get people talking – share badges publically (video game tournaments) Make people feel like insiders (Please Don’t Tell & Rue La La) – Shhh would be perfect for this?? This place is amazing. If you don't know where it is you will never find it. Entrance is through a Phone Booth in a cool little hot dog shop in the East Village called Crif Dogs. You enter the phone booth, dial 1 and wait for an answer. The door the back wall of the phone booth. You need a reservation, but if you're lucky like us you can show up and get in if there's a cancellation. Library example – Hoopla and Freegal
- Kit Kat & coffee – how you grow the habitat and make people think of your idea more often – link you message to a new time or place? Is there any way you could be like Rebecca Black’s song “Friday” and build a trigger directly into the product itself? What makes people think about my product or idea? Why does your product or idea come to mind when you think of the “What” mentioned above? Are there prevalent triggers in your environment you can take advantage of?
- Kit Kat & coffee – how you grow the habitat and make people think of your idea more often – link you message to a new time or place? Is there any way you could be like Rebecca Black’s song “Friday” and build a trigger directly into the product itself? What makes people think about my product or idea? Why does your product or idea come to mind when you think of the “What” mentioned above? Are there prevalent triggers in your environment you can take advantage of? Library Example: Bedtime Math / Bedtime Reading / Summer Reading
- Does the produce or idea evoke a lot of emotion? How can you focus on feelings rather than function (Parisian Love). How can you get people to care. Why do they want or need your product? Are the emotions high activation or low activation – how can you “kindle the fire”: to boost transmission What about awe makes people share? Helps us connect – highlights similarities & what we share, creates a bond All emotions bond people Funny, anger Sadness Less likely to share because not positive or pleasant Stifles action – you power down Positive makes people look better than negative ones Anger & anxiety Were more likely to make the most e-mailed list! Increase sharing Activation or physiological arousal Physiological arousal – is the key!!! Fight or flight activation We do things – wring our hands or pump our fists in the air Kindles the fire AWE, ANGER & ANXIETY are all highly emotionally aroused Contentment – also causes people to power down FUNNY – amusement is a high arousal emotion People want to be entertained & moved – activation emotion is the key to transmission! Get them excited or funny to talk & share, angry not sad … Library example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoT13m8-Kxo. Let’s take a look at the next slide for an example….
- Does the produce or idea evoke a lot of emotion? How can you focus on feelings rather than function (Parisian Love). How can you get people to care. Why do they want or need your product? Are the emotions high activation or low activation – how can you “kindle the fire: to boost transmission
- Can people see when others use or consume your product? If usage consumption is not observable, how can you make the private more public? Can you design the product or action to advertise itself (like hotmail) – on checked out receipt. Is there a logo, unconventional color or sound that could be utilized? What about behavioral residue? Does usage or consumption leave visible social proof behind even after the people are done? (Livestrong, Movember or Lululemon & create some thing that lingers?
- Swag – Refrigerator Magnets / bookmarks / tee shirts
- When people currently talk about your product or idea, are they spreading information that other people find useful? How can your product or idea highlight incredible value – can you leverage the Rule of 100? Can you package your knowledge and expertise into useful information that others will want to disseminate? What area do you know a lot about? Can you create content that people will share because it saves others time or money or helps them in some other way?
- About the information receiver – saving them time & helping others & reflects back on the sharer Corn video – silk & gets stuck in your teeth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPApu5GdS9k. Library example – You can check out study rooms / you can check out eBooks
- Are there any stories or narratives that consumers like to tell about your product or idea? If you’re not sure search blogs, customer service calls or other sources that might be helpful If there is not a captivating story already circulating, how can you be like Dove’s “Evolution” and develop a Trojan Horse (p. 189-193)? Can you weave your message into a story that—while contagious—also features the benefit of your product or idea? Feel free to solicit stories from existing customers. Is your idea an integral detail of the story (p. 193-200)? After all is said and done, will the virality be valuable? Will people be talking about the stunt or event alone, or will they remember the firm and message, too?
- Are there any stories or narratives that consumers like to tell about your product or idea? If you’re not sure search blogs, customer service calls or other sources that might be helpful If there is not a captivating story already circulating, how can you be like Dove’s “Evolution” and develop a Trojan Horse; a narrative people will share when talking about our product or idea. Can you weave your message into a story that—while contagious—also features the benefit of your product or idea? Feel free to solicit stories from existing customers. Make sure the information you want people to remember and transmit is critical to the narrative. Build a social currency-laden, triggered, emotional, public, practically valuable Trojan Horse, but don’t forget to put your message inside. Make sure your information is embedded into the plot that people can’t tell the story without it!
- BIG IDEA You’ve got an idea. Whether you’re trying to get people to buy something, persuade them to do something, or simply inform your audience about something, one thing is certain—you want it to catch on. To help you make your idea contagious, we’ll start with some analysis. The following questions will help you think through what exactly your idea is and the main elements that comprise it. If you’re working on this idea in a team, feel free to bring in others for this exercise. Talking through the various questions will help clarify your objectives and achieve more effective results. Section 1 will help you define your idea, determine your goal, and evaluate where you stand based on the six key STEPPS.
- Probably don’t need to market things that are already well known – i.e. Storytimes which are usually full! Grade it against the 6 STEPPS to help you focus where you idea needs to go
- Library of Congress Six key steps – follow as many as possible to craft contagious content Will go over each of these STEPPS and give examples
- Status by association. People like to look smart, funny, and in-the-know, so they talk about things that help them portray a positive image. People want things that make them look good rather than bad. Social Currency – people talk about things that have value and that then show that THEY have value / recently some colleagues were talking about Freegal. There were some who didn't know about the service; telling people about it feels like we’re giving an insider’s scoop on free music.
- How many people have a key ring that looks like this? You can’t go to a pharmacy, bookstore or grocery store without being asked to join their “club”. This club offers anything from points towards coupons, on the spot discounts or exclusive sales. So, why aren’t we selling or giving away memberships? It fits all the qualifications: exclusive (must live in taxing district or pay a membership fee), there is an application process and you need to present the card to get the benefits! In the public library world we often refer to our customers as patrons, but why not make our first change in marketing by calling people members? Instead of offering your patrons a library card, why not offer them a membership and access card?
- Unique to your library & community – obvious ones are books, newspapers, music, movies, storytimes, computers, ebooks, and databases Triggers – grow your habitat so people are frequently triggered to think about your idea / Summer Reading is a great example of this. Libraries have been growing this habitat for years. Summer = Reading. When people think Summer they often think Reading. Libraries have used this to their advantage for years. Another example is the product Bedtime Math. http://bedtimemath.org/ An organization wanted to get more children to do more math so they hooked it up with bedtime, a time that traditionally parents will read with their children. They want people to think Bedtime then think Math. I think the Summer Reading example works good. I also think of this as “pairing the product.” By pairing the idea with something people think about all the time, you can increase the talk about your brand. If a library put signs up all over their town that said “What are you reading?” people would think “Reading” and because that is linked so strongly with libraries, I bet their usage would go up; that could apply to eContent as well.
- “When we care, we share. High arousal emotions—like excitement, anger, and awe —fire people up. This activation, in turn, drives them to share. “ Emotions – That Troy Michigan library video is a great example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoT13m8-Kxo It went off Vile feelings instead of warm/fuzzy feelings, but it was feelings nonetheless. Every Child Ready to Read is another emotional program…CHILD tends to build a lot of feelings with people. This is a good emotional video too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUQ1vdJQWn0 The first 3 minutes of this video are very emotional: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa6ERdxyYdo (Also a good Story).
- Art shows, storytimes, wifi, homework & tax help, newspapers “Built to show, built to grow. People often imitate others. But you can’t imitate what you can’t observe. Making behavior more public enables social influence.” Public – this is the swag piece. Library Card rewards programs are a great example of this. Business would put up signs at their institutions that say “get 10% of your order if you show your library card here”. The library would push people to those businesses and in turn, the businesses would advertise the library. It’s out in the public. It gets people thinking about the library when they are not in the library. Refrigerator magnets are another good one. It’s residual.
- Computers, books, ebooks, downloadables, programs, events, meeting rooms, lifelong learning – put a library value calculator on your library webpage “News you can use. People share things to help others, whether it is advice on saving time, saving money, or making them healthier. “
- Stories – we are including these in our annual report. Stories that spread though are easy to tell and retell. The Troy Michigan video is a good one as well. “Stories are like Trojan Horses: Information travels under the guise of idle chatter. People are more likely to share a memorable story than a list of technical facts and features about a product. “
- Examples of library stories from the public library annual report.
- Tools can spread your message faster and further When signing up patrons for a library card, offer to also sign them up for an e-newsletter and e-blast (if you have them) so they can stay up to date with events at the library as well as new e-books, music and other eContent. If a patron complains that they are always missing out on programs because they never know when they’re happening, let them know about ALL of the ways they can connect with the library and see if any of them will work for them.
- Tools can spread your message faster and further When signing up patrons for a library card, offer to also sign them up for the e-newsletter and e-blast so they can stay up to date with events at the library. If a patron complains that they are always missing out on programs because they never know when they’re happening, let them know about ALL of the ways they can connect with the library and see if any of them will work for them.
- Bookmarks- Provide complimentary bookmarks with the libraries logo at the circulation station, so patrons People will ask about it Newsletters- can provide detailed information to targeted groups who have requested to receive it either through mail or e-mail. Social media is a great way to get info out and allows people to easily share. You can allow multiple staff members to share responsibility for posts and to sign each post with their first name. This helps your patrons to feel like their engaging with actual people and promoting familiarity with staff. Staff recommendations – can be a easy to demonstrate that the library is engaged in a patron. Staff should also be open to recommendations made by patrons to show that they value their opinion. Testimonials- When someone compliments the library or a service you provide, ask permission to use it in on the library’s website or in a community report. They may be receptive to becoming a more active advocate for the library. Wear your message- Ask staff to wear library branded apparel or buttons when working outside of the physical library. People will ask about it. ALSO: Network with local community groups and send them information about programs that might be of interest. They might pass along information to their patrons or mailing lists.
- Social Currency - People share things that make them look good – awe, remarkability, smart Triggers - Top of mind means tip of tongue Emotion - When we care, we share Public - Built to show, built to grow (mustache) Practical value - News you can use (Library card) Stories - Information travels under the guise of idle chatter (Idle chatter, Trojan Horse) Awe Buzz Viral Appear smart Remarkability Insiders/members only Trojan horse
- Sure-Thing, Must-Do, Awfully Easy, WOMM Techniques (By Andy Sernovitz) Look on the web for people who are talking about you. Assign someone to join the conversation. Put something by your front door that will remind people to talk to a friend Create a private newsletter for your talkers. People like to feel like they are in the know – and will motivate them to share Create a blog. [this is not necessarily must-do for me – where is your community talking, FB etc might be better option] Make a new rule: ask “is this buzzworthy?” in every meeting. Pick one way you are going to track what people are saying. Put a tell-a-friend form on every page of your website. What ever is buzzworthy-Keep it simple. Do something unexpected. Apologize for mistakes and solve problems fast. Be nice. THANK PEOPLE – thank your talkers! Examples – Facebook fan of the week, special events, and show impact- these are your advocates so they will keep talking if you let them know their efforts help! Twitter RT and favorite Tweets. During staff meetings share positive comments etc. to keep your staff motivated 14. Remember to give them microphone over to your customers and let them communicate the message
- Spreading word about online resources focus on one a month with info sheet for staff Prepare a flyer to send out the doors with patrons Post about resources on Facebook Getting entire staff into the message – circ staff helps too Set up a laptop to demo different resources