This document provides an overview of marketing the library and includes tips and resources for library marketing success. It defines marketing as communicating the library's value to its audience through emphasizing benefits over features, knowing the audience, using multiple channels consistently, and harnessing word-of-mouth. Top tips include focusing on one idea at a time, using social media wisely, and making marketing a team effort. Examples of library marketing in action and resources like websites, blogs, books, and tools are also presented.

1. Suddenly...
I'm Marketing the Library!
SLA First Five Years Council
February 20, 2014

2. Ingrid Redman
Web Manager

3. Overview
• Introduction
 Why bother?
 What do we mean by marketing?
• Top Ten Tips for Marketing Success
• Library Marketing in Action
• Marketing Resources

4. Importance of Marketing
How do we transform people’s perceptions ?

5. Importance of Marketing
Library no longer information gatekeeper
Source: www.go-gulf.com

6. What do we mean by marketing?

7. What do we mean by marketing?
Strategic process in which you communicate with your
audience about who you are, what you do, and what’s it worth
to them.
(adapted from Ned Potter)
Simply put:
Communicating Value

8. What do we mean by marketing?
The Marketing Cycle
From the Library Marketing Toolkit by Ned Potter

9. Top Ten Tips for
Marketing Success

10. 1) Know Your Audience
• What do they want? Need?
• Ask. Don’t assume.
• Segment audience.

11. 2) Emphasize Benefits, not Features
Features
Benefits
• Workshops
• Databases
• Course reserves
• Better grades
• Save time
• Convenience

12. 3) Market one idea at a time
Avoid Jargon:
Library Terms that Users Understand
http://escholarship.org/uc/item/3qq499w7

13. 4) Harness the Power of Word of Mouth
• Identify “Influencers”
• Keep message short &
shareable
• Give them tools to spread
the word

14. 5) Use Social Media Wisely
• You don’t have to use them all!
• It’s a conversation, not a broadcast
• Be human

15. 5) Use Social Media Wisely…
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Use photos, follow trends
Highlight local features/unique collections
Include a call to action
Monitor mentions

16. 6) Use Multiple Channels, Multiple Times
Even when using all channels, most people when
only see your message once or twice.

17. 7) Pay Attention to Design
Get Inspired: adsoftheworld.com

18. 8) Be Consistent
• Every sign is a reflection of
your brand
• Choose 2 fonts (serif and
sans serif)
• Choose 2-3 colors
• Create a style guide

19. 8) Be Consistent…
Create a publications wall

20. 9) Make it Personal

21. 10) Rally up a team
Everyone is responsible for marketing
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Keep staff updated
Ask for feedback
Collaborate with other departments
Build on staff strengths

22. Library Marketing
in Action

23. Custom Fortune Cookies
“Put not all your faith in Google” Sewanee Library, University of the South
U. Of Wisconsin Quick and Dirty Library Promotions That Really Work, Journal of Library Innovation
Vol 1 Issue 2, 2010

24. Postcards during Finals
Cofrin Library, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

25. Library Snapshot Day
Collect stories and statistics to show library’s value
University Libraries, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
ALA Snapshot Day Primer: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/advleg/statelocalefforts/snapshotday

26. Library Snapshot Day…
librarysnapshot2013.web.unc.edu

27. SUCCESs Model
by Chip and Dan Heath heathbrothers.com

28. Marketing Resources

29. Websites & Blogs
• Library Marketing Toolkit www.librarymarketingtoolkit.com
by Ned Potter, academic librarian, University of York (UK)
• The “M” Word
themwordblog.blogspot.com
by Kathy Dempsey, Consultant, Founder Libraries Are Essential and Nancy Dowd, Project Lead
LibraryAware at NoveList
• Market Matters for Librarians
alisonwallbutton.wordpress.com
by Alison Wallbutton, Health Librarian, Massey University (New Zealand)
• Marketing the Library www.olc.org/marketing/index.html
by Ohio Library Council
• The Bubble Room lj.libraryjournal.com/category/opinion/bubble-room/
by Alison Circle, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Columbus Metropolitan Library

30. Professional Organizations
• Public Relations and Marketing Section of Library Leadership and
Management Association (LLAMA) (a division of ALA)
• Management and Marketing Section of International Federation of
Library Associations (International Marketing Award)
• Publicity and Public Relations Group of Charted Institute of Library and
Informational Professionals (UK’s ALA)
• American Marketing Association

31. Books
Marketing for Libraries:
• The Accidental Library Marketer Kathy Dempsey 2009
• Marketing Today's Academic Library: A Bold New Approach to Communicating with
Students Brian Mathews 2009
• Bite-Sized Marketing: Realistic Solutions for the Overworked Librarian Nancy Dowd, Mary
Evangeliste, and Jonathan Silberman 2010
• The Library Marketing Toolkit Ned Potter 2012
• Marketing Your Library: Tips and Tools That Work Carol Smallwood, Vera Gubnitskaia, Kerol
Harrod 2012
• Breakthrough Branding: Positioning Your Library to Survive and Thrive Suzanne Walters and
Kent Jackson 2013
• The Librarian's Nitty-Gritty Guide to Social Media Laura Solomon 2013
• Marketing Your Library’s Electronic Resources: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians
Marie R. Kennedy and Cheryl LaGuardia 2013
• Marketing Concepts for Libraries and Information Services, Third Edition Eileen Elliott de
Sáez 2014

32. Books
Marketing in General:
• Made to Stick Chip Heath and Dan Heath 2007
• The Non-designer’s Design Book: Design and Typographic Principles for the Novice
Robin Williams 2008
• All Marketers Are Liars: The Underground Classic That Explains How Marketing
Really Works--and Why Authenticity Is the Best Marketing of All Seth Godin 2012
• How To Get People To Do Stuff Dr. Susan Weinschenk
2013

33. Image Sources
Stock Photos
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www.morguefile.com
stock.xchng www.sxc.hu
compfight.com
Google advanced image search ("labeled for reuse”)
www.istockphoto.com ($)
ImageCodr
Look up any Flickr photo and see exactly what the usage rights are
www.imagecodr.org/get.php

34. Online tools
• Photo Editing
• GIMP opensource alternative to Photoshop
• pixlr.com easy web based editing
• Dynamic Slideshows:
• Prezi zooming presentation tool
• Animoto turn photos, music and video clips into video
• photopeach.com, visualslideshow.com, wowslider.com
• Photo Collages:
• picmonkey.com & photovisi.com
• Generators:
• Memes imgflip.com & memegenerator.net
• Typography Flickr Words & letterplayground.com
• Custom images photofunia.com
• Issuu turns pdfs into attractive online publications

35. Additional Resources
Marketing Library Services http://www.infotoday.com/mls/
Newsletter published by Information Today ($)
ROI Calculator http://nnlm.gov/mcr/evaluation/roi.html
ALA Research & Statistics
Free Materials from Vendors
Where to Find Library Marketing Info slideshare by Kathy Dempsey
www.slideshare.net/KathyDempsey/where-to-find-library-marketing-info

36. Thank you for watching!
Follow up with me at:
iredman@nyu.edu
Image made with photofunia.com