Coping with Change: Reaching Your Librarys Users

Purpose: provide marketing overview for health information librarians in academic hospital and research institutions Desired outcomes: Become familiar with the process and materials Develop ideas for marketing campaigns

Marketing is the human activity directed at satisfying human needs and wants through an exchange process P hilip Kotler, Ph.D. S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing, Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Chicago

Concerns Libraries are becoming marginalized Competition increasingly powerful Accessibility of information to all

Why market your library? Greater use by your customers Better decisions about what to provide at your library Better partnerships with faculty and administrators

Why market your library? Maintenance of central position of library in the institution Adequate funding Better informed and more supportive legislators Others?

Countdown to Your Marketing Plan

6…… Product Place Price Promotion Positioning Politics

5…… Positioning Five words or less Use consumer language Customer point of view Branding

4…… The 4-Way Stop desirable by customers distinctive from competition deliverable by your library durable over time

3…… Customers (physicians, faculty, students, community) Influencers (administrators, boards, government) Catalysts (allies, donors, media)

2…… Current NeedsFuture Needs Known Needs Does current P/S meet Ps? Do customers know P/S? Future P/S match known needs? Implied Needs Complaints or compliments? Who is not there? Environmental shift changes- politics!

1…… Take the First Step!

Your customer is your starting point

Ways to Learn About Your Customers Formal focus groups yearly surveys for customer groups quick satisfaction questionnaires presentations with Q&A session

Ways to Learn About Your Customers Informal spot interviews chat room discussions suggestion boxes (incentive)

Ways to Reach Your Customers Advertising (paid for by the library and communicated through mass media) TV or radio spots campus or community paper ads Web sites

Ways to Reach Your Customers Personal Selling (person to person communication in which receiver provides immediate feedback ) hosts for new students lounges, carrels, other busy spots department and/or classroom presentations

Ways to Reach Your Customers Sales Promotions ( activities to stimulate consumer purchasing such as contests, rebates and discounts) demonstration of new features recognition event loyalty program

Ways to Reach Your Customers Public Relations/Publicity (favorable messages conveyed through mass media) news releases/media alerts pitch s expert bios letter to the editor ** First consult with communications contact in your institution

Media interviews What if a reporter calls?! Know audience/tailor remarks Establish 2-3 main message points and keep to these Anticipate questions Its okay not to know! (Let me get back to you)

Excellence Occurs When you… Know your customers (their current and future needs) Have a detailed vision and mission statement for your library Promote your library Serve your customers as you have promised