1. Marketing Strategies for the Use of Research4Life Resources
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2. Overview Discussion of the concept of marketing
Strategies for the implementation of a marketing plan
Development of a Research4Life (R4L) resources marketing plan for your institution
note: this module includes material from the Publicizing e-Resources at Institutions presentation of ITOCA (

3. Why market R4L resources?
Many information options for users are on the Internet; we want R4L resources to be key option
Marketing can be specific or broad – for one, several or all programs (depending on users)
To educate users about full potential of these resources
To enrich curricula, research, policy and, for HINARI, clinical practice
To increase the use and justify the support by the publishers (currently committed through 2020)

4. Definition of Marketing in Libraries
“Marketing is a way of thinking which has to pervade the whole approach of the library staff. It has to do with predicting and providing services that people need and with providing services of the best quality.”
Wakeham M Marketing and health libraries Health Information and Libraries Journal: December 2004:21(4)237-46

5. Marketing R4L Resources is
a whole process centered around the needs of the institution’s users
to identify what users want and communicate with them (or)
To supply R4L and other electronic resources to the various user groups
teach users skills to be self-sufficient
encourage the use of these resources over a long period of time
a strategic tool of management

6. Overview - Marketing Plan
1. Examine the library's mission or purpose 2. Assess library capabilities with an internal assessment – a marketing audit 3. Find out what products (services) your users want through market research 4. Develop goals and objectives based on your mission and the results of your internal audit and external research

7. Overview - Marketing Plan continued
5. Select strategies to promote your products that will work best and reach your user groups
6. Create a plan of action that describes all the steps needed to carry out the strategies for meeting goals
7. Evaluate the outcome of the plan
Ohio Library Council Marketing the Library (accessed 18 Aug 2015)

8. Marketing Audit
Goal is to examine products offered and assess the value of the products to the users by assessing:
Product - library services, resources, instruction, etc. available to users - particularly R4L & other electronic resources
Price of Service - includes direct and indirect costs to produce and deliver the product

9. Marketing Audit continued
Place - considers delivery and distribution of the products and services, location of services, availability, and accessibility particularly to the R4L & other electronic resource
Promotion - how libraries let users know what products are available
Ohio Library Council Marketing the Library (accessed 18 Aug 2015)

10. Marketing Segments
‘Marketing segments’ is another phrase for ‘client groups’ – to identify and differentiate
Common groupings for academic libraries include status (faculty, researcher, student – undergraduate or postgraduate, staff) or geographic
Groupings also can be by information needs and/or skills
Senior management is a marketing group – support is essential

11. Role of Staff All staff promotes service when they interact with users
Staff creates relationships with users based on the quality of service
Regarding R4L resources, the role of staff is to:
identify potential users and their information needs
customize and package services for identified groups
train users to be self-sufficient

12. Promotion Promotion or ‘marketing communication’
is the key element to marketing
must be clear and state what is being promoted, why and to whom and what effect is expected
is not synonymous with marketing in which significant data gathering and analysis are done
is a tool of the overall strategy
is campaign to communicate with a specific group of users about a specific service/resource (R4L and other electronic resources)

13. Promotion Includes Institutional or Library websites
Training workshops, seminars or meetings
Direct mailing – targets limited audience and personalized
Advertisements, banners and posters – attempts to reach a wide audience but with a simple message

14. Promotion Includes continued
Leaflets and newsletters – reaches a wide audience, can convey considerable information; limit to one topic
Events – reaches a wide audience; can convey considerable information and allows interaction between staff and users
Word of mouth – referrals by teachers or colleagues and library staff particularly with users

15. Evaluation
notes if the library or health information center has been successful in achieving the objectives of marketing – the promotion and use of R4L resources
confirms if the users’ needs have been correctly identified and met
measures performance objectives:
data on institution’s use of various R4L programs’ resources
instructional assignments using these resources

16. Marketing on Website

17. Successful Marketing
May include active bidding for funds from institutional and outside sources
Can take up considerable staff time and staff may need training
Will involve tools
surveys
attendance at meetings
becoming involved in projects from other parts of the organization
talks with visitors to the library
focus groups

18. Surveys For marketing, a survey can be defined as
‘a set of questions people are asked to gather information or find out opinions, or the information gathered by asking many people the same questions.’
Cambridge Dictionaries Online (accessed 19 Aug 2015)
dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/survey

19. Keys to Surveys Write a good and short introduction
Ask questions that provide the information you need
Ask important questions first, then demographic ones
Organize the questions in logical groups
Use easy-to-understand language
Avoid technical terms, jargon and acronyms

20. Keys to Surveys continued
Use even number responses (a,b,c,d) so that the respondent cannot use a neutral answer
Be sensitive to the feelings of your respondents
Thank the respondents
Keep survey short, simple and to the point
Questionnaires and survey designs – a free tutorial

21. Summary of Marketing Strategy
Clear and to the point
Avoid using technical jargon
Keep it Short and Simple (KISS)
Packaged appropriately to suit audience

22. Ongoing Strategy Create ‘listening posts’ for feedback
word-of-mouth, help desk, suggestion box, surveys
Periodically
analyze effectiveness of communication strategy; continue to evaluate
write report and present findings
According to findings
fine tune communication strategy to meet user needs
there is always a better way to do things
Marketing of R4L resources is an ongoing activity!

23. Additional Resources
American Library Association your library (contains numerous downloadable resources that are applicable to academic institutions) Association of European Research Libraries Expert Tips for Marketing Your Library libereurope.eu/blog/2013/06/03/expert-tips-for- marketing-your-library/ North Carolina State University Library Library Marketing Plan Workbook ing_Plan_Workbook.pdf

24. Exercise
Develop an institution’s marketing play by using the accompanying (Excel spreadsheet) workbook.
Note: This document can be printed and distributed at workshops. The participants would complete the exercise manually.
Updated

25. Appendix 1
Marketing Strategy completed by: National University of Samoa – Nursing Lecturers, December 2013