Marketing and Communication Positioning Paper
Compiled by Graham Penwell from discussions with Caitriona Cameron, Roger Dawson, Caroline Henderson,
Claire Lewis, Kerry Lyford, and Craig Murray - October 2012.
Introduction
Marketing is dynamic and user focused. It is the process which analyses user needs and
identifies the products, services and expertise required to meet those needs. Library Teaching
and Learning (LTL) uses a range of methods to market the expertise, services and products it
provides to the University community.
A Marketing Plan emphasises a planned approach to satisfying client needs and includes
“selling” and “promotion” as a means of actively and persuasively informing users of products
and services that are designed and offered to meet their needs. Selling is the process of
informing users about product/ service and how it will meet their needs and promotion
publicises the service / product or expertise. Both of these processes are based on
communication.
Successful Marketing should enable LTL to:
 Satisfy users through matching services and products / resources to their needs.
 Demonstrate the value of LTL services and products/ resources in assisting users and
achieving University and LTL organisational goals.
 Proactively plan strategies to achieve these goals.
 Make decisions on the basis of the analysis of market research.
 Organise all elements of product, resource and service provision in the most effective
way.
 Identify problems and find solutions.
 Speak a language understood in the “marketplace” i.e. by the campus community.
The Environment
Strengths
 LTL has a good brand; albeit one that is still developing post-merger.
 Our knowledgeable and friendly staff engender good customer satisfaction ratings in
Student Satisfaction Surveys. Indeed, the best marketing tool we have is how well we do
our jobs!
 We have a strong physical presence on campus and also have a strong virtual presence
as well.
 LTL building is central and a campus “jewel” – an “iconic” symbol of Lincoln.
 We have well-defined target audiences in our faculty, graduate and undergraduate
students which should make marketing to all or some of these segments easier.
Weaknesses
 Students and faculty seem to be unaware of many of services and resources and
expertise available to them.
 We do not present a consistent marketing message to our users.
 Signage is not as clear and as welcoming as it could be.
 Communication not always well coordinated across LTL.
 Visibility and awareness of our services, products and expertise does not always get to
users.
 Still need to improve internal LTL communication.
D:\533573416.doc











Sharing of information within the whole LTL team requires improvement.
Limited market research is undertaken – the mechanisms that allow for the flow of
information back from users are limited, patchy and uncoordinated.
Student Services and Marketing – information they provide needs to be improved as not
always correct.
Effective messages at time of need required by our users.
Unexplained falling usage and faltering demand for some services and products we
provide.
Difficult external environment due to student numbers, earthquake matters and
financial situation.
Inconsistent and limited use of Social Media.
We do not fully utilise links with Alumni as a potential source of donations (including
research archive material), gifts, bequests or trust funds, etc.
Lack of an LTL marketing budget.
Lack of a marketing plan.
Lack of a coordinated liaison / outreach plan.
Current Marketing and Promotion Activities
LTL has a wealth of resources available to utilize in its marketing and promotional activities as
outlined in the following table.

Table 1: Current Marketing Methods (Services, Products and Expertise)
Electronic methods and content
Web
Ask Us
LTL Blog
RSS Feeds
Careers Hub
LU Website
Hub (Intranet)
Yammer
Facebook
Flickr
Email
Apps
QR codes
Twitter
LinkedIn
Resources
LEARN
Research Archive
Print resources
Annual Report
Rules and Regulations
Guides, handouts and pamphlets
Positional Papers (e.g. Connecting the Knowledge networks)
Notices
Quality Content (supported by systems such as discovery layers,
authentication, etc.)
Research material
Surveys
D:\533573416.doc
Staff
Students
UG
Students
PG
Other
Stakeholders
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Personal Interactions
Teaching advice
Face-to-face interactions
Liaison – Dept. visits
New staff orientation
Faculty teaching committees
LTL Consultative Group
Drop-in interactions
Service point/Short loan request point
Wider LU committees
Parties /launches / debates/functions/ Conferences
Learning Advisor Appointments
Professional Staff development
FLI initiatives
PASS
Focus Groups
Surveys
Physical Environment
Ambience
Facilities
Signage (both static and dynamic, e.g. screens and
noticeboards.)
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
It is clear from this table that a wide marketing mix is utilised and is sometimes segmented to
various groups when appropriate. There is much potential to better leverage the marketing mix
created by our services, products and expertise.
Recommendations
1.
Improve methods of market research to gain both quantitative (degree of use of services)
and qualitative (attitudes, expectations etc.) information to assist decisions for the designing
of products and services, choosing promotional channels, allocation of resources, etc.
1.1 Implement a better means of electronic feedback by implementing a “Tell Us”
facility.
1.2 Make better use of surveys / focus groups and evaluations to gain market
information including targeted focus groups on specific services, resources, etc.
1.3 Conduct focus groups to gather data, which will be used to improve LTL
publications.
1.4 Review data collection to ensure gathering and analysing data is efficient and
providing useful information.
1.5 Develop methods to better capture informal feedback from users.
1.6 Develop a FAQ facility and analyse types and frequency of questions to address
recurrent themes.
1.7 Investigate why there is falling demand for some services and products and
make appropriate changes to improve demand or change the marketing mix by
removing service or product.
1.8 Use the marketing research information we receive to regularly review the
staffing resources required to ensure staffing meets identified needs.
D:\533573416.doc
2.
Develop quality publications that directly engage users and explain access to LTL resources,
services and facilities.
2.1 Improve quality of paper based and electronic publications to ensure
information is up to date and consistent across LTL.
2.2 Address the “communication” gap between content appropriate for the LTL blog
and instructional content which appeared in the old Library and TLS newsletters.
2.3 Develop a consistent style for formal communications (web, print, email,
pamphlets, print, etc.) that is relevant to users and will foster a greater
awareness of LTL.
2.4 Develop a framework to ensure consistency in LTL communications concerning
public relations and marketing.
3.
Improve our physical environment to improve our marketing.
3.1 Make our physical environment more inviting and welcoming, busy and “buzzy”.
3.2 Make signage more welcoming (signage that is negative in tone should be
minimised).
3.3 Remove poor quality temporary signage.
3.4 Install more casual furniture as funds allow.
3.5 Develop the Learning Advisors / Drop-in area to better advertise and promote
learning and increase Learning Advisor visibility.
4.
Take a marketing approach to our electronic environment to ensure it is continually
updated to meet changing user needs.
4.1. Reactivate the Web Team to maintain the virtual presence to ensure website
information is up to date, consistent, relevant and cutting edge.
4.2. Develop promotional activities to increase awareness of LTL website and
services and resources.
4.3. Re-examine potential use of book covers in Summon.
4.4. Investigate book / report covers in LURA and other repositories.
4.5. Investigate if social media marketing is effective and worth significant
resourcing.
5.
Implement measures to improve relationships with the wider University Community and
stakeholders thus improving “visibility”, strengthening our brand identity and promoting
LTL resources, services and expertise. A vital aspect of improving visibility is the need for a
coordinated liaison programme as part of our outreach to faculties/divisions and LUSA.
5.1 Develop a liaison programme to better interact with staff and students.
5.2 Create higher visibility through better promotion to emphasize approachability.
5.3
Implement more proactive communication.
5.4 Participate in University-wide events.
5.5 Organise University-wide events (such as debates, professorial and inaugural
lectures, etc.).
5.6 Develop closer links with Alumni.
5.7 Prioritise collaborative work with faculty staff (e.g. offering lectures and
workshops for courses).
5.8 Make explicit and improved links with Lecturers and Faculties so they know
what we do and can market our services and resources to their students.
5.9 Proactively develop relationships with new staff members to build their
awareness of LTL services and resources.
D:\533573416.doc
5.10 Implement targeted initiatives to make more stakeholders aware of LTL
resources and services appropriate for them.
5.11 Develop and expand our use of social media.
5.12 Develop a meaningful mission statement that is designed as an effective
communication tool that provides a clear, brief and dynamic message that can
be reproduced in key publications and communications.
6.
Make “marketing and promotion” an overt aspect of an LTL staff position that is supported
by an LTL Marketing and Communications Team thus helping create consistency and
continuity in our marketing activities. It is suggested that membership of this Team rotate
on a two yearly basis
6.1 Lead the development of an annual Marketing Plan that actively promotes
awareness of LTL among various user groups.
6.2 Develop expertise and ideas to assist the various areas of LTL in marketing
products, services and expertise that works with other LTL staff to determine
appropriate and relevant messages and materials that increase awareness in the
University of the scope of LTL services.
6.3 Undertakes activities that will establish a clear and positive image of LTL in the
university community and beyond.
6.4 Ensure new resources and services offered are appropriately marketed.
6.5 Coordinate the planning, development, and production of promotional
products, events and activities of LTL.
6.6 Identify and develop the broad messages and themes to use in marketing to the
various LTL communities.
6.7 Perform a regular evaluation of the LTL image and public perception.
6.8 Build an internal marketing culture within LTL.
6.9 Coordinate a liaison / outreach programme that improves interactions with
staff and students.
6.10 Prepare a regular report, which includes a summary of the previous year's
activities.
6.11 Provide information to Group Leaders for allocating a suitable annual marketing
budget.
Next Steps
To progress marketing and communication in terms of actions and priorities it is suggested
that Recommendation 6 be implemented as soon as possible and that an appropriate
marketing plan for 2013 be developed. As part of the development of that plan,
recommendations 1-5 need to be taken into consideration.
In conclusion, it is impossible to separate marketing and resources; we could market
perfectly but still fail if we cannot meet the needs that generates. The requirement to
regularly review staffing resources to ensure staffing meets needs is an issue Group Leaders
need to actively consider.
D:\533573416.doc