Indiana Library
Federation
InLLA Conference, July 24, 2014
Marketing Basics and
Branding the Library for a Positive
Experience
Libraries build relationships,
promote services and events using
website, e-newsltr, fliers, no-cost
media & social media. Libraries
usually have good PR efforts … we
have collapsed all of this & call it
marketing
BUT marketing in the real sense is
associated with dollars: purchasing
ads, spending money
Differences….
• Marketing – billboards are
purchased- the circus is coming to
town
• Promotion – an elephant is seen
w/a sign, the circus is coming
• Publicity –newspaper reports
elephant acc stomped on mayor’s
beautiful flower garden and yard;
articles in news about that
mentions circus is coming to town
• Public Relations – mayor rides on
elephant promoting the circus—no
hard feelings!
Map for Today’s Session
1. Review the power of building
good communications and public
relations
2. Discuss targeted marketing
3. Building a brand; Can developing a
logo and/or tagline help the library
accomplish its goal?
4. Delivering on brand promise
Tactics to promote/mkt the library
• VIP: Hire the right personalities for front-line
service at the library
• Do advertise if possible; take care in signage
• Use cross-promotions
• follow up calls; even how the parking lot looks
• Donor outreach
Outstanding website
• Publications; use of “hold” message
• Phone manner is a form of promotion
Communication is the Bedrock of
Outstanding Public Relations
• What is the main goal of a library’s message?
• Are there goals? Examples: to increase usage or
gatecount? To target a certain segment of the
population?
• Does the library use good comm to obtain
goodwill in the community/ to promote value?
• Good communication allows for better decisionmaking in budgeting and allotment of resources
• Good comm could translate into more support by
community, legislators, other decision-makers
Why Libraries Resist Doing
Promotions or Outreach:
Lack of resources, expertise…
How to get started ?
It’s best to hire someone trained in
the field or use creative staff or
those w/skill sets (ad writing
/design); Important to get input
from front line employees, board
members
Relationship Builders: think about..
• Does the director set the tone of what is
valued?
• How does the library staff support the
mission?
• How does the library or board set priorities?
• How do you track, resolve complaints?
• Is there a suggestion box? Some of the best
ideas are given by your users!
Targeted Communication Plan
• Define the problem. What are you doing now?
Where is there need to improve?
• Whom do you serve? Whose needs are you
trying to satisfy? Clarify goals.
• How to best reach the target market? Who is
competition?
• What do you want to achieve & by when?
• Communicate your core msg based on mission
Reaching a Targeted Market
• Your “audience” or potential visitors are
segmented by demographics
• Write in a style that pertains to that segment
• Deliver msg in their preferred manner
• Keep msg short, clear and sell the benefit!
• Invite action
• Use the word “you” in ad copy
Tips on Targeted Marketing
• Create a msg that fits w/target group
• Does creativity, humor, surprise, excitement
work for this audience?
• Use a wide range of communication tactics
Marketing Msgs
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Provide a “solution” to customer’s “problem”
Use both traditional and electronic means
Look for partnering opps
Use testimonials from visitors
Use element of surprise, humor, edgy, creative
messages where appropriate
Ideally, Communications Planning Includes
Recognize that visitors have met and unmet needs
Research lib’s role
Strategic Plan
Put resources toward that which supports desired goals
Monitor & evaluate progress toward goals
Leadership
• Sets the priority and establishes the value of
the marketing/service plan for the library
• The leader determines the outcome through
his or her knowledge, commitment, energy,
plan and follow through
• Has vision for the library
• Excellence occurs when you know your
visitors’ needs (current and future)
Personnel
• 1st – Must have commitment by
administration
• 2nd - Staff must understand their value and
how what they do fits in with the whole
system; they should understand the direction
of the library (ie., we are serious about great
service! We are working toward improvements
in x area and will have measurable results
within x (timeframe)
• 3rd – provide staff w/ training if possible
Plan your Work before
Working Your Plan
• Set realistic goals: What kind of library do you aspire to?
• Mission: The task of the leaders… to develop the role of the library
in the community or campus; share vision with staff
• Values: What are the day to day behaviors? Do those behaviors
support the direction in which you want to beheading?
• Does the perception of library to the public (or target audience)
match what you think are correct perceptions? If not, where falling
short?
• Do you want to enhance visibility, be more responsive to visitors?
increase visits or donations? Have more families in the library?
Serve more children? recruit staff or more volunteers?
• Planning includes defining your goals and identifying the
participants. Establish who will do what by when.
Learn about Customers
• Formal: Yearly surveys, focus groups,
questionnaires, observation
• Informal: Short interviews, e-mail, suggestion
box, staff input/dept. discuss
Building a Positive Image
• The library as an experience can be created inhouse relatively inexpensively
• Learn what visitors want/expect
• Commit to making each visit pleasant
• Exceed expectations
• Be approachable. Be creative. Be collaborative.
• It’s ideal to have a person oversee communications, print material, outreach efforts, graphic
standards
Enlarging Your Scope of Mkt Efforts
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Convey what is most unique about your library
Communicate about librarians, too!
Make msg short, concise, focused, interesting—use humor!
Speak to them in their language (write for your audience)
Use a variety of methods: social media, check-out receipts,
print material, website, e-news, electronic crawl signs
Testimonials (powerful)
Rotate displays regularly and show off resources
Do presentations in the community; be a part of
fairs/festivals and offer cross promos
video on Web sites
Keeping your audience in mind…
Would a slogan or a mascot work?
Would your lib benefit from using a tagline to help
communicate your message?
In promoting services, write like
someone who works in advertising.
Have fun! Be creative in your ad copy.
Read while you drive!
Do research in your pajamas.
Ask us!
Save $$ - check out DVDs
We’re your partner in tech training
Goal: Raise awareness to business comm
• a well-designed Web page
• Well-written news releases (someone proof
them w/journalism exp; get in habit of writing
how news reporters write)
• Library news is all around: Use interesting
facts, figures, circulation #, stories of impact
• News about services, staff, collection,
programs
• Can stream short video spots online
(inexpensive and effective)
Finalizing Your Plan
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Define the problem you wish to solve
(It should fit w/mission and strategic plan)
Research & define audience and comm methods
Create timeframe as to your goals
Develop message and tactics
Set budget; organize staff (who will do what by when)
All staff need to understand library’s goals, areas of
desired improvement.
• Implement ; seek feedback; evaluate
• Revise where and if necessary
The power of various media
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Social media – personal, immediate, targeted
Newspapers –immediate; easy and inexpensive
Magazines – high credibility; very high lead time
Radio – intimate yet somewhat expensive
Brochure – allows for more detail; inexpensive
TV – lets you show/demonstrate but expensive
Fliers – economical and provides good info
Internet – interactive and not expensive
Billboard – serves as a reminder but only 7-8
words
Famous Brands
What is a Brand?
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Identifiable entity, recognizable concept
What immediately comes to mind
Makes a specific promise of value
In a store or library, for example, a visitor’s
perception is reflected by the associations
he/she has & holds in memory
• Your library already has a brand whether or
not you are managing it…what comes to mind
They evolve…
But not too much!
What famous logo was originally to be
named after Pequod, a whaling ship from
Moby-Dick, (it was rejected by cofounders) and was instead named after
the chief mate on the Pequod.
1st franchise w/arches in Phoenix
Use of building element w/in logo
More than a word or symbol …
• A brand represents the immediate image,
emotions, perceptions, tangible/intangible
qualities of a product or service
• Brands create a perception in the mind of the
customer that there is no other product or
service that is quite like yours.
• What sets your library apart?
Building a Brand Using a Logo
• Graphic identity communicates what you do
• Tries to capture the look and feel of the
organization
• Builds consistency with use of colors/fonts/
overall look on all material, ads, signs, Web
site, forms, etc.
Guiding Values of Marriott to Establish
their Brand
• Wanted to turn their image around
• Wanted to be known for friendly service,
excellent value
• Treat people well
• Hard work, yet keep it fun
• Continual self-improvement, training
The brand promise
• If you create a tag line, those words must be a
part of the library’s culture. The brand
promise must be consistent, doable,
enforceable.
• Are you able to do what you say you will do?
• Administration must have commitment;
branding takes time.
• Staff should be trained and understand how
this fits with overall mission/plan.
Not fitting with the brand promise
Brand building can include a tagline
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Access Knowledge Success
Explore! Expand!
Your Passport to the World
Engage. Enlighten. Enrich.
Learn, Discover, Enjoy
Meeting Your Needs
Your destination for research, learning &
friends
Taglines
• Be a reader … be informed
• Information & Imagination!
What sums up or captures the
essence of your library?
Brand building
Famous Taglines
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Good to the last drop
You’re in good hands with _______
Bet you can’t eat just one
M’’mmm, m’mmm good!
It keeps going and going and going…
Save Money. Live Better.
We’re #2, we try harder
Which tagline do you think won?
• A world of information – right here in North
Dakota
• Making Powerful Connections
• Answers NOW!
• When you need information
• North Dakota State Library: We’re all about
serving you
• Online all the time
• Every Question deserves an answer
• Line up. Download: Your Library Delivers
Consistency (Standards) in colors, look,
font, size
• Graphic identity = your library’s unique logo
mark conveys a tone, feel and non-tangible
evocation
• This use of a graphic identity makes an
organization seem more professional, more
unified.
• Important to communicate to staff the graphic
standards/guidelines.
Some Library Logos
“Connecting people, information and ideas”
I’ll be at the
Chesterton
library in a
couple of
years!
Contact:
Susan Akers
sakers@ilfonline.org
or
ILF: 317-257-2040 ext. 101