Teaching new librarians Teaching new librarians marketing skillsmarketing skills

Penny BraybrookPenny BraybrookSchool of Business Information TechnologySchool of Business Information Technology

RMIT UniversityRMIT University

TRIG Workshop – Marketing library services, 5 Nov 2004

RMIT’s IM ProgramsRMIT’s IM Programs

Undergraduate – B.Bus.(I&KM)Undergraduate – B.Bus.(I&KM)– 3 years (new structure, 13 years (new structure, 1stst run in 2004) run in 2004)– common core of (8) business courses common core of (8) business courses – discipline specialisation in IM (10) discipline specialisation in IM (10)

Postgraduate – Grad Dip in IMPostgraduate – Grad Dip in IM– 1 year1 year– all (8) discipline-related coursesall (8) discipline-related courses– articulation into Masters level articulation into Masters level

Our approachOur approach

We We do notdo not teach anything called teach anything called “How to market your library” !!“How to market your library” !!

We never will.We never will.

We We dodo teach the principles and application of teach the principles and application of marketing theory within the IM context, marketing theory within the IM context, spread across the curriculum, demonstrated spread across the curriculum, demonstrated via various activities and assessment tasksvia various activities and assessment tasks

Marketing 101 - What is marketing? Marketing 101 - What is marketing? ““those functions in a business that directly those functions in a business that directly

involve contact with consumers, the involve contact with consumers, the assessment of their needs, and the assessment of their needs, and the translation of this information into sales.”translation of this information into sales.”

Essential to continuance of the businessEssential to continuance of the business

Ensure that effort involved in creating the Ensure that effort involved in creating the product/ providing the service is justifiedproduct/ providing the service is justified

Harry Onsman, Harry Onsman, Management powertoolsManagement powertools, Sydney, New York, McGraw , Sydney, New York, McGraw Hill, 2004, p. 87Hill, 2004, p. 87

Marketing 101 – Key conceptsMarketing 101 – Key concepts

““Marketing mix”Marketing mix” The 4 Ps of marketing (McCarthy, 1964)The 4 Ps of marketing (McCarthy, 1964)

ProductProduct PricePrice PlacePlace PromotionPromotion

The 7P framework (Rafiq & Ahmed, 1995)The 7P framework (Rafiq & Ahmed, 1995) 4Ps as above4Ps as above ParticipantsParticipants Physical evidencePhysical evidence ProcessProcess

E. Jerome McCarthy, E. Jerome McCarthy, Basic marketingBasic marketing, Homewood, IL, Irwin, 1964., Homewood, IL, Irwin, 1964.M. Rafiq & P Ahmed, ‘Using the 7Ps as a generic marketing mix.’ M. Rafiq & P Ahmed, ‘Using the 7Ps as a generic marketing mix.’ Marketing Intelligence and Marketing Intelligence and

PlanningPlanning, vol. 13, no.9, 1995, pp4-15, vol. 13, no.9, 1995, pp4-15

1. Product1. Product

““Products and services are needs-satisfying offerings Products and services are needs-satisfying offerings that a business makes to its customers.”that a business makes to its customers.”

What needs does your market have?What needs does your market have? What products does your market want?What products does your market want? What products can you create/provide What products can you create/provide

to satisfy those needs?to satisfy those needs?

2. Price2. Price

“ … “ … linked to the customer’s perception of value”linked to the customer’s perception of value”

How much does it cost us to provide How much does it cost us to provide this product/service?this product/service?

How much will customers pay?How much will customers pay?

3. Place3. Place“… “… how the market is physically reached.”how the market is physically reached.”

What distribution channels are used What distribution channels are used to get the product to the customer?to get the product to the customer?

Do they deliver intangible benefits, Do they deliver intangible benefits, e.g. convenience, increased e.g. convenience, increased availability, to the customers?availability, to the customers?

4. Promotion4. Promotion

“ “ communicating with the customer. Includes communicating with the customer. Includes advertising, PR, publicity…”advertising, PR, publicity…”

How do your customers find out How do your customers find out about your service/products?about your service/products?

Do you know how well your Do you know how well your brand/product is doing in the brand/product is doing in the marketplace?marketplace?

What constitutes “success”?What constitutes “success”?

5. Participants5. Participants

“ “ includes employees of the organisation and its includes employees of the organisation and its customers … the interaction between the two.”customers … the interaction between the two.”

Are your staff competently & Are your staff competently & consistently skilled to provide a high consistently skilled to provide a high quality, reliable service?quality, reliable service?

Are your customers’ expectations Are your customers’ expectations realistic? realistic?

6. Physical evidence6. Physical evidence

““The environment in which the service/product is The environment in which the service/product is delivered.”delivered.”

Customers use physical clues to Customers use physical clues to assess extent and quality of serviceassess extent and quality of service

Do your business premises/products Do your business premises/products reflect this?reflect this?

7. Process7. Process

“ … “ … procedures, mechanisms, … employed to deliver procedures, mechanisms, … employed to deliver a product/service to a customer.”a product/service to a customer.”

How easy is it for customers to How easy is it for customers to engage with the product/service?engage with the product/service?

How reliably is the service delivered? How reliably is the service delivered? Is the customers’ experience a Is the customers’ experience a

positive one, would you get their positive one, would you get their repeat business?repeat business?

What constitutes marketing in libraries? What constitutes marketing in libraries?

“ “those functions in a those functions in a librarylibrary that directly that directly involve contact with consumers, the involve contact with consumers, the assessment of their needs, and the assessment of their needs, and the translation of this information into translation of this information into increased use /more efficient use of increased use /more efficient use of products and services providedproducts and services provided.”.”

Essential to continuance of the businessEssential to continuance of the business

Ensure that effort involved in creating the Ensure that effort involved in creating the product/ providing the service is justifiedproduct/ providing the service is justified

Marketing in Libraries 101Marketing in Libraries 101

1. Product1. Product Customised products/services Customised products/services

needs analysis – advice on information processes, needs analysis – advice on information processes, management issuesmanagement issues

design a database to customer specificationdesign a database to customer specification create information resource guide for specified clientcreate information resource guide for specified client devise and deliver short tailored instruction programdevise and deliver short tailored instruction program perform mediated searchperform mediated search

Critical evaluationCritical evaluation investigation of available productsinvestigation of available products comparing products, sourcescomparing products, sources reviewing materialsreviewing materials what can we learn from our ‘competitors’?what can we learn from our ‘competitors’?

Marketing in Libraries 101Marketing in Libraries 101

2. Price2. Price Usually little or no Usually little or no visiblevisible cost to customers cost to customers

but but time and effort are also costs which customers time and effort are also costs which customers

must choose to expendmust choose to expend maximisemaximise ease of useease of use differentiate ourselves from similar-appearing differentiate ourselves from similar-appearing

servicesservices efficient work practices and well trained staff efficient work practices and well trained staff

reduce cost of providing servicereduce cost of providing service

Marketing in Libraries 101Marketing in Libraries 101

3. Place3. Place Investigate alternative distribution channelsInvestigate alternative distribution channels

Compare electronic with printed resources for Compare electronic with printed resources for reference work, delivery of full text materialsreference work, delivery of full text materials

– consider advantages and disadvantagesconsider advantages and disadvantages– consider when each is appropriateconsider when each is appropriate– consider different management issues for eachconsider different management issues for each

Compare virtual (chat, email) with face-to-face Compare virtual (chat, email) with face-to-face reference servicesreference services

Marketing in Libraries 101Marketing in Libraries 101 4.4. PromotionPromotion

What do customers think?What do customers think? participation in Rodski survey (formal)participation in Rodski survey (formal) observation of service practices in variety of library observation of service practices in variety of library

situations (informal)situations (informal) Importance of visibilityImportance of visibility

evaluation of library websitesevaluation of library websites evaluation of some library promotion & branding evaluation of some library promotion & branding

campaigns, e.g. introduction of Gullivercampaigns, e.g. introduction of Gulliver choice of appropriate medium to reach market choice of appropriate medium to reach market

segmentssegments How is effectiveness measured?How is effectiveness measured?

comparison of various statistical measures of comparison of various statistical measures of performance & useperformance & use

Marketing in Libraries 101Marketing in Libraries 101

5. Participants5. Participants Professional knowledge is vital, but so are Professional knowledge is vital, but so are

excellent people & communication skillsexcellent people & communication skills reference interviewsreference interviews difficult situationsdifficult situations training & instruction skillstraining & instruction skills presentation skillspresentation skills

How do customers behave? What are their How do customers behave? What are their expectations of us?expectations of us?

research into information seeking behavioursresearch into information seeking behaviours best practicebest practice are library websites being effectively used to manage are library websites being effectively used to manage

user expectations? user expectations?

Marketing in Libraries 101Marketing in Libraries 101

6. Physical evidence6. Physical evidence Evidence suggests that, despite the strong Evidence suggests that, despite the strong

preference for electronic resources, physical preference for electronic resources, physical space is still importantspace is still important

what factors determine where/how important client what factors determine where/how important client services are sited within the library?services are sited within the library?

results of Rodski surveyresults of Rodski survey

Marketing in Libraries 101Marketing in Libraries 101

7. Process7. Process Policies and practices must be easy to discover, Policies and practices must be easy to discover,

understand and apply – staffunderstand and apply – staff review published policies, e.g. collection development, review published policies, e.g. collection development,

document delivery, online referencedocument delivery, online reference

Policies and practices must be easy to discover, Policies and practices must be easy to discover, understand and use – customersunderstand and use – customers

review ease of use of resourcesreview ease of use of resources, , services available services available (personas)(personas)

SummarySummary Emphasis on client-centred practicesEmphasis on client-centred practices Keep an eye on competitorsKeep an eye on competitors Adopt & adapt any practice or technology that will Adopt & adapt any practice or technology that will

enhance serviceenhance service Marketing activities are integral to successful Marketing activities are integral to successful

running of the library service, not a “frill”running of the library service, not a “frill” Successful marketing comprises good practice Successful marketing comprises good practice

plus positive attitude* from staff and active plus positive attitude* from staff and active encouragement from managementencouragement from management

* Shontz, ML et al - Recent survey -* Shontz, ML et al - Recent survey - librarians who had more years of library librarians who had more years of library experience and had taken a course or workshop in marketing had more experience and had taken a course or workshop in marketing had more positive attitudes to marketing and perceived marketing to be a high priority positive attitudes to marketing and perceived marketing to be a high priority in their libraries. in their libraries.

ConclusionConclusion

Marketing is most effectively learned in the Marketing is most effectively learned in the context of the commodity you are “selling”, context of the commodity you are “selling”, whether information or cat foodwhether information or cat food– know your marketknow your market– tailor products for that markettailor products for that market– ensure market knows about your productsensure market knows about your products– periodically check for congruence between periodically check for congruence between

offerings and marketofferings and market

Bibliography Bibliography McCarthy, E. Jerome, McCarthy, E. Jerome, Basic marketingBasic marketing, Homewood, IL, , Homewood, IL,

Irwin, 1964Irwin, 1964 Onsman, Harry, Onsman, Harry, Management powertoolsManagement powertools, Sydney, New , Sydney, New

York, McGraw Hill, 2004, p. 87York, McGraw Hill, 2004, p. 87 Rafiq, M & P Ahmed, ‘Using the 7Ps as a generic Rafiq, M & P Ahmed, ‘Using the 7Ps as a generic

marketing mix.’ marketing mix.’ Marketing Intelligence and PlanningMarketing Intelligence and Planning, , vol. 13, no.9, 1995, pp.4-15vol. 13, no.9, 1995, pp.4-15

Shontz, ML et al, ‘Shontz, ML et al, ‘What do librarians think about What do librarians think about marketing? A survey of public librarians' attitudes marketing? A survey of public librarians' attitudes toward the marketing of library services.' toward the marketing of library services.' Library Library QuarterlyQuarterly, vol. 74, no. 1, 2003, pp.63-84 , vol. 74, no. 1, 2003, pp.63-84 [Available: [Available: http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/LQ/journal/contents/v74n1.htmlhttp://www.journals.uchicago.edu/LQ/journal/contents/v74n1.html ] ]

Steadley, Marianne & Chuck Gray, ‘Marketing: The Steadley, Marianne & Chuck Gray, ‘Marketing: The Power of Ten.’ Power of Ten.’ UI Current LIS Clips, UI Current LIS Clips, Sept 2003Sept 2003[Available: [Available: www.lis.uiuc.edu/clips/2003_09.htmlwww.lis.uiuc.edu/clips/2003_09.html]]