The workshop will cover the fundamentals of marketing, including considerations for marketing library and information services. The marketing orientation of the organisation will be discussed, along with the societal shift to relationship marketing. A number of case studies will be shared which demonstrate different approaches to market academic libraries, with tips and advice for implementation. By the end of the workshop, attendees will: ● Gain a greater understanding of marketing theory and how it applies to library and information services ● Be aware of a number of best practice case studies to learn from and apply the lessons learned in their own service ● Be able to plan and evaluate a marketing campaign for their service

1. Introduction to Marketing within
Academic Libraries
Jo Alcock - Evidence Base, Birmingham City University
Penny Andrews - University of Sheffield and Leeds Metropolitan University

2. Learning outcomes
By the end of the workshop, attendees will:
Gain a greater understanding of marketing theory
and how it applies to library and information services
Be aware of a number of best practice case studies to
learn from and apply the lessons learned in their own
service
Be able to plan and evaluate a marketing campaign
for their services

3. Overview
1. What is marketing?
2. Service marketing
3. Development of marketing approaches
4. Organisation orientation
5. Marketing library and information
services
6. Case studies
7. Marketing planning
8. Marketing evaluation
9. Good practice sharing
https://www.flickr.com/photos/benelwell/9009855796

4. What is marketing?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexpgp/3609715516

5. –UK Chartered Institute of Marketing
“the management process
responsible for identifying,
anticipating, and satisfying
customer requirements profitably”

6. “a management process whereby
the resources of the organisation are
utilised to satisfy the needs of
selected customer groups... first and
foremost an attitude of mind rather
than a series of fundamental
activities”
–McDonald, 1989, in Wilson and Gilligan, 2005

7. What is marketing?
Core management process
Assists organisations in improving current products/services,
and developing new products/services
Includes:
Staff
Brand perception
Methods of communication

8. Service marketing
How does it differ "om product marketing?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/flavor32/2384350798

9. Unique characteristics of services
Intangibility (i.e. lack of physical element)
Variability (i.e. no standard, consistent service)
Simultaneous production and consumption
Perishability (i.e. can't be saved)
Lack of ownership

10. –Grönroos (2007)
“the management of customer
relationships, and of relationships
with suppliers, distributors, and other
network partners as well as financial
institutions and other parties”

11. Activity - the marketing mix
Product
Price
Place
Promotion
People
Process
Physical evidence

12. Development of marketing approaches
Shi# to relationship marketing
https://www.flickr.com/photos/blumpy/325853852

13. Evolution of marketing
1. Marketing is unnecessary
2. Marketing is promotion
3. Marketing is segmentation and
marketing research
4. Marketing is positioning
5. Marketing is strategic planning
6. Marketing is enrolment
[relationship] management
Kotler and Fox (1995)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/3191664147

14. Organisation orientation
What is your organisation's focus?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mdales/6602332085

15. Organisation orientation
My library's primary focus is...
Developing products and services of the highest quality for our
users
Increasing awareness and encouraging use of our products and
services
Developing products and services which are most affordable
and convenient for our users
Developing products and services based on our research into
our users' needs

16. Organisation orientation
Focus Orientation
Quality Product
Increasing awareness and
encouraging use
Sales
Affordability and convenience Production
Research into users' needs Market
Adapted from Rowley (2003)

17. Organisation orientation
Product
14%
Production
14%
Sales
29%
Market
43%
Alcock (2011)
Academic libraries in West Midlands

18. Marketing library and information services
Overview and development
https://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/393093257

19. Marketing in libraries - background
Marketing in libraries is a way to understand user
needs and improve awareness of services through
effective communication
Marketing in libraries is not a new concept, but
the term was not used until recently
Marketing is frequently cited as unpopular
among library staff (Lindsay, 2004; Singh, 2009;
Kumbar, 2004)

20. – Boden and Davis (2006)
“marketing your library service
should not be considered a luxury
but a necessity”

21. Marketing User behaviour

22. Marketing in libraries - today
Marketing in libraries seems to be growing in terms of
acceptance that it is important
Budgetary, technological and societal changes have raised
the importance of marketing and proving the library’s value
Growing number of jobs advertised for librarians with
qualification and/or experience in marketing (Dubicki,
2007)
Transition in line with Kotler and Fox’s evolution of
marketing model

23. Evolution of marketing in libraries
1. Marketing is unnecessary
2. Marketing is promotion
3. Marketing is segmentation and
marketing research
4. Marketing is positioning
5. Marketing is strategic planning
6. Marketing is enrolment
[relationship] management
Kotler and Fox (1995)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/3191664147

24. – Circle and Bierman (2009)
“the days when marketing was
thought to be posters and fliers is
over”

25. Case studies
Examples of library marketing approaches
https://www.flickr.com/photos/manc/1427691715

26. Case study 1
Situation
The library has recently subscribed to a new resource discovery service
Marketing options
Leaflets, posters, displays in library
Inductions and training sessions
Fresher’s Fair for new students
Roadshow for academics and those who don’t visit library
Social media
Focus - ease of use, breadth of resources, or “better than Google”?

27. Case study 1
Situation
The library has recently subscribed to a new resource discovery service
Marketing approaches chosen
Training and handouts for library staff
Inductions and fliers within the library
Roadshow for academics outside the library
Focus initially on breadth of resources but changed to ease of use
Hints and tips
Remember to include library staff as a key audience
Consider marketing activities outside the library as potential users may not visit the library
Look at goals and audience carefully - social media hadn’t worked for this institution in previous marketing efforts
Focusing on academics can be more beneficial than students - the former influence the latter

28. Case study 2
Situation
We've just subscribed to a new online resource with teaching materials for trainee teachers
thanks to a student recommendation. We'd like to raise awareness with other students.
Marketing options
Email to Education academics
Promotion during information literacy session with trainee teachers
Highlighted on 'Resources for teaching' blog for trainee teachers
Announcement on Education VLE
Fliers in library with information about resource
Posters in 'Teaching Practice Collection' resource area

29. Case study 2
Situation
We've just subscribed to a new online resource with teaching materials for
trainee teachers thanks to a student recommendation. We'd like to raise
awareness with other students.
Marketing approaches chosen
Highlighted on 'Resources for teaching' blog for trainee teachers
Posters in 'Teaching Practice Collection' resource area
Hints and tips
When promoting to specific user group, target communication to them in
particular

30. Case study 3
Situation
We're running a drop-in information literacy session in the library this
lunchtime on effective search techniques.
Marketing options
Email to all students
Announcement in VLE
Tannoy announcements throughout the morning in library
Signs and fliers at library enquiry desks
Library social media accounts

31. Case study 3
Situation
We're running a drop-in information literacy session in the library this
lunchtime on effective search techniques.
Marketing approaches chosen
Tannoy announcements throughout the morning in library
Signs and fliers at library enquiry desks
Hints and tips
Consider the context of the service you are marketing - is it specific to
a time and/or place?

32. Case study 4
Situation
We’re refurbishing the first floor of the library and need to let
users know
Marketing options
Posters, display, leaflets in library
Social media
Focus - information about disruption, information about new
floor and study spaces, or visuals of new floor?

33. Case study 4
Situation
We’re refurbishing the first floor of the library and need to let users know
Marketing approaches chosen
Display
Social media
Minimal focus on disruption, mainly visual focus
Hints and tips
Reuse existing materials where appropriate - display reused model used by estates for
library staff
Visual progress photos on social media can gain interest, and encourage users to take their
own photos once refurbishment is complete

34. Marketing planning
Tools and techniques to help plan future marketing activities
https://www.flickr.com/photos/john/2307446365

35. –Example marketing message
“Our library has 3.4 million
resources to support your studies”

36. –Example marketing message
“Our library can help you get your
degree without stress"

37. Benefits, not features
Users are more likely to be
interested in how the
library can help them that
what the library has
How are your services
going to make your users
happy?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/timefortea3/3858337588

38. Consider user segments
Will a first year
undergraduate student
have the same needs as a
post-doc researcher?
Adapt message considering
core users and benefits for
them
https://www.flickr.com/photos/simpologist/42391997

39. Personalised approach
Services can be personalised
Each user will have unique
perspective and needs
Consider how services can
be adapted to support their
specific needs
https://www.flickr.com/photos/csb13/57564217

40. Not just promotion
Remember marketing
encompasses more than just
promotional activities
Ensure all library staff are
involved or at least aware of
any new services
https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_justified_sinner/2498066986

41. Help at the point of need
Think about the situations
users may find themselves in
need of help, and consider
how you can get to them, e.g.
No results found after
searching for resources
Lost in the library
Week before first
assignment https://www.flickr.com/photos/evaekeblad/2326577823

42. Marketing communications plan
Service to be marketed
Audience to market to
Message to market
Communication channel to use
People responsible
Timescale

43. Marketing communications plan
Service Audience Message Channel Responsible Dates
Ebooks
Part-time
students
Resources available whenever
and wherever
Library website Jo 02/10/2014
Ebooks
Distance learning
students
All your research resources
accessible wherever you are
VLE Penny 14/10/2014
Using a spreadsheet with shared access for all staff can be useful
to keep all information in one place, then can use this data to
populate specific plans based on service, audience or channel.

44. Marketing planning resources
Planning and organising projects
Rachel Smith, University of Durham
7 step marketing toolkit
Kay Grieves, University of Sunderland

45. Marketing evaluation
Assessing the outcome and learning for future marketing activities
https://www.flickr.com/photos/katerha/4330199412

46. When to evaluate
Evaluation is a continuous process, not just
for the end of the campaign.
Evaluate after every phase of your plan.
Evaluate every message and every channel.
Evaluate your plan itself. Listen, and be
prepared to change your plan.

47. How to evaluate
How will you know if your goals were met?
How can you monitor performance?
How will you collect feedback?
How will you respond to feedback?
Remember to go beyond the numbers.

48. Why did it succeed?
You can’t repeat success
without understanding it.
Were all your goals
SMART?
What were your success
criteria?
Why did you choose them? https://www.flickr.com/photos/cnhender/14511985102

49. Failure is OK
Taking risks is important.
Not everything works the
first time.
Why did it fail?
What can you learn from
the failure?
What was good about it?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/86530412@N02/8226451812

50. The importance of the right plan
The numbers say the campaign
was successful...
Did you reach all the people
you were trying to reach?
Were your goals compromised
by budget, resistance from
colleagues or a reluctance to
rock the boat?
“The operation was successful,
but the patient died” https://www.flickr.com/photos/decipher-reflections/4764825971

51. Good practice sharing
What examples do you have to share?

52. References
Alcock, J. (2011) Strategic marketing in academic libraries [online]. MScEcon. Aberystwyth
University.
Boden, D. and Davis, L. (2006) Developing a marketing mindset. Library & Information Update,
5(5), pp.38-39.
Circle, A. and Biernan, K. (2009) The house brand. Library Journal, 134(11), pp.32-35.
Dubicki, E. (2007) Basic marketing and promotion concepts. The Serials Librarian, 53(3), pp.5-15.
Grieves, K. (2012) The 7 Step Marketing Toolkit [online]. Available at: http://
7steptoolkit.wordpress.com
Grönroos, C. (2007) Service management and marketing: customer management in service competition.
3rd ed. Chichester: John Wiley.
Kotler, P. and Fox, K.F.A. (1995) Strategic marketing for educational institutions. 2nd ed. Englewood
Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

53. References
Kumbar, R.D. (2004) The importance of marketing and total quality management in
libraries. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship [online], 5(2-3).
Lindsay, A.R. (2004) Marketing and public relations practices in college libraries. Chicago:
American Library Association.
Rowley, J. (2003) Information marketing: seven questions. Library Management, 24(1-2),
pp.13-19.
Singh, R. (2009) Does your library have an attitude problem towards ‘marketing’?
Revealing inter-relationship between marketing attitudes and behaviour. The Journal of
Academic Librarianship, 35(1), pp.25-32.
Smith, R. (2013) Planning and organising projects [online]. Available at: http://
missrachelsmith.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/planning-and-organising-projects/
Wilson, R.M.S. and Gilligan, C. (2005) Strategic marketing management: planning,
implementation and control. 3rd ed. Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.