The Interest is There…
This past weekend I had the opportunity to represent my library at the Barnes and Noble MiniMaker Faire. The Faire, a nationwide event, featured demonstrations of robotics, 3D Printing, LEGO building and other STEM/STEAM type projects that fall under the moniker of “maker.” Although the main focus of the Faire was to build awareness of the various kits that Barnes and Noble sells (and just in time for the holidays, no less!) the library was invited because the manager of the local Barnes and Noble is a fan of libraries. So, on Saturday afternoon from 12:30–3:30 a colleague and I manned a table featuring the library’s Lego Robotics program.
We had the most popular table in the store.
Which, due to the fact that we offered Legos, was not surprising to me. What was surprising however, was the fact that so few of the kids or their parents had a) heard of the program or b) knew that it was available through their library. We had a flyer available that listed the Lego program as well as the additional STEM/STEAM programs the library offered. The reaction to the additional programs was the same as the Lego reaction: Delighted surprise. This, I thought, was a problem. Not the delighted part, but the surprise. It meant we as a library were not marketing as effectively as we thought — despite having all the current social media tools at our disposal, we were still failing to communicate what we offered to our public.
Throughout the course we have talked a great deal about the importance of technology and how libraries can harness that technology to stay valuable to the communities they serve. What goes hand-in-hand with this embracing of technology is the ability to effectively market it to the public. If this is poorly done — as I witnessed Saturday — then despite all the programs and technologies the library may purchase or offer they will remain to their patrons “the place where the books are” and not much else.
Ned Potter is a librarian and writer specializing in the convergence of libraries and marketing. In his Library Journal column, “Marketing libraries is like marketing mayonnaise” he breaks down the main way libraries market what they do: “[Libraries] will often run a small marketing campaign — perhaps some posters, some leaflets, some emails — and are disappointed when the return on investment isn’t what they hoped.” Which is almost exactly how my library — and many, many others — market themselves. A one-off campaign for each event or program and then nothing more.
What Potter suggests — as the article title should make clear — is to market your library like mayonnaise (or ketchup or mattresses). Potter says, “One-off promotions expect too much of our users and potential users. It’s more important (and more realistic) to build up awareness of the services we offer to relevant groups over a period of time, so that when they DO require something we provide, we’re the first thing they think of. When that person eventually gets round to researching their family tree, they think ‘Ah, I know the library can help me with this.’”
This means instead of singular promotions, creating a pervasive presence across multiple platforms. It means looking at marketing from a long-term instead of a short-term standpoint. Advertisers know that most people aren’t going to see an ad for BBQ sauce and then immediately run out and buy BBQ sauce. However they do know that when it is time to get more BBQ sauce their ad will leap to mind when standing in the condiment aisle looking for BBQ sauce. This, in the long run, is much more effective than simply sending an email blast and hoping for a packed house.
The surprise I witnessed on Saturday told me that my library wasn’t as savvy at marketing as I’d thought, however, the very fact that we were taking part in the Maker Faire — out in the community — and that people’s reactions to our presence was positive told me we were on the right track.
Ned Potter article:
