Foreword

ix

by Judith Gibbons

Acknowledgments

xi

About the Website

xiii

Introduction

xv

Chapter 1: How and Why People Become Accidental Marketers

1

How Did We Get Here?1
Where Are We Now?2
How Accidental Marketers Are Born3
Just How “Accidental” Are We?5
The Need for More Marketing Education in Library Schools9
What to Expect From This Book11

Chapter 2: Starting With the Basics of Communication

13

What, Really, Is Marketing?13
The Cycle of True Marketing14
The Missing Link Revealed15
Definitions and Differences16
The Four P’s17
An Example of How Businesses Use Marketing19
What’s in a Name? Or in Any Word?21

Chapter 3: Assessing Your Current Situation

25

Your Physical Spaces27
Your Online Environment28
Your Printed Materials35
Your Customer Service Environment37
The Attitudes of Customers and Potential Users40

Chapter 4: Using Demographic, Geographic, and Census Data

67

Tapping Into Demographic and Geographic Data68
Using Data to Build a SWOT Analysis73

Chapter 5: What Marketing Experts Think Is Most Important

79

How to Avoid the Five Most Common Marketing Mistakes80
What Other Experts Think and Teach85
Words of Wisdom From Others93
What Surveys and Studies Have Revealed95

Chapter 6: Getting Administrators, Managers, and Staff to Buy In

103

Basic Rules of Thumb for Achieving Buy-In103
Getting Staff Buy-In for Extra Work on Marketing and Promo Projects111
The Keys to Real Buy-In115

Chapter 7: Making Evidence-Based Decisions With Administrators

117

Examine All of Your Data and Evidence117
Look at Your Goals, Mission, and Vision119
Think About Your Logo and Your Brand122

Chapter 8: Don’t Shy Away From Statistics

129

Start With Stats You’ve Got and Make Them More Powerful129
Statistics You Might Not Record, But Should132
The Importance of Cost/Benefit Analysis135
Examples of Results From ROI Studies Around the United States140
The Cost of Value Studies143

Chapter 9: Understanding the Cycle of True Marketing

145

All of the Steps in the True Marketing Process145
Follow These Vital Steps and You Will Find Success148

Chapter 10: Writing Your Formal Plans

161

The Proper Hierarchy of Plans162
All About Marketing Plans163
Five Steps to a Basic Marketing Plan164
The Marketing Plan as Part of the Cycle of True Marketing168
How a Communication Plan Can Help170
A Word About Technology Plans172
Sharing Plans Among Friends173

Chapter 11: Basic Rules for Producing Good Promotional Materials

175

Craft Your Message Carefully175
Design Rules for Creating Good Promotional Materials178
Tracking Workflow for Promotional Materials181
Helpful Tips for Working With Print Shops184
It All Reflects on Your Library185

Chapter 12: Getting the Message Out

187

My Recommendations for Communication187
Working With the Media190
Spreading the Library’s Message Through Partnerships203
A Few Words About Word-of-Mouth Marketing207
The Time Has Come for Mobile Marketing208

Chapter 13: Using Your Website for Public Relations and Outreach

211

What Do People Expect From Websites?212
Make Sure Search Engines Can Find Your Site215
Learning How People Search and See218
You Need the “Full Monty” Website220

Chapter 14: Finally, the Fun Stuff

223

Fun Events and Success Stories224
“Wow Factor” Ideas You Can Try on Your Own228
Promotion That Doesn’t Feel Like Promotion237
Snappy Comebacks for That Awful Question, “Now That We Have the Internet, Why Do We Still Need Libraries?”241
The Final Lesson247

Appendix A: Improving Our Media Relations via Strategic Communications Planning

249

by Marsha A Iverson

Appendix B: Designing Promo Materials That Are Legible

261

by Pat Wagner

Appendix C: Promotion Is Not the Same as Marketing

271

by Christie Koontz

About the Author

281

Index

283