Custom Consulting

Speaking and Training

Half-Day Workshops I’ve Presented

Create Your Own Customized Marketing Plan

I go over what true marketing is, including definitions & steps in the process. Then attendees brainstorm and share ideas while filling in a 5-step form that will be the basis for their own marketing plan. This one concentrates a lot on breaking customers down into target markets and crafting specific messages so you can reach them most effectively. It outlines a complete marketing plan for one target, not an organization-wide marketing plan.

Building Community Partnerships: Ideas and Tactics

It’s more important than ever to have community partnerships, not only to help you reach your goals, but also to help keep you solvent! I teach how and why to form alliances and offer 25+ ideas for community partnerships, including tips on how to approach people and get them to listen. I even do role-playing exercises with the audience to give them practice in talking to potential partners.

How to Make Your Website More Findable and Relevant

I discuss how to make your library website more findable and relevant to users and potential users. Attendees learn to blend marketing techniques with SEO (search engine optimization) strategies through instruction, group discussion, and brainstorming. Participants will consider a targeted segment of clients and work through several steps to outline a customized marketing plan to ensure that these people will reach your website. I also focus on key communication skills that will help you be more successful in promoting all of your services. The marketing plan outlines that you will take away will include promotional strategies and measurable goals. (This is a twist on “Create Your Own…” above. Less true marketing tenets, more tech.)

Writing Good Press Releases and Working with the Media

I train staff members on writing proper press releases and on communicating with the media. This session includes two main activities after the instruction: one where attendees take facts I give them to write a press release (which we review), and another where attendees practice giving a live interview. I also have samples of good and bad PRs to hand out.

What Every Accidental Library Marketer Needs to Know

If you find yourself doing PR, promotion, or marketing as part of your job, but you never formally learned how, then you’re an “accidental marketer”─ and you’re not alone! Hear the basic tenets you never had a chance to learn as well as advanced tactics. Get the real reasons why many patrons don’t attend programs and why the media doesn’t always cover your events. Learn what “true marketing” is and why it can make your hard work pay off more often. This preconference is led by the woman who wrote the book (literally) on this topic, The Accidental Library Marketer.

Short Conference Sessions I’ve Presented

Finding Your Phoenix Through Marketing

Many people are talking about the end of libraries because of info being online. We all know libraries won’t disappear, but they do need to transform to stay relevant, now more than ever. So as your past collections & services smolder out, what should rise from their ashes? What will be your library’s Phoenix? You need to decide ahead of time, and using the steps and strategies of true marketing can show you exactly how to plan for the future.

What “Accidental Marketers” Need to Know

I published a book last year called The Accidental Library Marketer, and I use it as a platform for a short session, pulling topics from the book that are appropriate for the audience. It would have to include the tenets of true marketing and could be customized from there per conference planner needs.

Writing for the Library Press

Having been an editor for the library press for more than 15 years, I explain how to get articles published in library magazines & newsletters to tout your accomplishments and share best practices with others in the field.

Building Community Partnerships: 25 Ideas in 45 Minutes

Come hear 25 ideas, applicable for all types of libraries, for partnering with local businesses and organizations. Build alliances that will help you gain recognition, trade for otherwise-costly services, and grow local advocates. The ideas come from more than 16 years of editing a library marketing newsletter, attending conferences, and giving seminars. All ideas are listed on handouts and posted on the conference website, because you won’t have much time to take notes during this rapid-fire, energetic session!  [This was the orig session that was later converted to the half-day workshop above for the North Suburban Lib System in Oct 09. I have also given it as a 1.5-hour session.]

How to Make Your Website More Findable and Relevant

I discuss how to make your library website more findable and relevant to users and potential users. Attendees learn to blend marketing techniques with SEO (search engine optimization) strategies. Learn why details like metatags are essential to having your site get higher placement in web searches. [This would be a shortened vers of the preconf, with less tech, no brainstorming on forms – just the key facts & ideas.]

Writing Good Press Releases and Working with the Media

I train staff members on writing proper press releases and on communicating with the media to get more and better coverage. I also have samples of good and bad PRs to hand out.  [This would be a shortened vers of the preconf, without the class practice time – just the key facts & handouts.]

Swap & Shop Evaluations

I have also done a “mini swap & shop” in the past where librarians bring in their promo materials (brochures, newsletters, press releases, etc.), and I evaluate them and suggest ways to make them more effective. These sessions are simple, fun, and involve no set-up except for a table & a few chairs for me to sit at while I talk to folks.

Writing

Need an article on any of the topics I cover? Just ask! Writing is my forte and I can absolutely deliver clear communications on topic and on time.

A Note About Pricing…

It’s not always easy to quote prices immediately, because each project is unique. I can, however, share my guidelines:

• Article prices vary according to word count, amount of research necessary, and lead time.
• My basic consulting fee is $125/hour.  The number of hours should be agreed upon and contracted ahead of time.
• Speaking fees vary according to whether you want a new presentation or one I’ve already created. (The amount of customization necessary also affects the cost.)  And of course, the length of the talk is another determining factor. One- or two-hour talks cost less than half-day workshops.
• I give discounts if you have me to do more than one talk for the same event.
• I do ask that my travel to & from your event or conference be covered. (And of course I fly coach!)

Understanding libraries’ tight budgets, I try very hard to be affordable. I am happy to work with you to deliver whatever you need for a reasonable fee. Let’s talk!

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