Marketing Reference Services Special Library

1
Marketing Reference Services Special Library

• New York Library Association Annual Conference
• Reference and Adult Services Section, 10/22/04
• Barbara S. Beverley
• Director of Library Services
• Empire State Development

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Empire State Development

• Mission - improve business climate, create
  retain quality jobs improve NYSs competitive
  advantage
• Structure
• NYS Dept. of Economic Development
• Empire State Development Corp.
• Urban Development Corp.
• Job Development Authority

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ESD Library Virtual

• Print collection shrinking
• Requests by via email
• Delivery email, faxing
• PAST Clients in same building, physically came
  to library
• Present Clients around state world
• Most will never actually see library
• How market the invisible?

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Selected Marketing Techniques

• Be available to clients
• Adopt other roles
• Make office/small group presentations

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Be Available

• Watch for opportunities to be the go-to person
• Talk to clients about what they do what they
  need
• Conduct surveys, formal or informal
• Be prepared with elevator speech
• Email
• Regularly but not too often
• Value-added - Worth their reading

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Adopt Other Roles

• IT lite
• Show them how to do something
• Demonstrate Google advanced searching
• Demo or walk them through online database, e.g.
  NOVEL
• Demo bookmark valuable Internet site
• Sort or manipulate a spreadsheet
• Create clipping folder

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Office Presentations

• Purpose meet clients on own turf
• Planning
• Who are they?
• What do they do?
• What have they requested in the past?
• Focus presentation on whats in it for them

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Office Presentations - Content

• What do they need?
• Where do they usually get information?
• Aware of library services resources?
• How do they use them?
• How can you help them get what they need
  better/faster?
• What else can you do that they dont know?
• Questions comments as they arise
• Shorten/scrap presentation if necessary to hear
  what they have to say
• LISTEN more than talk

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Office Presentations - Handouts

• Leave them with at least 1 handout business
  card
• As reminder of Library
• For their future use
• Suggestions
• Library brochure
• List of free online databases
• Favorites specially selected for them
• Identify handouts
• Footer with source, including your name date
• URL for updated or other resources

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Path to Non-Traditional Intranet Location

• Outlook gtPublic FoldersgtAll Public
  FoldersgtInformation Center gtLibrarygtFrequently
  Asked QuestionsgtNYS Business Journals

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Office Presentations - Results

• You
• Better understanding of clients their needs
• Respond more knowledgeably to requests
• Clients
• You care about their information needs
• You are qualified to handle their questions
• You are no longer just a name
• Likely to open up freely in future reference
  interviews
• Create customized products services
• Write up meeting if appropriate

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International Division

• One of largest clients
• Mission
• promote business job development
• by expanding the foreign trade of NYS industries
  
• by encouraging overseas businesses to invest in
  NYS
• NYC staff 9 international trade offices

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International Division - Functions

• Conduct NYS companies to foreign trade shows
• Promote NYS products match foreign purchaser to
  NYS producer
• Briefing papers for Governor Commissioner for
  foreign trade delegations

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International Division - Requests

• Company lists 58
• Foreign trade statistics 14
• Company information 4
• Foreign direct investment data 1
• Other 19
• Sample Countries China, Dominican Republic,
  Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Malta, Mexico

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International Division - Handouts

• International Requests to ESD Library, 1/03-4/04
• Library brochure
• State Exports by HS, NYS US - Germany
• German-Owned Companies in NYS
• World Factbook section on Germany
• NYS Companies Exporting to Germany
• Articles on US trade with Germany

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International Division - Results

• Created custom trade package
• Exports, foreign-owned companies, exporters,
  current trade articles
• NO country information
• Added source for current country economic data
• DB Business Information Reports
• Web site(s) for Converting Harmonized Codes to
  SIC /or NAICS

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International Division Results

• Div. head requested provide services directly to
  foreign directors
• Requested description of available services
  forwarded it to foreign directors
• Requested GIS mapping for foreign-owned companies
  in NYS