Strategic Marketing for Kansas School Library Media Centers

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Strategic Marketing for Kansas School Library
Media Centers
A
Kansas Students chieve Because of Great
School Libraries Kansas Association of School
Librarians
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Session Goals

• To learn marketing terminology and process
• To learn to use some tools of the marketing
  trade
• To brainstorm and share ideas
• To have the framework for a marketing effort in
  your school

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Rationale for Marketing

• Why marketing?
• It is a process that any organization must
  complete from time-to-time to be sure
• it is still serving its customers/users
• customers/users are aware how their needs are met
• Why now?
• Budget shortfalls and information technology
  advances call into question the role and value of
  the school library media center

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Libraries Kansas Association of School Librarians
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Before the wrong decisions are made

• School library media specialists must
• Become advocates
• Reveal the link to student academic success
• Tell the story in an honest and compelling way

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Libraries Kansas Association of School Librarians
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The Key

• Linking the school library media center and
  specialists to student academic success.

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Libraries Kansas Association of School Librarians
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Four Steps of Marketing
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A Look at the Steps

• Step 1 Brainstorm -Users and identify their
  needs
• Step 2 Select one user to address
• Step 3 Brainstorm Materials, services,
  benefits
• Step 4 Turn benefits into messages
• Step 5 Identify the vehicles to carry the
  messages
• Step 6 Schedule a 3 year campaign
• Step 7 Identify resources
• Step 8 Identify evaluation methods

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Key Terminology

• Users the people who use the SLMC
• Influencers the people who decide on the role,
  funding and operations of the SLMC
• Catalysts the people who act to sustain and
  extend the SLMC

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Step 1 Users and their Needs
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Step 2 Selecting the Focus

• Which user group will you focus on?
• Will you narrow your focus to a sub-group, e.g.,
  ninth grade students, curriculum specialists,
  certain board committees, etc.?

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Step 2 Selecting the Focus (contd)

• Criteria for selecting a group
• Large
• Central to mission
• Under-using the SLMC
• Have influence on funding
• Receive less than adequate services

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Libraries Kansas Association of School Librarians
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Step 3 Materials, Services Benefits
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Libraries Kansas Association of School Librarians
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Tips for Campaign Planning

• Identify and know your target audiences
• Speak to your audiences people do things for
  their reasons, not yours
• Use a message because it is effective, not just
  cute
• Have a plan revisit and revise often
• Involve others collaboration strengthens your
  program and recruits advocates
• Keep it simple
• Evaluate so you can see results

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Libraries Kansas Association of School Librarians
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Step 4

• Turn benefit statements into _at_ your library
  or other messages

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Libraries Kansas Association of School Librarians
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Do your messages suggest a visual?

• Logo
• Graphic design
• Color scheme

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Step 5 Identify the vehicles to carry the
messages

• Advertising posters, flyers, newsletters,
  bulletin boards, signs
• Direct marketing special flyers, group email
  messages, focused posters, guides
• Personal selling meetings, presentations,
  interviews, coaching, advocacy

• Sales promotions expositions, contexts, coupons,
  ice cream social, points
• Public relations district newsletter, community
  paper column, TV show,
• Publicity special event coverage, press
  releases, letters to editor

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Step 6 Schedule the messages/vehicles into a 3
year campaign

• Repeat some messages every year for
• Students at a new grade levels
• Teachers, principals new to the school
• Teacher new to a grade level
• New board members

• New messages for
• New materials
• New services
• New needs met
• Remember
• Your resources
• Your energy
• Focus on student success
• Keep it simple

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Libraries Kansas Association of School Librarians
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Steps 7-8 Implementation
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Where do you go from here?
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Resources

• Abridged Strategic Marketing for School Library
  Media Centers manual (3M) lthttp//cms.3m.com/cms/U
  S/en/2-133/kRiluFR/viewimage.jhtmlgt
• KASL Advocacy Web site lthttp//www.skyways.org/KAS
  L/gt

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Contact Information

• Nancy A. McFarlin, Chair
• KASL Advocacy Committee
• Wamego High School Library
• 801 Lincoln
• Wamego, KS 66547
• mcfarlinn_at_usd320.com
• 785/456-2214 x257

Kansas Students Achieve Because of Great School
Libraries Kansas Association of School Librarians