developing an all wales marketing toolkit is vital to ...€¦ · web viewmarketing is critical...

Developing an All Wales Marketing toolkit is vital to provide a unified message for communications and marketing activities across AWHILES libraries. It is based on the BCUHB Library Service model.

This toolkit breaks down the marketing process into concrete parts:

Advice in the form of a collection of hints and tips are provided to supplement the additional documentation: p. 2.

The flow chart will hopefully guide you step by step through the marketing maze: p. 3.

Appendices (1-4) contain templates with instructions and examples:

Appendix 1: marketing strategy: guidance: p.4 Appendix 1a: marketing strategy template: p.6 Appendix 2: marketing plans:guidance:p.7 Appendix 2a:marketing plans; template: p.10 Appendix 3: marketing action plan: guidance: p. 13 Appendix 3a: marketing action plan: template: p.14 Appendix 4: marketing calendar: guidance: p.15 Appendix 4a: marketing calendar: template: p.16

March 2014

Pamela JonesLibrary Services Manager

Nathan OwenSenior Library Technician

Library & Learning CentreYsbyty Gwynedd

Bangor.Approved: AWHILES meeting, March 2014

Marketing Toolkit of 21

Marketing Toolkit

Hints

Marketing is critical to spread the word about your library.

Marketing is not just an add on.

Marketing is not the same as promotion – it’s not just about advertising.

Marketing is an ongoing, dynamic process, be persistent.

Not all users are the same – different needs require different tactics.

By marketing yourselves and your services well, you will hopefully create a demand for you!

Beware; good marketing may increase your popularity and workload!

Tips

Involve all staff.

Create a brand for your library – a strong identity. Standardise colour palate, fonts, style etc.

Treat every encounter with users as a potential marketing opportunity.

Avoid making assumptions about what your users want.

What worked yesterday may not work today – user needs and library products change.

You will need to alter your mindset – sell your services don’t just describe them.

Use plain language – write in a personal, less formal way, think about who you’re talking to.

Try new things, keep plugging away.

Try to identify a small proportion of your budget specifically for marketing activities/promotional items.


Marketing Process


Set up a Health Board wide/ individual library marketing group. Draw membership from all levels of staff.

If you haven’t already got ones, convene a brainstorming session to produce a mission statement & useable strap lines. Vote on the options. Adopt the most popular preference even if it’s not your own.

Collectively define your library service role, vision, strategic aims and objectives. If you have a Library Strategy document you will already have agreed upon these.

Invest in some marketing training / approach independent speakers to give you a fresh perspective. Alternatively, look at the “How do you like your eggs in the morning?” toolkit. Developed by Kay Grieves, University of Sunderland the manual is a simple 7 step toolkit for creating strategic marketing plans.

http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/3069/1/The_Marketing_Toolkit_201213.pdf

A marketing strategy template (Appendix 1, p.4) has been developed based on the BCUHB document to help channel your thoughts. Section headings and explanations have been provided to assist you in producing a strategy of your own.

To accompany the strategy document you will then need to develop some marketing plans using the template (Appendix 2, p.7). Having a marketing plan means you know what is happening and who is doing what. You will need one plan per product/ service/ resource to be promoted.

Transfer details from the marketing plans to create an action plan using the template (Appendix 3, p.13). The Action Plan demonstrates the key medium term priorities and aims for the service.

Update the Marketing Calendar (Appendix 4, p.15). The Calendar will help all staff remember the important marketing functions that need to be taken care of each month.



Appendix 1: Marketing strategy - guidance

Do you have a formal documented Marketing Strategy as LQAF dictates?

The purpose of this template is to capture the key information that you need to develop a marketing strategy document. It explains what to include and how it can be used as the basis for effective action. Then, along with the other development tools build a thorough marketing process for your library.

Remember this is only a guide. You will need to adapt it to fit the needs of your library service. Rest assured there is no right or wrong way; it's really about what works for you.

The template is divided into the following sections:

Introduction Section 1: Executive Summary Section 2: Objectives and Aim Section 3: Target Audiences Section 4: Communications Challenges Section 5: Communications Tactics Section 6: Key Messages Section 7: Implementation Plan Section 8: Evaluation Section 9: Resource Implications

What is the first step?

The first step to creating a marketing strategy is understanding “your” library. Ideally, you should have a formal documented Library Strategy. This document would outline your ideas for the future, your plans for the next few years, and should help define your mission and associated objectives. If not, try to determine your vision.

Introduction

Set the scene. Add your Mission Statement if you have one. If not, devise a short statement that clearly and succinctly describes the role of your library, the needs your service satisfies and the benefits it provides. For your users to fully engage with your services you need to demonstrate the real difference you could make to them.

Section 1: Executive Summary

This is the most important part of the document. Ideally write this bit at the end. It should give a brief overview of the strategy’s principal points. Try to explain why you wrote the document and include any conclusions and recommendations.

Section 2: Objectives and Aims

Consider your service objectives, marketing aims & outcomes. List under separate headings. Be as specific as possible. Have you created a brand? If you have briefly describe your reputation.

Section 3: Target Audiences

Your users are central to all that you do. You already know a lot about them but, don’t rely solely on your preconceived ideas. Who are your users? What do they need? Spend some time thinking about the various user categories before noting them. Organise a brainstorming session. Consider their individual circumstances, needs and motivations. Where and how do they engage with your services? What would make things easier for them? The University of Sunderland Toolkit provides guidance on segmenting users.

Section 4: Communications ChallengesMarketing Toolkit of 21

We all face a multitude of challenges. The barriers to success range from budget constraints to modernisation and organisational change amongst others. Consider and list some of the biggest communication challenges to your service in this section.

Section 5: Communications Tactics

Marketing tactics are very important. They are the communication vehicles you choose to deliver your marketing message. Finding the right tactics amidst the growing number of marketing channels available today make it difficult. Think of some fresh ways to promote a new service/product. List which methods you intend to use. This could be a mixture of face to face (open days), digital (web 2 applications) and print based options (newsletter). Also consider how best to gather feedback. Describe how you’d capture and review user comments and suggestions.

Section 6: Key Messages

Consistent use of key messages will help to nurture positive perceptions about your library and convey who you are to internal and external audiences. Think about and then list a few proactive library messages.

Section 7: Implementation Plan

Describe here how you propose to support, execute and monitor you marketing efforts. Consider ways of determining which campaigns work and which don’t.

Section 8: Evaluation

You will need to measure your success. Evaluation should be an ongoing part of the marketing process, conducted regularly, and used to adjust, revise, or completely restructure the marketing plans. Evaluations may be formal measurement systems that track performance and point toward needed adjustments to reach goals and objectives e.g. library surveys, statistics or less structured methods of feedback, including word of mouth. Describe your intended evaluation methods.

Section 9: Resource Implications

Funding is tight. Emphasise how you plan to make the optimum use of your resources including staff. If you have a dedicated marketing budget explain how you plan to spend this across the year and across the different activities.


Appendix 1a: Marketing strategy - template

Introduction Section 1: Executive Summary Section 2: Objectives and Aim Section 3: Target Audiences Section 4: Communications Challenges Section 5: Communications Tactics Section 6: Key Messages Section 7: Implementation Plan Section 8: Evaluation Section 9: Resource Implications

Introduction

Section 1: Executive Summary

Section 2: Objectives and Aims

Section 3: Target Audiences

Section 4: Communications Challenges

Section 5: Communications Tactics

Section 6: Key Messages

Section 7: Implementation Plan

Section 8: Evaluation

Section 9: Resource Implications


Appendix 2: Marketing plans - guidance

An effective marketing plan will act as a reference document to help you to execute your marketing strategy. It will also assist in developing a methodical approach to creating services and products that satisfy your users’ needs.

When writing a marketing plan you need to be clear about your marketing objectives and how you’re going to achieve them.

A good marketing plan sets realistic and measurable objectives and includes action plans which allocate responsibilities.

This template is designed to help you get to the core of the marketing issue. You can be as detailed as you want but, remember your marketing plan is always a work in progress.

You will need to complete one plan for each product/service/resource to be promoted.

Create your marketing plans as follows. The template is divided into the following sections:

1. Mission Statement, Library & Marketing Objectives

2. Library Service SWOT Analysis

3. Professions/Sectors Served

4. Product/Service/Resource SWOT analysis

5. Target Audiences

6. Benefits

7. Key Messages

8. Message Communication

9. Results

10. Follow up


Marketing Plan for……add product/service/resource title


a) Mission Statement

Confirm your mission. Add your mission statement.

b) Library Objectives

Clarify and list your service aims and strategic objectives.

c) Marketing Objectives

List your marketing goals – What do you want to achieve?

2. SWOT analysis of the Library Service:

Get a team together for a brainstorming session. Conduct a SWOT analysis of your service. Guidance is provided below. The table should help you identify changes that can be made to improve your library.

STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES

Consider:

What is it you do well? What advantages do you have over

other libraries? What makes you different from other

libraries?

Examples:

Experienced staff Your collection ( print, non print,

electronic & internet based resources)

Consider:

Are there any interesting trends which you can take advantage of?

Examples:

Co-operation across libraries Changes in technology

WEAKNESSES THREATS

Consider:

Do you do anything badly?What causes problems or complaints?Can you do any better?

Examples:

Governance issuesOld facilities

Consider:

What affects you library?Threats can be internal or external.

Examples:

Budget cutsPublication cost increases



Think about and list your potential user groups and organisational areas.


Conduct a SWOT analysis of the chosen product/service/resource. Consider each of the four areas in turn as before.

5. Target Audiences

Identify and list which user category/ies would use the product/service/resource.

6. Benefits

Consider then list some of the core benefits of using the product/service/resource to the user categories highlighted above.

7. Key Messages

Develop key messages to capture these benefits for your chosen user categories. Think of some brief and colourful ways to convey what is unique about the chosen product/service/resource.

8. How to communicate these messages to this audience

Determine your promotional techniques. Consider what marketing tactics would convey these messages to your chosen user categories. What mediums do you want to choose to deliver your marketing message? Adapt the table as required. Some methods may not be applicable.

9. Results:

Document the results of the promotion. Track your results.

10. Follow up:

Identify if any follow up is required. Keep the cycle going. Continually review.Remember marketing plans are always a work in progress.


Appendix 2a: Template: marketing plan for……add product/service/resource title


a) Mission Statement

b) Library Objectives

c) Marketing Objectives

2. SWOT analysis of the Library Service:


WEAKNESSES THREATS





WEAKNESSES THREATS

5. Target Audiences

6. Benefits

7. Key Messages


8. How to communicate these messages to this audience

Priority order Methods to use Format Date Tick

or N/A

1 Intranet – Library pages Digital

2 Corporate notice board Digital

3 Library Blog (when created) Digital

4 Face to face with library members in the library Face to face

5 Library clinics, visits, educational events outside the library Face to face

6 Library newsletter Print & Digital

7 Email/texting Digital

8 Email signatures Digital

9 Posters Print

10 Guides Print & Digital

11 Factsheets Print & Digital

12 Mail shot Print

13 Staff newsletter Digital & Print

9. Results:

10. Follow up:

Date completed:Date reviewed:

.


Appendix 3: Marketing action plan - guidance

You should now be ready to put all your marketing decisions into action. Having formulated a marketing plan the next step is to prepare an action plan.

An action plan requires ‘action orientated’ statements, what will be done and when - preferably with allocated responsibilities for each task.

You should be able to see at a glance which strategies were productive. By doing this you are able to build a consistency into your planning.

Try to set realistic goals with measurable outcomes; it will help in assessing how well your tactic is working. However, it is more difficult to assess whether the tactic itself was the most effective choice of goals and strategies to meet your user group needs.

Remember to monitor progress and distribute copies of the action plan to staff - this will help everyone to know what marketing activities are underway and what is planned for the future

The BCUHB template is presented in a simple table format. You could colour code these actions to correspond to certain products/services/resources. Examples have been provided as a guide.

Pink = New marketing tacticsYellow = JournalsBlue = UpToDate

Tactic Action Lead By when Progress

Move Library Website onto the BCUHB homepage carousel

Try and get the library website onto the BCUHB homepage carousel. This will increase the website usage and introduce library users to our facilities and services

LSMs August 2013 8th August - Library website afforded a more prominent position on the main BCU intranet site.

Printed Guide Produce a guide to explain to users how to access and use North Wales e-journals and NHS Wales e-journals.

Glan Clwyd Librarian September 2013 Guide produced 9th September 2013.

Questionnaire Create a survey for evaluation of UpToDate LSMs October 2013 Survey written by LSMs and created by Nathan, on Library web pages 1st October 2013.Fantastic statistics starting to come through – 148 responses by the first week of November 2013.


Appendix 3a: Marketing action plan 2013/2014

Pink = New marketing tacticsYellow = JournalsBlue = UpToDate

Tactic Action Lead By when Progress


Appendix 4: Marketing calendar - guidance

The Calendar gives you a graphical overview of your marketing projects.

It follows the NHS financial year. This can be altered to suit.

The Calendar is broken down enabling you to address the marketing activities that will take place in your library/Health Board each month.

An example of how to fill in the Calendar has been provided to guide you.

Remember to review on a regular basis otherwise this will become time consuming and don’t over stretch yourselves.

Concentrate on one resource/product/service each month. Alternate according to need.

April 2013 Date from Date to

Promoting UpToDate 05.04.13 31.05.13

Email Signature UpToDate 18.04.13 31.05.13

Events Library Clinic, Deeside Hospital 24.04.13

Intranet (library pages, noticeboard, Health Board wide communication channels)

UpToDate on – Library intranet, BCUHB carousel and Hot Topics

05.04.13

Notice boards All UpToDate 16.04.13 31.05.13

Notice boards Local Specific Training Courses (YG) 02.04.13 31.05.13

Email users

Book Displays Nursing Research/Speciality Journals Lists (GC)

02.04.13 30.04.13

The grayed out sections are not compulsory each month. Complete if applicable.

Appendix 4a: Marketing calendar 2013/14

April 2013 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Notice boards All

Notice boards Local

Email users

Book Displays

May 2013 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Newsletter

Noticeboards All

Noticeboards Local

Email users

Book Displays

June 2013 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Newsletter

Noticeboards All

Noticeboards Local

Email users

Book Displays

July 2013 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Newsletter

Noticeboards All

Noticeboards Local

Email users

Book Displays

August 2013 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Newsletter

Noticeboards All

Noticeboards Local

Email users

Book Displays

September 2013 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Newsletter

Noticeboards All

Noticeboards Local

Email users

Book Displays

October 2013 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Newsletter

Noticeboards All

Noticeboards Local

Email users

Book Displays

November 2013 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Newsletter

Noticeboards All

Noticeboards Local

Email users

Book Displays

December 2013 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Newsletter

Noticeboards All

Noticeboards Local

Email users

Book Displays

January 2014 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Newsletter

Noticeboards All

Noticeboards Local

Email users

Book Displays

February 2014 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Newsletter

Noticeboards All

Noticeboards Local

Email users

Book Displays

March 2014 Date from Date to

Promoting

Email Signature

Events


Newsletter

Noticeboards All

Noticeboards Local

Email users

Book Displays

developing an all wales marketing toolkit is vital to ...€¦ · web viewmarketing is critical...

Documents