Target Marketing

A Practical Strategy for Libraries

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What is Targeted Marketing?

• Focusing marketing decisions on a very specific group of people an organization wants to reach.

• Identifying and developing products/ services for a specific market.

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Example: Sport Enthusiasts

Who are they?

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Sport Enthusiasts Do:

• Archery • Boating• Biking

• Baseball• Basketball• Bowling• Canoeing• Football• Golf

• Hiking • Hunting• Martial Arts• Pistol Shooting• Rock Climbing• Running• Skiing • Swimming• Weight Lifting

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Why is targeting worthwhile for my library?

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A man who chases two rabbits catches none

- Confucius

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Why Target?

1. You’ll be able to identify a group of people, or “target market”, to focus your efforts on more easily and measure your success more precisely.

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Why Target?

2. You’ll be able to persuade your target market more easily.

“Although it is appealing to try and convince “everyone.” Everyone is a tricky fellow. He’s tough to pin down. If you can identify “someone” you are better able to utilize the power of persuasion to influence them.”

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Why Target?

3. Your creating a framework for reaching new parts of your community.

Once you have successfully applied a targeted marketing approach to one group, you can easily tweak it and apply it to others.

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Why Target?

4. Marketing research has shown that targeted marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach new customers in today’s info saturated culture.

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Why Target?

5. As the climate for funding becomes more competitive, your library must continually broaden its base of support in order to gain influence within the community.

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What might a targeted marketing approach look like

for my library?

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Proactive

Customizable

Involves 3 LevelsBu

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3 Levels of Targeting

Level 1: Outreach

Level 2: Services

Level 3: Events

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Can you give me more details?

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Let’s take our original group

Baseball BuffsB

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Let’s try our 3 Step Approach with them.

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Step 1: Outreach

• Water or soft drink giveaway at several local baseball games.

• Include a Connection Card that lets people know the drink is from their local library.– Here’s a small gift to quench your thirst from your

local library (insert library name). Let us know if we can be of more assistance. Include library website, contact information, and hours.

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Step 2: Service

• Ask members of this group how you might help them!

• Some ideas:– Offer to put local baseball

events/announcements on your website . – Arrange to sell discount tickets or a trip to

minor league baseball events through the library

• Tri-City Valley Cats• Hudson Valley Renegades

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Step 3: Events

• Organizing a baseball clinic through your library. – This could be done in partnership with the town

recreation department.

• Help community baseball teams hold a fundraiser for the season.

• Organize a trip to a minor or major league baseball game through your library.

• Arrange a baseball signing with a player.

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Let’s try our 3 Step Approach with another group: Gardeners

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Step 1: Outreach

• Organize a flower seed packet giveaway outside a local home & garden store. – Include a “Connection Card” that lets

people know the packet is a gift from their local library and include your contact information.

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Step 2: Service

• Ask members of this group how you might help them!

• Some ideas:– Offer gardening tips on library’s website or

in newsletter . – Promote gardening books & magazines

available through the library. Place promo pieces at places where people buy gardening supplies.

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Step 3: Events

• Host a program on gardening.

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How to Get Started…

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Brainstorm some groups to target

1. Be creative. – Consider leisure and entertainment

activities. – Talk to people who are pretty familiar with

the community to get ideas. – Pull from your file of “things I want to try”

sometime.– Repackage some things you already do.

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2. Be specific . Once you decide on a group, be as precise as possible in narrowing the

group down.

For example, “young retirees; ages 51-59” versus “Seniors”

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3. Determine what you can do for this group?

      Ask Them

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Find Out

• Their needs and interests.

• What information they look for and where they get it.

• What things they like to read.

• Where they shop and what they buy.

MHLS can help you with this investigative

work.

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Let’s try a practice group using the 3 Step Approach

Category: Food Enthusiasts

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What topics fall under the category of food?

What activities are individuals who love food interested in?

Food Enthusiasts

• Wine

• Beer

• Tea

• Chocolate Lovers• Cooking and Recipes

• Restaurants

• Desserts

• Dining Out

• Cutlery• Entertaining• Healthy Eating• Recipes• Cake Decorating• Sushi • Brunch

What outreach might be done for

Chocolate Lovers

Outreach: Chocolate Lovers

• Hand out free chocolates to people at the library or during a community event.

What Programs or Services Might You Provide?

Program Ideas

• Chocolate Social at the library: sample different kinds of chocolates at the library. Could be a coffee & chocolate social.

• Arrange a chocolate Meetup: http://chocolate.meetup.com/

How will you get chocolate lovers to attend?

Marketing Methods

• Coordinate through a group like Chocolate Lovers of Dutchess County.

• Advertise through your local chocolate shops, coffee shops, restaurants, dessert shops and through your library PR avenues.

Be Not Afraid

There are Many Resources to Help YouB

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Use the Targeting Strategy Worksheet

Additional Resources

• MHLS Project Coordinator

• The EZ Library Program Directory

• The MHLS Adult Programming Web page

• BYB Web page

• Books in the catalog & Professional Collection

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