[OPLINLIST] Write for Higher Program Attendance

[SWON Info]

Writing descriptions for library programs is a challenge. You work in a 
library, after all, not an advertising agency. You’re trying to teach or 
help people, not sell them cigarettes, but you do want people to show 
up. How can you write a program description that attracts interest?


    A Program With Benefits

The place to begin is to list ways the program /benefits the patron/. To 
do this, you have to consider what those patrons want and care about. 
Then write your description in a way that matches their needs to the 
benefits they’ll get from attending. If your program has learning 
objectives, their wording may be too dry, but that’s a useful starting 
point for a list of benefits.

Let’s say you’re advertising a class where you’ll help students select a 
database to search and select keywords to use. Telling them what they’ll 
do in the program /is not the same/ as telling them how it will help 
them. For a student, hearing that the program will help them quickly 
find quality sources for their Freshman English research paper is a lot 
more attractive than hearing that they’ll be using databases.


    Fast? Friendly? Free?

People also care about things like having fun, spending time with 
friends or family, spending time wisely, saving money, etc. /Don’t make 
extravagant promises the program can’t deliver/, but if a program does 
have benefits like these, don’t leave them out. Keep challenging 
yourself to consider these benefits from the patron’s point of view.

If you’ve got a program on couponing, emphasize that it can help people 
save money (a benefit) over the coupon organizing techniques they’ll 
practice in the program (the activity). If your story time for toddlers 
builds early literacy skills, helps parents spend quality time with 
their children and help them select books that kids at that 
developmental level will finding interesting, say so!

Don’t assume people already understand how your programs are useful. If 
thinking about benefits helps you adapt your programs to become more 
useful, too, that’s icing on the gingerbread cookie.

  * Nathan Swartzendruber

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Don't forget. Learn how to boost your digital memory with Evernote at 
SWON’s Evernote Level-Up Lab on December 10. It’s designed for people 
who are already using Evernote, but you’ll learn a lot even if you’ve 
just created an Evernote account. Sign up for the Lab here: 
http://tiny.cc/evernote-lab

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Connect to SWON online: Website <http://www.swonlibraries.org/> : 
Calendar <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventcalendar.asp> : Facebook 
<https://www.facebook.com/SWONLibraries?sk=wall> : Twitter 
<http://twitter.com/swonlibraries>
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Calendar excerpts from the next two weeks. (Please register for online 
classes at least two days before they take place.)

  * *Learning and Libraries: Developing Communities of Learning
    <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=754>* -
    (12/5/2013) - Online
  * *SWON Executive Board Meeting
    <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=613>* -
    (12/6/2013) - SWON Conference Room
  * *Adult Planning and Services (SIG) Meeting
    <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=429>* -
    (12/9/2013) - Dayton Metro Main Library
  * *Serving the Underserved of Your Community
    <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=755>* -
    (12/10/2013) - Online
  * *Level-Up Lab: Evernote
    <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=642>* -
    (12/10/2013) - SWON Conference Room
  * *Learning and Libraries: Social Media Tools to Facilitate Learning
    <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=756>* -
    (12/12/2013) - Online
  * *Teen Services (SIG) Meeting - Manga
    <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=679>* -
    (12/12/2013) - PLCH Main
  * *CLEAR (SIG) Review Meeting
    <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=354>* -
    (12/12/2013) - Kenton County PL, Covington Branch
  * *CLEAR (SIG) Review Meeting
    <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=359>* -
    (12/13/2013) - SWON Conference Room
  * *Directors/Human Resources Personnel (SIG) Meeting
    <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=657>* -
    (12/13/2013) - Cincinnati Art Museum
  * *Having Fun Wherever You Work
    <http://oh.evanced.info/swon/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=757>* -
    (12/17/2013) - Online


SWON Libraries - http://www.swonlibraries.org
10250 Alliance Road, Suite 225
Blue Ash, OH 45242
phone (513) 751-4422 - fax (513) 751-0463
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