[OPLINLIST] Smart Marketing for Smart Patrons

[SWON Info]

At last week’s Content Marketing Level-Up Lab, we discussed ways to tell 
people about upcoming opportunities at libraries. That is, we went 
around the room so that each person could talk about a specific piece of 
marketing they were developing. Here are a few tips from that discussion.


    Marketing Goes with Program Development

Marketing is not something to leave until a program’s already put 
together. A marketer asks questions like, “How will this help people?” 
“What will they be able to do that they couldn’t do before?” These are 
good selling points, but they’re also features a program should have. 
Having a marketing mindset can help you develop programs that better 
serve your patrons.


    Your Patrons Are Smart

3D printers get lots of press, but fairly few people have seen one in 
action. So if you were going to have a 3D printing demonstration at your 
library, you shouldn’t expect that people know how they work. Part of 
your marketing should be to help set their expectations: since 3D 
printers can take hours to print one object, everyone can’t print an 
action figure to take home.

How should you explain this in your marketing? *Not*like you’re talking 
to an over-eager tween who won’t stop asking questions. He might be at 
that program, but thinking of him as you write makes it easy to talk 
down to people. Think, instead, that you’re writing to a college 
professor you really liked. She isn’t as informed on this subject as you 
are, but when it comes down to it, she’s smarter than you. Write to win 
over your best patrons, not your worst, and your marketing messages will 
improve.


    Go For Quantity

Start having marketing-related conversations more. Look for chances to 
bring it up so you can practice. As with a lot of other examples 
<http://blog.codinghorror.com/quantity-always-trumps-quality/>, trying 
something a lot seems to be a more productive way of learning than 
trying /really hard/ just a couple times. You’ll get the hang of it.

  * Nathan Swartzendruber, SWON Technology Educator

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  The Lab Goes Online

SWON’s Level-Up Labs 
<http://swonlibraries.site-ym.com/?page=level_up_labs> are a place to 
learn and practice, whether you’re looking to improve or add new skills. 
Today we’re adding a new “Lab” section to our website. It’s a place 
where we can talk about Level-Up Lab topics outside of the in-person 
workshops.

Nathan will be on hand to field questions on HTML, marketing, email 
management, Microsoft Publisher and more. Hopefully you’ll join in too 
with questions and answers. You don’t have to have attended a Level-Up 
Lab or even be a Supporting Member of SWON. Just register at our website 
<http://swonlibraries.org/?page=Register> and you’ll be ready to enter 
the Lab (under Special Interest Groups). See you there!

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Connect to SWON online: Website <http://www.swonlibraries.org/> : 
Calendar <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_list.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.)

  * *Angry Customers: What to Do The Next Time They Want To Explode On
    You
    <https://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=445547&group=>*
    - (7/31/2014) - Online
  * *Executive Board Meeting
    <https://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=459371&group=>*
    - (8/1/2014) - SWON Meeting Room
  * *Ethnic Librarians & Staff (Special Interest Group) Meeting
    <https://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=437092&group=>*
    - (8/1/2014) - UC Blue Ash Campus Library
  * *Beyond the Teen Advisory Board - How Teen Volunteers Can Work For
    You
    <https://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=454783&group=>*
    - (8/5/2014) - Online
  * *Academics (Special Interest Group) Meeting
    <https://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=466107&group=>*
    - (8/6/2014) - Panera Bread in Crestview Hills, Kentucky
  * *It’s Not About Me! Handling Those Complaining Customers Without
    Taking It Personally
    <http://swonlibraries.site-ym.com/events/event_details.asp?id=454590&group=>*
    - (8/7/2014) - Online
  * *Leadership at Any Level: Build Your Skills Now for Tomorrow’s
    Opportunities
    <http://swonlibraries.site-ym.com/events/event_details.asp?id=454855&group=>*
    - (8/12/2014) - Online
  * *Level-Up Lab: Website Usability Testing on the Cheap
    <http://swonlibraries.site-ym.com/events/event_details.asp?id=455936&group=>*
    - (8/12/2014) - SWON Meeting Room

SWON Libraries - http://www.swonlibraries.org<http://www.swonlibraries.org>
10250 Alliance Road, Suite 225
Blue Ash, OH 45242
phone (513) 751-4422 - fax (513) 751-0463
To subscribe or be removed from SWON's Events list, click 
here:http://lists.swonlibraries.org/mailman/listinfo/events
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