April 18, 2023 1

Bloody Brilliant!Promoting information literacy

at Leeds University Library

Katy Sidwell

c.a.sidwell@leeds.ac.uk

University Library

April 18, 2023 2

Time to wake up!

Find someone you don’t know4 minutes to answer these questions (1 minute each, 1 minute to write on post-its – work fast!)

What do YOU think marketing is? How do you market your information literacy sessions? Why did you choose to come to this short talk?

University Library

April 18, 2023 3

A bit of theory

What is marketing?

Selling someone something they don’t needSpending lots of money on advertisingBrainwashing children into pestering their parents‘Spinning’ or manipulating the facts

University Library

April 18, 2023 4

Marketing is the management process that identifies, anticipates and satisfies customer requirements [profitably] (CIM, 2005)

Marketing is essentially about marshalling the resources of an organization so that they meet the changing needs of the customer on whom the organization depends (Palmer, 2001)

University Library

April 18, 2023 5

Which means? The 7Ps

Marketing mix

Product

Place

PricePromotion

People

Physicalevidence

Process

•Course•Content•Length

•Online•In library•In dept

•Charge?•Fine?•Cost to customer

•Booking•Reminders•Follow-up

•Refreshments•Temperature•Noise•Signposting•Litter

•Trainers•Staff

University Library

April 18, 2023 6

Promotion – marketing communications

Advertising Direct marketing Personal selling Public relations Sales promotion Sponsorship

AUDIT

POOR

ACCEPTABLE

ACCEPTABLE

ACCEPTABLE

University Library

April 18, 2023 7

Before

Printed Publicity 28 page booklet Black on white poster listing courses offeredOnline publicity Library webpages – text-heavy, numerous

University Library

April 18, 2023 8

How did you find out? 2004-2005Student Personal Development

6%

Personal recommendation

12%

Publicity25%

Webpages48%

Email9%

University Library

April 18, 2023 9

 

Bookings 2004-2005

 

Staff/external 219

Research Postgraduate 414

Taught Postgraduate 334

Undergraduate 85

University Library

April 18, 2023 10

Bookings 2004-2005

• Staff/external 219 Research Postgraduate 414 Taught Postgraduate 334• Undergraduate 85

University Library

April 18, 2023 11

Marketing communications planning

What needs are our courses satisfying? What are the benefits?What is the market?

Segmentation What attributes should the message have?

Engaging Personal Meaningful

What action / behaviour do we want to achieve?

University Library

April 18, 2023 12

AIDA (Strong, 1925)

Attention eye-catching bright colours for students simple, direct, energetic, active design

Interest/Desire personal testimonials persuasive through positive messages reminder of a need (perhaps unidentified)

Action Are you missing out? Call to action Web address for online booking

University Library

April 18, 2023 13

After

Printed publicity colourful posters simplified and concise leaflet Online publicity Library webpages – revamped on needs basis Internal intranet (campusweb) Student and Staff Development website

University Library

April 18, 2023 14

Leaflet

University Library

April 18, 2023 15

Student posters

University Library

April 18, 2023 16

Staff posters

University Library

April 18, 2023 17

How did you find out about the workshop?

2004-2005Student Personal Development

6%

Personal recommendation

12%

Publicity25%

Webpages48%

Email9%

2005-2006

Email8%

Student Personal Development

8%

Personal recommendation

10%

Publicity39%

Webpages35%

University Library

April 18, 2023 18

  Bookings

2004-2005

Bookings

2005-2006Increase

       

Staff/external 219 251 15%

Research Postgraduate 414 572 38%

Taught Postgraduate 334 344 3%

Undergraduate 85 181 113%

University Library

April 18, 2023 19

Bookings 2004-2005

• Staff/external 251 15% increase Research Postgraduate 572 38% increase Taught Postgraduate 344 3% increase• Undergraduate 181 113%

increase

University Library

April 18, 2023 20

What next?

PortalIncrease market penetration – Staff, undergraduates Market research – Focus groups, academic staffFeedback form reviewMerger with Skills Centre

University Library

April 18, 2023 21

References

CIM. (2005). Marketing and the 7Ps: a brief summary of marketing and how it works. London: CIM. Available online: <http://www.cim.co.uk/mediastore/FactFiles/Factifile7ps.pdf>Palmer, Adrian. (2001). Principles of service marketing. 3rd ed. London : McGraw-Hill. Dibb, Sally et al. (2006). Marketing: concepts and strategies. 5th ed. Boston : Houghton Mifflin.De Chernatony, L. (1993). The 7 building blocks of brands. Management Today, March, 66-67.Strong, E.K. (1925). The psychology of selling. New York: McGraw-Hill.