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Super Library Marketing: Practical Tips and Ideas for Library Promotion

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Libraries Need to be Bolder, Braver: Lessons from a Writer

I’m a fan of Ann Handley… that’s not really a secret.

Handley is an inspiration because her approach to marketing centers on creative writing. I spoke to her last year and she was kind enough to do an interview for this blog.

I saw Handley speak at Content Marketing World this year. Her message was full of great advice and there’s one point she made which bounced around in my head ever since it rolled off her tongue.

If the label fell off your product, would your audience still know it belongs to you?

I have looked at everything we do here at my library through new eyes in light of that question. And the honest answer is… no. I think that’s probably the case for most libraries and for most brands, quite frankly.

How do we make sure our writing and our content is truly ours? We’ve all heard experts tell us to “find and use your brand voice” but what does that really mean?

I think it’s particularly hard for a library. Marketing experts warn brands not to try to be all things to all people–to find a niche audience. But that all-inclusiveness is at the core of every public library’s mission statement. We were built by everyone in the community and we serve everyone.

That doesn’t mean your institution can’t find and use its own unique voice. Your voice is about who you are as a library, why you do what you do, and what your customers experience as they deal with your services and staff. Your voice reflects your culture and amplifies your story. It creates empathy in your cardholders and shows you care about them. Here are some tips from Handley’s talk.

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Don’t play it safe. Now, don’t get scared right off the bat. I know you are likely taxpayer-funded. You’re conscientious about everything, from how you spend your money to how you word your phrases. Handley isn’t asking you to be racy or provocative. She’s encouraging you to move away from “library lingo”… to speak conversationally, using words that real people use and understand. She’s asking you to stop assuming your cardholders know about all the services your library offers, how to use them, and where to find help. She’s saying you should look for stories from inside your library and from your cardholders and share those stories.

You don’t have to spend a ton of money to create engaging content. Handley says compelling content is more about brains, hearts, and guts than budget.  Handley told us the story of a family member and his quest for the perfect coozy. It led him to the company Freaker USA, which makes unique coozies. Check out their “about” page. No fancy talk, no lingo. I also love their FAQ page. It uses humor to gain interest for a drink insulator. You have to admit that’s genius.  And there’s no reason libraries can use that same approach to make their information more accessible.

Deep value makes your customers smart. Consider how your library is leading your community. How do you make the world a better place? Through questions like this, you’ll find stories that you can tell through heartfelt, engaging writing. Those stories nearly write themselves. And that’s the stuff your cardholders really want to hear about.

Finally, Handley encourages you to disrupt your industry fairy tales. What is it that people think of when they think about your library? What stories and stereotypes has your organization perpetuated? When I tell people I work in a library, they ask me if I work in a Carnegie-designed building full of women wearing glasses and sensible shoes who are constantly telling people to be quiet. That’s so far from the truth! Today’s libraries are noisy, creative, modern places. Let’s start telling those stories and bust those myths.

Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email every time I post. To do that, click on “Follow” button on the bottom left-hand corner of the page. Connect with me on Twitter and Snapchat–it’s where I talk about library marketing! I’m @Webmastergirl. I’m also on LinkedIn, Slideshare,  Instagram and Pinterest. Views in this post are my own and do not represent those of my employer.

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What Does Your Library Stand For? Advice From Ann Handley

I worked in a local television newsroom for 20 years. Broadcast TV schools tend to churn out formulaic writers; who, what, where, when, why, don’t bury your lead, put the important stuff in the first few sentences, pepper your story with natural sound breaks, no sounds bites over 20 seconds, done! Next!

When I jumped to Marketing, I spent the first year trying to get my sea legs. It took a long time to learn the process, the lingo, the organizational structure, and the institutional history of the library. It was dizzyingly busy and exciting. But about three-quarters of the way through that first year, I realized I had a weird ache that I couldn’t soothe. What the heck was bothering me, I wondered?

I’d stopped writing. I missed it. I longed for it.

Lucky for me, I came into marketing during a time when good writing is viewed as a necessary, relevant, and effective way to add value to consumer’s lives. Marketers are moving past the catch-phrase, one-line, ad-jingle variety. Today’s audiences demand witty, sharp, insightful work that inspires and motivates. Challenge accepted.

About six months ago, I heard a podcast interview with Ann Handley (I can’t remember exactly which podcast but I think it was Social Media Examiner.) Ann is a veteran of creating and managing digital content to build relationships for organizations and individuals. She is the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs; a columnist for Entrepreneur magazine; a LinkedIn Influencer; a keynote speaker, mom, and writer.

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Here’s why everybody loves Ann-she doesn’t sugar-coat the writing process. She admits it’s hard work. She has faced those angst-filled moments when a blank page is staring you in the face and you’ve literally got your head on the table, moaning “Dear God, why am I even here!” She shares easy-to-understand tactics for dealing with that anxiety. She believes everyone can write. She speaks to her readers on their level. You can read the first chapter of her book and start implementing her advice right away. No fluff. No bull. No pretension.

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I devoured Content Rules in about three days. Everybody Writes literally arrived on the holds shelf yesterday. Just this evening, I’ve read the foreword, the acknowledgments (yep, I’m one of those people) and the first two chapters. I actually hadn’t figured out what I wanted to write for the introduction to this interview, but I ran for my laptop after finishing those first two chapters. Ann inspires me. How is that possible with someone I’ve never even met? That’s the power of the written word done right.

I’m grateful to Ann for taking the time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions about library content marketing. Ann is fan and supporter of libraries and even served on a library Board of Trustees. I encourage you to read her books. There’s no way you’ll ever be more of a super-fan than me though, so don’t even try.

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One of the big points you make in “Content Rules” is that you have to find your brand’s voice. I think many libraries have a hard time doing this–they feel like they need be all things to all people. Are there some questions libraries can ask themselves in order to find their voice?

Ann Handley: The question libraries need to ask is the same question we all need to ask ourselves, on behalf of our own organizations: What do we stand for? For example, the New York Public Library says it is “on a mission to inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and strengthen communities.” Then, use that to craft your content strategy and voice, and identify key themes that you can “own,” for lack of a better word. You can see how the NYPL does that on its wildly popular Instagram feed.

Our industry is all about the promotion of stories and yet somehow we struggle to find compelling stories that spur our audience to action. I think in some ways libraries take their evangelists for granted. How do you go about taking library cardholders on a journey through storytelling that leads them beyond that generic “I love the library” feeling?

Ann Handley: This relates to the finding what you stand for in the previous question, because it’s all about inspiring people to connect with a mission. The #Shelfies movement is a great example of that, when the NYPL asked book lovers to submit photos of their personal bookshelves or favorite library shelves to profess their love of books, and the role they play in our lives. The response was impressive: More than 1,200 Instagram posts and 1,700 tweets from 11 countries in 6 languages.

Your best content is not about what you do or what you sell – but what you do for others. Good content doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It has everything to do with the experience you are creating for those you serve. Does that sound high-minded? It’s really not – it’s about getting comfortable embracing what makes your organization unique.

Libraries often struggle to fill the content demands with a small staff and an even smaller budget. Can you talk a little about how we might use repurposing to help ease those demands?

Ann Handley: Repurposing or reimagining existing content in new forms is a potentially rich source of content, especially at libraries with long histories. What’s in your archives that you could reimagine as blog fodder? What’s in your history that’s relevant to patrons today? What’s commonplace to you that might be interesting to others? “What already exists is an inspiration,” as the designer Michael Wolff says.

Also, creating a culture of content can help, because it empowers people to create content on behalf of your organization. Those who maintain the NYPL’s Instagram feed aren’t in “marketing.” But they are great at visual storytelling.

Curating the content others produce is a fantastic way to augment your content efforts. Said another way: Crowdsource, don’t create.

A year or so ago, my MarketingProfs team bonded after hours at Bowl and Barrel, a Dallas-based bar and bowling spot. I shared a photo from there because it’s what I do when I’m in a ridiculously photogenic place: the interior brickwork just begged to be Instagrammed. So I did, and I geo-tagged the location. A day or so later, Bowl & Barrel featured my photo (with full credit) on its burgeoning Instagram feed.

Library employees are surrounded by books, they host author visits, but they may not feel comfortable writing. How do you get over that fear and get something on the page?

Ann Handley: Librarians who don’t love words…? Is that really a thing?!

Fear of the blank page is a real thing, which is why I wrote a whole book about it! (Everybodywrites.com) How much space do we have…?

One key thing is to take pressure off yourself to write any certain way – there is no one way to write, just as there is no one way to raise a child or roast a turkey. (But there are terrible ways to do all three!)

Do you have any examples of libraries that are doing great content marketing which the rest of us could learn from?

Ann Handley: I mentioned the NYPL already. I also like what the Cincinnati Library is doing on Pinterest, as an extension of its in-house “Maker” programming.  (Thanks Ann!) The NYPL does some cool stuff on Pinterest, too, especially its Little Lions board.

You’ve served on a library board of trustees. Tell us a little about how you got that gig and what you learned about libraries from that service.

Ann Handley: A friend of mine was on the board, and he recommended me. That’s not a very interesting story, is it? I said yes because I always loved libraries. I grew up visiting our town’s tiny library weekly, and carrying a stack of books to and fro became a ritual that, as I think back on it now, almost defined my childhood. The excitement of discovering new titles on the shelf. Getting my first library card. Meeting new friends in the pages. Reading about places far away from my insulated suburban world. My goal to read every book in the Children’s Section before moving across the aisle to Adult’s (I didn’t quite accomplish that)… well, all of it thrilled me.

I’m guessing you and your readers know exactly what I’m talking about? Later, I replicated that ritual with my own kids.

Libraries have changed a lot since I was a child visiting with my mother. Children’s sections with giant stuffed animals that kids flop on? Movie nights? Wii parties in the teen room? Coffee hangouts? Libraries are more cultural and community centers than they are just about books.

What book are you reading right now?

Ann Handley: Beside my bed is #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso. I gave it to my teenage daughter for Christmas, and so I picked it up when she was done. It’s ok. I’d give it 3 out of 5 stars and one of those stars I’m giving just because I admire anyone who has the tenacity to write a book. Writing a book is truly like birthing a Honda Civic: It’s hard work, and you sweat a lot, and most of the work is done while crying.

If you could send a message to yourself ten years ago (in 2005), what would you say?

Ann Handley: Poke your nose out. No one is going to invite you.

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Connect with me on Twitter. I’m @Webmastergirl and LinkedIn. I’m also on Instagram and Pinterest.

Views in this post are my own and do not represent those of my employer.

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Why Library Marketing Stinks and What to Do About It

I’ve been in the library marketing business for about 18 months now. Here is what I’ve learned:

1. Never call anyone without a Library Sciences degree a “librarian.” Librarians take their degree and their expertise very seriously, and some might be offended.

2. Librarians are passionate, enthusiastic people who have a deep, driving desire to help others and a curiosity for information that is unparalleled in most other businesses.

3. Most library marketing departments are struggling to showcase their wonderful organizations because of out-of-date tactics.

So there it is. In my first post on this new blog, I’m issuing a call to arms for my fellow Library marketers. There are some great examples of forward-thinking marketing happening in libraries all across the U.S. (I’m looking at you, David Lee King. Also see New York Public Library, and Troy Public Library in Michigan.) But most library marketing departments are still doing things the same way they’ve been done for the past 10-15 years. They push programs. They issue press releases. They send out monthly brochures chock full of text, listing every single branch program and story time (do you know how many story times the average library holds?? A lot!).

Libraries are failing to drive more circulation and increase program visits because they lack a marketing strategy. Without a clear-cut plan, you might as well throw spaghetti at the wall. It’s frustrating and unsatisfying, and it won’t increase your circulation numbers or drive more traffic to your buildings or digital services.

Okay, so let’s address the elephant in the room. Change is hard, especially for a library system. We’re not talking about Google here. We’re talking about an organization with a long-standing tradition and a history in the community it serves. The bureaucracy in a library rivals some giant companies I know. Politics can be brutal. New ideas are hard to pitch, slow to catch on, and don’t always have the full backing of the administration or board.

Listen, I’m right there with you.  I know how hard it is.  I took this job so I could sing the praises of my favorite public Library system. I’m inspired by the work that is done here, and I want everyone else to be too! It’s a dream job. But it sure is harder than I thought.

I’m lucky, though. I stepped in during a monumental shift in the greater marketing world. It’s what Content Marketing Strategist Robert Rose calls “The 7th Era of Marketing: Content-Driven Customer Experiences.”  Customers are looking for value from brands (yes, your library is a brand!). They don’t want to just check out items. They want an experience and a connection to the library. They want to feel like their library has their back. We can provide that!

So here’s what I propose. Let’s change the library marketing landscape together. We’ll start small and basic. Here are our first three steps.

1. We should create a strategy now and stick to it! The new year is coming. It’s the perfect time to try something new. Stop creating a promotional schedule based on events. Start creating content that promotes your biggest assets-your collection and your librarians. I’m not saying we should never promote a program again. But create a strategy and promote programs that fit into the strategy. We’ll talk more about this in a future post.

2. We should become content marketing enthusiasts. We work in buildings which are piled from floor to ceiling with the tales of people, animals, and events, both real and imaginary. We are literally surrounded by stories. Of all the industries that have tried to embrace the content marketing model, it should be easiest for us. It’s a natural fit. Our loyal customers are often super enthusiastic fans. Most brands would kill for fans like that. We should be curating their stories and turning them into customer success pieces and marketing them. Again, we’ll talk about this more in a future post.

3. We should learn from our for-profit counterparts. Do not isolate yourself in the library world. I would go so far as to tell you, library marketers, that you do not need to go to PLA or ALA. You should be attending marketing conferences like Content Marketing World and the Social Media Marketing World. You should be attending webinars and following marketing influencers. You should be reading books, white papers, listening to podcasts, and surrounding yourself with all things marketing. We should take the successes and failures that our for-profit friends have made and use them to our advantage. We won’t be able to do everything that Coca-Cola, GM, or Kraft can do with their massive budgets and extensive staff. But we can scale those models and use pieces that will work for us.

We work in the best business in the U.S. Seriously, I believe that. Let’s make sure the rest of the world shares our enthusiasm. It’ll be a journey we’ll take together.

Views in this post are my own and do not represent those of my employer.

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