Agnieszka Zawada: The creation of a library market

Marketing managers have been facing new and ever-growing responsibilities for some time now, therefore, it is only just that their role in generating income be acknowledged and appreciated. Their work effort is usually well paid and they are rewarded with bonuses when they land new accounts. Libraries nowadays are under extreme pressure to compete with other institutions when it comes to data/information distribution. All the more so, since libraries strive to achieve and retain interest and loyalty of readers, rather than claiming the immediate profit. A marketing manager of a given library should know his territory well, have a plan, a suitable budget and a team of people capable of challenging a difficult market before undertaking a task of creating it. A market can be created in two ways: either by establishing a client base or, by creating an incentive to use or buy library products.

The task of setting up a marketing policy is quite difficult and always starts with establishing the idea of a product to be marketed/sold. Then, a list of priorities, in terms of what is to be dealt with first – be it, the budget, the tools, the human resources, - needs to be prepared. Depending on what the product is (a movie, a record, a book, or a sculpture), the methods of implementing the particular marketing project are selected.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A "MISSION" (STATEMENT)

The question concerning the use of various products and services in creating new markets should be addressed directly to the marketing people, as they are the logical choice when it comes to the know-how. Along with following formal guidelines and procedures the marketing manager should maintain constant pressure (or apply positive reinforcement) on decisions makers.

The marketing manager must have a clear vision and plan of development of a product to be marketed. Here is a marketing person's well-tried and effective mantra: "my home, my market, my customers, and my money".

1. My home- Marketing managers must be responsible for and in touch with the dynamics of the market they are creating. Their market (their territory) is their sole responsibility.
2. My market- Marketing managers must have specific and in-depth knowledge of the products or the line of business they operate in.
3. My customers- Readers should be paid particular attention, they should be treated with respect and fondness.
4. My money- Making responsible budgetary decisions is an important element of skilled marketing managers' work, subsequently resulting in them acquiring skills and experience in forecasting financial results.

The subject of marketing can be approached at two levels: limited and somewhat superficial (promotion), or serious and more in-depth (using advertising as one of the tools).
Often, the idea of marketing can be unappreciated and misunderstood. Example: A foreign company, employing a team of young ex-pats with full understanding of the importance of marketing management, is led by an engineer with great technical merit, but having virtually no experience in marketing, since he spent all of his professional years in centrally planned economy. Unfortunately, after some unproductive months, his department closes down.
Marketing can be approached in two ways. First:

• In this respect, marketing is a part of advertising:
  Our library is very good, a reader comes in every ten minutes
• Or promotion:
  Visit our library - you'll get a 10 % discount at Mee bookshops.
• Or necessity:
  Hello! It is the ABC library for radio Zet -- our new building has already opened for business!

Naturally, the above-quoted example does not present the best approach to promoting a library. There are, however, similar points of view in many libraries. It does not mean that marketing is a waste of money; it is a future investment. It also means that marketing does not generate direct profits - to think otherwise would be unrealistic. It so happens that marketing specialists are perceived sometimes as people responsible for running up additional costs of the operation. If this is the case at your library, it means that the management does not understand the idea of marketing, or its role. Effective marketing means that one should target and maintain direct contact with already existing as well as potential customers.

MARKETING COSTS

It is difficult to determine the actual monetary value of marketing at a given library, or what criteria to apply if one wanted to 'measure' actual efforts spent on various marketing activities. A potential financial success of a library (a well-developed client base and products) is difficult to envision. Also, other conditions apply -for example, the presence of the business cycle. The business cycle greatly influences company's activities and sometimes further delays the process of getting the marketing budget. Market research shows that maintaining constant activity assures the library's development.
If one wants to be competitive - one must create an active market.
Marketing may not be a priority among other library activities, however, its role in creating a loyal following of clients should not be overlooked. Marketing is a very important tool in the process of library development, as well as a huge shortcut to the realisation of its strategic goals.
Marketing is a good investment -
...and this is a second approach to the idea of marketing. As marketing constitutes a crucial element in the organisational structure of a library, its guidelines are defined after a thorough analysis of the library's general condition and setting up the proposed goals. These goals are determined with the use of financial projections. A responsible marketing team should be interested in only those marketing actions that can assure positive results.
Dear readers! In constant effort to satisfy our clientele, our library team has made some market research and come up with a new brochure. This small book is the beginning of a new series prepared for film fans, and will surely be a wonderful surprise, not only for our regulars, but also for first time viewers.
Such short texts (prepared for radio marketing purposes), however insignificant, should by all means be produced - as they serve the marketing purposes well.

MORE ABOUT PROCEDURES

When starting a job at an institution with marketing programme, it is necessary to find answers to the following questions: What are the main goals of the marketing process in your library?

• Does it take one action only or cycle of actions in order to build an image of the whole library?
• Is it necessary to implement, within a library, a system employing marketing tools that guarantees the realisation of current sales projections, and assures the possibility of further development based on a solid marketing department background?

One must be aware, however, that such complex actions require a lot of time and participation, not only on the part of the staff, but also the management of the library. A managing director, in particular, should attend marketing planning sessions as he or she knows which direction the library is heading and what its future goals are.
What can marketing managers do nowadays, how much time and energy should they spend in order to create a market?
Please, find below, a very general outline/procedure presenting a shortcut of sorts to the achievement of marketing programs. Rules to employ in implementing this procedure depend on many factors, including the management team's attitude, the time and financial framework, other library tasks, etc. - that is why a very detailed method is required.
Naturally, the initial step would be for the management and staff to make a concerted effort towards reaching a mutual perception and understanding as to what a marketing process is. First and foremost, the two teams should agree on the fact that this represents a complex sequence of actions rather than one. The next step is to plan for the implementation of the plan.

Phase I

The marketing program must support the library's general mission.
When planning for any kind of marketing activity, the library's general strategy must be considered. Only board-approved marketing programs are implemented. If a given radio station's policy/strategy is, for example, "hits only" then, the marketing program of this station should include the most popular songs of world music. Techno-music lovers/listeners, naturally, would not be the addressees of this station's program.

Phase II

Define your customers' needs and market requirements.
Current demand should be defined and future demand level projected. Approximate numbers/percentages of library users should be fairly easy to determine within a particular region through market research.

Phase III

Marketing program.
It is important that the marketing plan be in accordance with the library's strategic plan. After the SWOT analysis has been done -- an analysis of internal and external factors affecting a given library's operations should follow -it is possible to make some assumptions as to determining future marketing actions.

Phase IV

Marketing program's efficiency needs to be determined.
Periodical assessments of efficiency are put in place to assure satisfactory progress and positive results.

MARKETING PROGRAM'S RESULTS

Despite the difficulties in following marketing results, there are some procedures employed at various firms and institutions that help the assessment of training process. The Donald Kirkpatrick concept is presented below and gives a procedure used by HR departments to measure trainings results. The assessment of training or marketing programs is carried out on four different levels.

First level - reaction

Do you like our library? Do you think it is worth visiting and using?
This level is usually measured by evaluation questionnaires and does not say anything about the real satisfaction of a customer.

REACTION

Second level - awareness

Do you feel that you are better acquainted with our product, services than before?
This level may be also measured by questionnaires.

AWARENESS

Third level - purchasing frequency

How often do you visit our library? How often doyou read books?

FREQUENCY

Fourth level - customer satisfaction

Does the fact of visiting our library make you feel you do something nice and useful?
The so called 'feel good factor' presents itself, within the context of purchasing goods or services, when one is satisfied with their financial situation, or through feeling of well-being created during the use of products or services of a given company.

SATISFACTION

MARKETING BUDGET

Now that a marketing plan has been prepared, it is time to begin sizing/adjusting the whole project to the budgetary guidelines/constraints. Naturally, decision makers are interested in supporting a marketing plan so long as it generates profit, so, if one is able to well justify/present the plan, one can be reasonably assured of a success. Such a project has a chance for success even when amended/adjusted/approved with limitations. At this moment in time, one usually needs a lot of determination to see the marketing plan through.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A MARKETING PROGRAM

The first issue to be settled before the project comes into early stages of execution is to choose the people who will accomplish the task. Usually, the best method is to use in-house marketing team. They are the ones who know the company's goals, attitudes, methods of operation, products. They are responsible for the project from beginning to end, and more importantly - the company does not have to pay for outside expertise/help.
Sometimes, however, it does make economic sense to contract-out marketing programs.
Here are a few basic reasons:

1. Major responsibilities are delegated to someone else.
2. Marketing and consulting firms have ready-made procedures, tools and experience already in place and at their disposal.
3. Using an external source is sometimes regarded as being more competent by recipients.

The library's co-operation with an outside firm during initial stages of work, is a very important time in the marketing management process. It is advisable to contract-out to well-established/respected companies with a good track record. Also, it is good to remain active during the implementation of a program. One should not contract-out every marketing activity, as the importance of a so-called 'learning curve' is significant.

MARKETING PRODUCTS AND EXPECTATIONS

A marketing process is a very gradual one, a long-term investment of sorts, - one that does not produce good returns until after some time. Therefore, once the budget for a marketing plan has been approved, with expectations of sensible financial returns, - a good marketing team should go to work bearing in mind that they are about to begin the construction of a link between work effort and good results.

READER SATISFACTION

Preparing marketing research for library use formal procedures.
Sample of Questionnaire:

 
Dear Readers,
Please could you spare a few minutes of your time to help us.
With this questionnaire we would like to find out how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the services provided by libraries. Furthermore, we would also like to know which aspects of these services are of special importance and what would make libraries more attractive to you, if they were improved? The results of this questionnaire will be kept confidential.
Yours Sincerely

1. How often do you visit a library?

• daily during the week
• several times a week
• several times a month
• once a month
• less than once a month

2. What kind of ticket do you have?

• student single
• annual season
• monthly season
• weekly season
• other.....................................................

3. Why have you chosen to visit a library?

• Book (magazine) is not available. Otherwise I would read it.
• Record is not available. Otherwise I would listen to it.
• Book is available, but library is more convenient.
• Book is available, but the library is more comfortable.
• Book is available, but I can spend my time more usefully when going to library
• Other reasons:...................................................

4. When sitting in a library, do you prefer... ?

• sitting in rows or
• sitting in bays

5. How important are the following points for you, so that you would visit the library.

	5	4	3	2	1
	Very important	Important	Does not matter	Unimportant	Very unimportant
Regular magazines supply
Newest books
Reliable files
Short waiting time
Security
Staff behaviour
Lot of information
Easy and quick access to files
Parking place
Overall library appearance
Interior layout
Good lighting
Quality of air conditioning and heating
Quiet rooms
Foot rests
Opportunity to use laptop computers
Large table for working on
Opportunity to order/buy tickets for cultural/sport events
Opportunity to buy papers, magazines, snacks
Opening hours
Value of money

6. What else is important to you for visits in libraries, which have not been yet mentioned?

7. If you had the chance to change something specifically concerning the libraries, what would you like to improve first?

8. If you had the chance to improve library services, what would you like to improve first?

9. Would you recommend this library to other people?

• yes
• no

10. How satisfied are you with...?

11. Which age group do you belong to?

• under 16 years
• between 16-25 years
• between 26-35 years
• between 36-45 years
• between 46-55 years
• between 56-65 years
• between 66-75 years
• older than 75 years

12. Are you...?

• male
• female

13. Are you...?

• employed
• unemployed
• a senior citizen
• a school pupil
• a student
• other

14. Do you buy books?

• Yes
• No

15. How many people live in your household?

• one
• two
• three
• more than three

Thank you for your time.

LITERATURE:

1. M.Czerwinski: Kultura j jej badanie. Wroclaw 1985.
2. M.Golka: Kultura jako system. Poznan 1992.
3. S.Golinowska: Komercjalizacja w kulturze. Szanse i zagrozenia. Warszawa 1992.
4. Z.Knecht: Marketing w sprzedazy dobr kultury. Gdansk 1990.
5. K.Mazurek-Lopacinska: Kultura w gospodarce rynkowej. Wroclaw - Katowice 1994.