by Libby Trudell and Liz Blankson-Hemans
Future Ready Toolkit
This post is from SLA’s new Future Ready Toolkit. The Toolkit was constructed by SLA members who have drawn upon substantial professional experience and alignment research to help you hone your skills in a way that is relevant and global. The toolkit is collaboration, alignment, adaptation, and community put into action.
Table of Contents
- Overview
- Definitions
- Key Elements and Ideas
- Models and Templates
- Resources
Overview
Every interaction with clients and potential clients (your “customers”) is an opportunity to market your services and build a positive impression. As an information professional, you and the services you provide to your organization or client should be packaged to reinforce a clear identity and to build awareness of the services being provided. Successful marketing involves seeing the “products” and services you offer through the eyes of the customers and articulating clients’ needs in their terms – the main objective of marketing is always to understand customer needs. Can you state the benefits you offer in a way that is meaningful to customers and communicate why you provide the best solution compared to other options?
In a nutshell, according to Michael Porter, a Harvard University professor, marketing is anything you do to get or keep a customer.
Definitions
The marketing 3Ps address how to Package your product and Promote your services in a way that is attractive to existing and potential clients and Persuade clients that your services are better than
those offered by competitors.
Packaging – originally, the word “packaging” referred to the container or wrapping for a product. Now, packaging is much more broadly understood as all the ways to present and convey the value of a product or service. In order to build consistent packaging, you must be clear about who you are and what your services represent.
Promotion - starts with understanding and targeting customers. Find out who they are, what their special interests are, what their business backgrounds are, what they require to succeed in the organization, and, most importantly, how you can provide it to them in a way that makes it valuable to them.
Persuasion - is the process of helping the client discover whether there is a match between his/her needs and what you have to offer. Successful persuasion is a very fulfilling activity when it results in finding the best solution to meet a customer’s needs. Persuasive messages will motivate customers to take an action by promising a benefit – literally what’s in it for them to try your services.
Key Elements and Ideas
Models and Templates
Resources
General Marketing and Branding
- eBrief – Marketing Your Information Service
- Marketing Podcasts
- Top 10 Ways Not To Attract New Clients
Packaging
Promotion
- Staging an Open House or Promotional Event
- Marketing Promotion – Podcast
- 10-Step Guide to Promoting the Information Centre
Persuading
Libby Trudell is vice president of marketing at Dialog in Sunnyvale, California. She has been a member of SLA since 1996. She previously served on the SLA Board of Directors as chapter cabinet chair (2006-2008) and is currently chair of the 2011 SLA Annual Conference Advisory Council and a member of the Public Relations Advisory Committee.
Liz Blankson-Hemans is Director, Market Development for Dialog, with oversight for strategic planning and implementation of marketing outside North America. Liz has been a member of SLA since 1997. She has served in several capacities on the SLA Europe board, including Membership Secretary, Diversity Chair and Early Careers Committee, and was President of the Chapter in 2004-2005.
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