Marketing in the Web world; perspectives on change; programs for babies and toddlers

News June 1, 2007 (mp3 file: 4.90 MB, 5:21 min.)
Marketing; Perspectives on Change; Programs for Babies and Toddlers

At the top of the 'cast today: Marketing. The web has changed our lives, impacting manythe ways in which we provide services and conduct business—and marketing is no exception.

In the past we’ve chosen a message and used a variety of means to move that message to our customers—flyers and posters, radio, television, speaking at local clubs and events. Word of mouth has always been a part of marketing—the “buzz.” But now it is even more so—MUCH more so. Just think about the web and how people use it to connect and communicate. What used to be word of mouth is now also “word of web” and that has the potential for reaching a much larger audience, much more quickly. That can be really good—if the word of web about your library is good, and people are talking about it.

Darlene Fichter, in an article for Marketing Library Services, suggests seven strategies for marketing in a Web 2.0 world. A link to the article, posted on the InfoToday website, is on the blog. The gist of it: we can’t control what is said online, but we can affect it—and that’s what the seven strategies are about. Darlene says, “One of the best ways to shepherd your brand online is to actively listen and participate in the conversations about your library. You can’t control the message, but you can improve the conversation about your brand online. By actively listening you can learn what your customers care about and get smarter about designing and delivering services that delight your audience.”

Another thought-provoking piece on marketing is a Google video of marketing guru Seth Godin addressing Google staff in, “All Marketers are Liars.” He talks about being at the right place at the right time with the right story. Watch the video to learn about sneezers and permissions and people obsessed with a product that wants to spread. It’s not specifically about libraries, but it certainly has some things for us to think about. --Karen

Links from today's podcast:

• Seven Strategies for Marketing in a Web 2.0 World, by Darlene Fichter
  
• "All Marketers are Liars" Google video presentation by Seth Godin
  

Book reviewd by Marcia:

• Literate beginnings: programs for babies & toddlers, by Debby Ann Jeffery. Amreican Library Association, c. 1995.