Target Marketing A Practical Strategy for Libraries Building Your Base:

What is Targeted Marketing? Focusing marketing decisions on a very specific group of people an organization wants to reach. Identifying and developing products/ services for a specific market. Building Your Base:

Example: Sport Enthusiasts Who are they? Building Your Base:

Sport Enthusiasts Do: Archery Boating Biking Baseball Basketball Bowling Canoeing Football Golf Hiking Hunting Martial Arts Pistol Shooting Rock Climbing Running Skiing Swimming Weight Lifting Building Your Base:

Why is targeting worthwhile for my library? Building Your Base:

A man who chases two rabbits catches none - Confucius Building Your Base:

Why Target? 1.You’ll be able to identify a group of people, or “target market”, to focus your efforts on more easily and measure your success more precisely. Building Your Base:

Why Target? 2. You’ll be able to persuade your target market more easily. “Although it is appealing to try and convince “everyone.” Everyone is a tricky fellow. He’s tough to pin down. If you can identify “someone” you are better able to utilize the power of persuasion to influence them.” Building Your Base:

Why Target? 3.Your creating a framework for reaching new parts of your community. Once you have successfully applied a targeted marketing approach to one group, you can easily tweak it and apply it to others. Building Your Base:

Why Target? 4. Marketing research has shown that targeted marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach new customers in today’s info saturated culture. Building Your Base:

Why Target? 5. As the climate for funding becomes more competitive, your library must continually broaden its base of support in order to gain influence within the community. Building Your Base:

What might a targeted marketing approach look like for my library? Building Your Base:

Proactive Customizable Involves 3 Levels Building Your Base:

3 Levels of Targeting Level 1: Outreach Level 2: Services Level 3: Events Building Your Base:

Can you give me more details? Building Your Base:

Let’s take our original group Baseball Buffs Building Your Base:

Let’s try our 3 Step Approach with them. Building Your Base:

Step 1: Outreach Water or soft drink giveaway at several local baseball games. Include a Connection Card that lets people know the drink is from their local library. –Here’s a small gift to quench your thirst from your local library (insert library name). Let us know if we can be of more assistance. Include library website, contact information, and hours. Building Your Base:

Step 2: Service Ask members of this group how you might help them! Some ideas: –Offer to put local baseball events/announcements on your website. –Arrange to sell discount tickets or a trip to minor league baseball events through the library Tri-City Valley Cats Hudson Valley Renegades Building Your Base:

Step 3: Events Organizing a baseball clinic through your library. –This could be done in partnership with the town recreation department. Help community baseball teams hold a fundraiser for the season. Organize a trip to a minor or major league baseball game through your library. Arrange a baseball signing with a player. Building Your Base:

Let’s try our 3 Step Approach with another group: Gardeners Building Your Base:

Step 1: Outreach Organize a flower seed packet giveaway outside a local home & garden store. –Include a “Connection Card” that lets people know the packet is a gift from their local library and include your contact information. Building Your Base:

Step 2: Service Ask members of this group how you might help them! Some ideas: –Offer gardening tips on library’s website or in newsletter. –Promote gardening books & magazines available through the library. Place promo pieces at places where people buy gardening supplies. Building Your Base:

Step 3: Events Host a program on gardening. Building Your Base:

How to Get Started… Building Your Base:

Brainstorm some groups to target 1.Be creative. –Consider leisure and entertainment activities. –Talk to people who are pretty familiar with the community to get ideas. –Pull from your file of “things I want to try” sometime. –Repackage some things you already do. Building Your Base:

2. Be specific. Once you decide on a group, be as precise as possible in narrowing the group down. For example, “young retirees; ages ” versus “Seniors” Building Your Base:

3. Determine what you can do for this group? Ask Them Building Your Base:

Find Out Their needs and interests. What information they look for and where they get it. What things they like to read. Where they shop and what they buy. MHLS can help you with this investigative work. Building Your Base:

Let’s try a practice group using the 3 Step Approach Category: Food Enthusiasts Building Your Base:

What topics fall under the category of food? What activities are individuals who love food interested in?

Food Enthusiasts Wine Beer Tea Chocolate Lovers Cooking and Recipes Restaurants Desserts Dining Out Cutlery Entertaining Healthy Eating Recipes Cake Decorating Sushi Brunch

What outreach might be done for Chocolate Lovers

Outreach: Chocolate Lovers Hand out free chocolates to people at the library or during a community event.

What Programs or Services Might You Provide?

Program Ideas Chocolate Social at the library: sample different kinds of chocolates at the library. Could be a coffee & chocolate social. Arrange a chocolate Meetup:

How will you get chocolate lovers to attend?

Marketing Methods Coordinate through a group like Chocolate Lovers of Dutchess County. Advertise through your local chocolate shops, coffee shops, restaurants, dessert shops and through your library PR avenues.

Be Not Afraid There are Many Resources to Help You Building Your Base:

Use the Targeting Strategy Worksheet

Additional Resources MHLS Project Coordinator The EZ Library Program DirectoryEZ Library Program Directory The MHLS Adult Programming Web pageMHLS Adult Programming Web page BYB Web page Books in the catalog & Professional Collection Building Your Base: