[WEB4LIB] RE: marketing, lobbying, and vendors

[Genny Engel]

> Unfortunately, many non-profit and arts organizations do not do a
very
> good job of marketing themselves, either.

The ACLU has done remarkably well, increasing its membership (and its
revenue stream) through ad campaigns. 

--------------------------

Let's step back a moment, though.  All these postings about "libraries
suck at marketing" assume that publicity is a good thing. 

Here are some reasons the library I work at is rather different in its
needs from an organization like the ACLU:

1. We don't charge for membership
2. Increased publicity increases use of our services
3. Our budget and staffing levels are stagnant

Unless the increased marketing is directly aimed at changing (3) ** and
is successful in doing so**, the net result is that we buckle under the
load of (2).  Every time our fundraising person or our Foundation sends
out another newsletter I get more calls and email from people trying out
one of our databases or other services for the first time.   Yes, it's
nice to bring our services to the attention of more people who want to
use them, which is the gist of most library marketing, but there is a
point at which this cuts into our ability to serve our existing
customers with the staff we have.  

"Marketing" in the form of getting to know a few crucial people who
could make a really killer endowment happen, or a parcel tax happen, is
what will make the difference for us.

As long as that's not in place I personally don't see any real benefits
of improving our more standard marketing that just brings more people in
the door.  Until then, to me it just seems like a huge expense and
effort to do a really good job at something that isn't useful in the
first place.  Sort of like retooling the Velveeta factory to make better
Velveeta.  

But I could be wrong.  I often am :)

Genny Engel
gengel at sonoma.lib.ca.us