Nonprofit Tagline Awards Contest Winners

Back in July we told you that the Nonprofit Tagline Awards contest was open. Now we can tell you who won!

2,700 nonprofit taglines were entered in the 2010 competition. A panel of judges selected 70 finalists, then more than 6,100 nonprofit professionals cast votes in the final selection round to end up with 17 winners. Winning taglines are highlighted in this brief video.

Because there are many categories, the winner list is long. You can get all the details here. 

But since you're wondering, the library winner is Edmonton Public Library with the tagline "Spread the words." Judges said, "Edmonton Public Library’s tagline is another example of effective surprise as a familiar saying takes an unexpected turn. Who would have thought that one little 's' could make a tagline sing—and zing?" Congrats, Edmonton!!

There were lots of catchy phrases among the winners. Here are two of my favorites:

Association category: Indiana State Council of the Emergency Nurses Association—

"E.R. You Watch It... We Live It!"

and 

Civic Benefit category: Drums Not Guns—"Instruments of Mass Percussion"

So, what's your library's tagline? Does it send a clear message? Is it memorable? Does it still represent what you  do, in 2010? Do you even know your tagline? These are small but important parts of your brand and your marketing strategy. Make sure yours represents what your library is all about!

James Carville - Library Champion!

I just got word from Jane Dysart about a talk James Carville gave at SLA Conference. Read her post and then watch the video!! Thanks Jane for pointing this out!

James Carville loves libraries, and has since he was a boy. In answer to questions following his keynote talk (with his wife, Mary Matalin) at the Special Libraries Association conference last June in New Orleans, Carville shared some wonderful comments. I asked James (through wonderful SLA staffers Kristin Foldvik and Cara Schatz) if we could share those comments online via SLA’s TV channel, and he agreed. See Carville and hear his comments about his local library (a book mobile every other week on Thursday afternoon) and the impact on his life.

In addition, he had sage advice for libraries regarding their message to those who hold the purse strings — keep it simple and use an analogy, like comparing the closing of libraries to extinguishing candles, to make the point clearly and effectively.

Carville said, "It’s better to light one candle than curse the darkness.” When libraries close it’s like “hundreds of candles being extinguished. Close a library, blow out a candle.” ”Closing libraries is like eating seed corn, it makes no sense.”

Powerful imagery.

Thanks for your support, suggestions and advocacy for libraries, James Carville!

Creative Stargazing Event at Rural Libraries Conference

I'd like to tell you about a really neat event that happened at the Rural Libraries Conference in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada last month. (RLC is organized by Peace Library System, the area's cooperative system that has 42 public library members.) I was lucky enough to be invited to keynote the conference, so I got to experience the atmosphere and people of northwestern Canada for the first time -- a treat indeed! 

Many multi-day conferences organize some sort of evening events to give attendees something to do and ways to network in the off hours. I thought this one that Peace put together (with the help of Grande Prairie's Children's Literature Roundtable) was really great. It was An Evening of Stargazing. It included star stories, astronomy info, great snacks, and real stargazing! 

One of the conference's featured speakers was Joan Marie Galat, author of the award-wnning Dot to Dot in the Sky book series. These childrens' books combine sky science with star myths of ancient cultures, pointing out constellations and sharing stories of how past people explained them. Joan also spoke at the evening session, along with a local professor who was an amateur astronomy buff. 

But let me set the stage. Everyone who wanted to attend was transported to Peace headquarters, which was set up beautifully. Amazingly creative (and delicious!) snacks were on hand, each of them re-named to relate to star and sky. As you can see from my pictures, there were lemon-filled "sun beams," and brownies became "dark side of the moon." Spinach balls were "meteorites" and sprinkled thumbprint cookies were "moon craters." Of course there were star-shaped cookies as well as sliced star fruit, assorted UFOs, and more. Good old-fashioned chocolate, along with hot and cold drinks, rounded out the buffet. 

The room for the talks was dimly lit, had some candles, and had paper planets and stars hung from the ceiling. There were glow-bracelets and star maps on the tables for us. Once everyone was seated with snacks, Joan told us captivating legends from her Dot to Dot books. Then the professor, who was extremely funny, showed us various tools and telescopes and told us how they worked. After the presentation we all went outside to take turns using the tools to find the constellations and stars ourselves.

This was a really fun evening of snacking, learning, and conversing that lots of other libraries could replicate--as long as you can find a couple good speakers, some creative cooks, and an outdoor site without too many streetlights. I want to congratulate Peace Library System on putting together such an interesting and well-thought-out evening event. It added even more to an already great Rural Libraries Conference.

10 Things you need to do now!

Most everyone wants to know 10 things they can do to improve their lives. If they don't want 10 things, they certainly would like to know 5 things! Is your library taking advantage of that? Do you offer the top 5 things people can do to be healthy, get a job, write a paper, etc. and post them in your library and on the web? The yellow pages have a new site and they have the top DIY Halloween costumes. How practical. Of course they link to businesses they are adverting, but you can link to books and magazines. Encourage people to reserve the book online,create visual displays and tape the list in various sections around the library. Connect your products to people's needs in a way that makes sense to them and they will use them.

Marketing Strategies for Your Library

News from ##intlib10

Buffy Hamilton just posted this slidedeck form a session she attended at internet Librarian 2010- looks good! Also check out live streaming of the event here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/10418660

Marketing Strategies for Your Library

View more presentations from Susan Geiger.

Nominate Movers & Shakers for Library Journal by Nov. 1

It's that time of year again. Nominations for Movers & Shakers, an annual contest by Library Journal, are due November 1. There are categories for Marketers and Advocates, so don't forget to recognize your favorites! 

Here are the details from LJ: 

The editors of Library Journal need your help in identifying the emerging leaders in the library world. Our tenth annual round of Movers and Shakers will profile 50 or more up-and-coming individuals from around the world who are innovative, creative, and making a difference. From librarians to vendors to others who work in the library field, Movers and Shakers 2011 will celebrate the new professionals who are moving our libraries ahead. The 2011 Movers and Shakers will be highlighted in the March 15 issue of Library Journal.

Now accepting international nominees! If your nominee is international, or if you prefer email over submitting the form below, please email LJinfo@mediasourceinc.com the information below (attached as a Word document.) Use this link to access the nomination form and to see winners from previous years.

iAds may be the next big thing!

Be on the lookout for some cool things happening with iAds. According to Hill Holiday's Blog, Liberty Mutual was one of the first companies to sign a deal with Time magazine to bring advertising to the iPad version of the magazine and it sounds incredible. The ad has has buttons that take users to various Liberty Mutual sites, where they can evaluate whether they have been responsible citizens, make commitments to perform charitable acts and spread the message through social networks.

They have one way of using the iAd to help people in their pursuit of responsibility that I absolutely love. They suggest random acts people can perform to make the world a better place. Shake the phone and people are given a number of acts to choose from, everything from signing up for a benefit run and adopting a pet to donating clothes to Goodwill and being a designated driver. Oooh maybe we could get libraries listed in that category!

Once people decide on what acts they’d like to do, they can tell the world by tweeting directly from the ad through a Twitter integration . Incorporating a #doingtherightthing hash tag with the tweets allowed us to extend the reach and relevance of this piece well beyond the iPhone. Using the iPhone’s GPS and mapping functionality, people can even find places in their area where they can do some good immediately. Is that too cool???

While in the iAd, people can also assess their own level of responsibility, get some inspiration from history’s greatest acts of responsibility and even crash a car to learn how Liberty Mutual helps get people back on their road.

The whole concept has me thinking of ways we could get our customers to interact with us. We could run a campaign about helping get people back to work and have people share messages of hope or tips that worked for them to get a job. If you had money for an iAd what would your ad include?

2010 Winners of the IFLA International Marketing Awards

 At the IFLA ceremony, L-R: Dr. K. Mohan (winner), Raymond Berard (chair of the M&M committee), and Dinesh Gupta (chair of the award jury)

IFLA, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, presented its International Marketing Awards at its annual conference this past August in Gothenburg, Sweden. Dr. Christie Koontz, who's a member of IFLA's Marketing and Management section (which organizes the award), wrote a complete article that will appear in the Nov/Dec issue of Marketing Library Services newsletter. On this blog I'll share the most basic news; see the newsletter for complete details and info on other interesting entries.  

This year’s first-place winner was the Learning Resource Center (LRC) at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, the capital city of the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. The LRC created a product line of information alerts called “Global InfoWatch.” Faculty and students receive factoids regarding industry trends and strategic articles on business and management. Koontz pointed out, "The LRC’s award-winning and value-added product line makes the library and its trained professionals appear more important in these 'We have the internet, so why do we need the library?' times."

Second place was awarded to the Gail Borden Public Library District in Elgin, Ill., in the U.S., for its project “StoryTubes: Kids Go Live With Books.” StoryTubes started in 2007 when local children filmed themselves talking about their favorite books and uploaded the videos to YouTube. People watched them at www.storytubes.info and voted for their favorites. In the past two years, the contest has grown to more than 400 entrants. This project is a good use of social media and also a unique example of “kid-to-kid” marketing!

Third place was given to the University of Bergen Library in Norway for the campaign called “The Magic of the Library—A Fun Presentation of The University of Bergen Library.” In 3:23 minutes, this video provides an interesting, funny overview of the library’s resources and departments, narrated by a memorable man. (This version has been dubbed in English.) It’s intended to motivate students and to re-ignite their interest in their library, and it really speaks in a way that relates to this target audience.  

For this 8th IFLA International Marketing Award, there were 26 applicants from 13 countries: Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Korea, Lithuania, Nigeria, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, and the U.S. Thanks to award sponsor Emerald Group Publishing, the first-place winner received airfare, lodging, and registration costs to attend the 76th IFLA, as well as a cash award of $1,000 (U.S.) to further the marketing efforts of the library.

Any library, agency, or association in the world that promotes library service was eligible to receive the award. It honors organizations that implement creative, results-oriented marketing projects or campaigns. 

In August 2011, IFLA will hold its 77th General Conference and Assembly in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the 9th International Marketing Award will be bestowed! The deadline to enter is Nov. 30, 2010.  You can find details and an application here. 

Oustanding Elevator Speech

Lori Reed just posted a fantastic post about her elevator speech.

“I help people change their lives, connect with their community, and boost their local economy, while enjoying the present and preparing for the future. I do this without a charge, because you have already paid for my services.”

Chances are, they will say, “Wow. Tell me more.”

And that’s my golden chance to tell them all about the wonders of public libraries, which can be summed up (and expanded upon) with four simple messages:
1. Libraries change lives.
2. Libraries build community.
3. Libraries mean business.
4. Libraries are a smart investment.

I think Lori nailed it, don't you?

Air New Zealand - Crazy About Rugby - Safety Video

I just saw this on Market Intelligence for Libraries blog. Love it! Take a look at the blog, Ali has some great content you don't want to miss!

Does Your Elevator Pitch Have You Stuck?

How many of you have taken the time to learn an elevator speech and still aren't transforming your connections into a sales opportunity? I just saw a great called, Craft a Killer Elevator Pitch in 6 Easy Steps, by Geoffrey James. Before you read his post, take a look at some videos of the worst elevator speeches and see if you can't spot someone you've known.

To achieve this, the elevator pitch consists of four conversational elements, in this specific order:

1. The lead-in. This is the set-up statement for the conversation. It’s intended to spark initial interest from the (potential) prospect. One sentence that tells a story about your customers- what they do and how you help them do it better.
   
   
2. The differentiator. This identifies the you, your library or the library's offering as a unique resource that deserves immediate attention. It answer the question why you matter.
   
   
3. The engagement question. This is an open-ended conversation starter that allows you to assess the listener's interest level.
   
   
4. The call to action. This is the request for a meeting to discuss the matter further.
   
   
5. Then rehearse until it's natural :-)
   

You'll love IT.

Aspen Walker at Douglas County Libraries is at IT ... again. Take a look at her campaign. I think you'll love IT!

Who Will Help Me - University of Alberta Libraries

Great video from the University of Alberta Libraries!

Rock Stars

David King and Andy Woodworth both wrote in support of library rock stars. I’d like to add my two cents from a PR perspective.

Yesterday I completed a 24 hour journey to visit the DOK Library Concept Center in Delft, Netherlands. I never would have made this trip had it not been for two of my favorite “rock star” librarians – Erik Boekesteijn and Jaap Van De Geer. From what I hear, I am only one of thousands who have traveled from distant shores to visit this library. Are they rock stars? For sure! But more than that, they have helped to make a small library in a tiny country known around the world. Does that open doors for their library? You betcha!

The more people from my library that I can get into the newspapers, on a podium or winning an award, the happier I am. There are several reasons why PR people encourage library staff to stand up and be seen:

1. Free publicity for the library. The formula is simple: news/award = photo op= publicity in newspapers in print and online. A good PR person also wants to send releases to your alumni magazine, volunteer organizations and local paper.
2. Every time a person from a library makes a positive impression in the community, it speaks well about the library. Some people may never step into your library and yet an impressive presentation at a Rotary Meeting may turn a person into a strong supporter at the polls.
3. People like to associate with popular or famous people and that can open doors to new community sponsors or it may create connections that will give your library an important seat at the table.
4. Great for morale. Now this can be tricky because if only one or two people are receiving recognition, it can backfire. But if all of the staff is encouraged to shine, then it can create a very positive uplifting work environment.
5. Great political leverage. Politicians read newspapers and watch news. When your library is well represented in an article or news item, those same politicians are hearing you loud and clear!

David also spoke about highlighting talented individuals within the library. His library promoted the talents of their children’s librarian. Absolutely! I also love the idea of highlighting staff on the website as reviewers, writers, or any other role that will demonstrate an expertise. I know many people feel uncomfortable having a spotlight pointed toward them but it is important for customers to know the level of expertise they can find in the library. It is also a valuable comfort creator to have a face that people who are new to the library can recognize. Of course it is also important to be careful not to make it seem as though there is only one person who can help people. Every person in your library plays an important role in making your library great. Why not flaunt the excellence that makes that possible? DOK’s annual report includes photos if the janitor! Why not? A clean building plays a major role in the customer’s experience. The key is to have the library represented by all of its employees. It portrays a fuller picture of the library and won’t set your customer relations back if an employee moves on. A trick is to highlight individuals as part of a team. (This is Suzi, she is part of our YA team.)

Whether you are being promoted or promoting someone else in your library, as long as it paints your library in a positive light, its all good. So go ahead and rock on!

Make Digital Signage Work for You

Is your library getting the most from your digital signage? The idea of using a visual application to post lines of text about upcoming events defeats the purpose of having a visual display! Think in terms of creating an exciting customer experience. I love this post from the Retail Guru, Make Digital Retail Signage Work for You and Increase Retail Sales.

According to the post, your digital retail signage needs to show an understanding of your customer base and its needs, or it won't succeed. Start by identifying your customer, then design content that will speak directly to that person.

A recent guide from Digital Signage Today (DST) suggested a two-pronged approach:

1. Marketing

• Post entertainment stories, news, and lifestyle messaging to enhance the customer experience.
• Be creative, subtle, and informative – tell customers how to use a product or how the product will make their life easier.
  
• Throw some direct pitches about upcoming events or new items
  

2. Information

• Incorporate a news feed with weather, headlines and sports scores.
  
• Help direct customers to other areas of the store.
  
• Include information on local community happenings and events

If you understand who you are talking to, you can create the right balance of relevant information and product promotion. People will be engaged, will have a better experience in your stores, and will very likely become regular customer.

ProQuest Releases Free Marketing Toolkit for Public Libraries

Hats off to the vendor ProQuest for once again offering free help for its customers. It's released an updated version of the free marketing toolkit that it's had online for some time. I can't say it any better than the press release already does:

The Public Library Marketing Toolkit aims to help librarians develop successful, actionable, and sustainable marketing plans, even if they don't have backgrounds in marketing or promotion. It includes many ready-to-use bookmarks, customizable posters, and fliers designed to save individual organizations the time and money of having materials created on-site. There's also a Flash commercial, along with patron-centric database descriptions for the library Website and links to training materials for both librarians and their users.

 "Library users often start and end their research on the open web without finding answers to their research questions," said Lynda James-Gilboe, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Customer Care at ProQuest. "The Public Library Marketing Toolkit will help librarians point users toward the authoritative and relevant content contained in the library’s online resources so users have a more successful research experience."

The kit's premiere resource is a colorful, clearly written, How-to Guide called "Marketing Your Public Library's Online Research Resources." It lays out a four-step strategy for getting started and details how to promote certain databases to certain types of patrons, linking to the related parts of the toolkit for each step.

Because different audiences respond to different messages, ProQuest has created three sets of printable tools (bookmarks, posters, fliers) designed for specific age groups: middle school students, high schoolers, and adults. Employing such targeted promotional materials can help boost usage of databases and other resources.

ProQuest has also created a digital commercial for the toolkit. The 30-second looping message tells patrons that they can access resources online even when the library is closed. There are two versions, one silent and one with music, and there are simple instructions for loading the Flash file onto library websites where they can attract attention.

Another powerful tool in this kit is a document that outlines how library employees can approach local businesses about sponsoring databases that are beyond the library's budget. It includes ideas to reward the businesses and even a sample letter to help make contact with and persuade these potential sponsors.

ProQuest has a long tradition of supporting libraries and their mission to connect people with high-quality information. The all-new Public Library Marketing Toolkit aims to help libraries connect users with their valuable online resources. The Toolkit is available now, for free, from the ProQuest website at www.proquest.com/go/pltk.

A conference on wheels

Looking to join a movement? Here's a message from Kai Halttunen, teacher of Information Studies in Tampere, Finland:

Hi, I am Kai, a cycling loving teacher of information studies in Tampere, Finland. I would like to invite you and your library colleagues to a different and exciting cycling trip from Copenhagen to Berlin in spring-summer 2011 – Cycling for libraries! We – me with a team of keen library lovers – will arrange this tour supported by library associations and collaborators in different countries and I am sure it will be an unforgettable experience for all you who like cycling, get-together and passionate and visionary conversations about variety of library topics.

Our aim is also to bring libraries, their highly proactive staff and the work all librarians do more to publicity and media. We mean to make this public by using internet and social media and making a documentary about how we handle this challenge of cycling 650 km.

We all know that good ideas are generated in cafes and hallways and not so much on lecture halls’ benches or somewhere we expect them to generate. That is why we go to this courageous venture of cycling about 10 days together – to see what kind of spectacular performances the library staff can reach if they just wish to. This is a challenge for you, and I hope that you accept it. Let’s go cycling for libraries! The participation is open to all librarians and everybody interested in the field of libraries. Stay tuned by following this site or our Facebook page.

Kai Halttunen, Tampere University/The Department of Information Studies and Interactive Media (INFIM), Finland

PS. The cycling trip in beautiful Sweden in August 2010 will be a kind of opening of our event.

Sounds like fun doesn't it?