BRANDING TIPS

Does your library have a brand? If not, it should. I wrote about this in my book, The Visible Librarian: Asserting Your Value With Marketing and Advocacy (ALA Editions, 2003, ISBN 0-8389-0848-9, US$34.00), but here are some more good tips.

"Step 1: Understand how you are perceived? Is that how you want to be perceived?
Step 2: Decide upo0n your Unique Selling Proposition: What makes you or your [library] unique, different, special? What niche is available that only you can fill?
Step 3: What are customer expectations? What do your clients typically expect of you? What unique attributes do you offer that best fit client expectations?
Step 4: Make it personal, if possible. "

Then, create a brand and "get the word out consistently and repeatedly using your website, business cards, signage, stationery, newsletter, e-mail, and public relations."

The above is from Steve Strauss, a lawyer, author and speaker who specializes in small business and entrepreneurship and SBA Small Business Journalist of the Year.

URLs:
This article: http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/strauss/
2006-01-30-brand_x.htm
His free newsletter, Small Business Success Stories: http://www.mrallbiz.com/
newsletter/
Link to my book: http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.taf?_sn=catalog2&
_pn=product_detail&_op=1198

PS. Sorry about the shameless plug for my book, but it was relevant to the post.