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The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregister LR 54,6 DIGITAL DIRECTIONS Marketing strategies for digital library services 342 Received 5 March 2005 Reviewed 18 March 2005 Revised 21 March 2005 Accepted 23 March 2005 Library Review Vol. 54 No. 6, 2005 pp. 342-345 # Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0024-2535 DOI 10.1108/00242530510605467 The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0024-2535.htm Kay Henderson Department of Computing and Information Science, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom Abstract Purpose – To give some insight into how marketing techniques can be applied in the digital library context. Design/methodology/approach – A summary and description of an appropriate established marketing method, with examples of digital library applications as illustration of its relevance in the context of practice. Findings – Relationship marketing offers specific benefits to libraries, and can be applied to particular effect in marketing digital library services. Research limitations/implications – The fact that one marketing technique of particular relevance is examined should not deter the practitioner from investigating other forms, which will have other, different benefits to confer. Practical implications – The application of the insights in this paper should improve the market reach and customer effectiveness of any library that employs them. Originality/value – The author gives clear and practical insights into how practitioners may apply given marketing techniques in the arena of real-life digital library work. Keywords Marketing, Relationship marketing, Digital libraries Paper type Viewpoint Introduction Numerous texts have been written on the subject of digital libraries, which provide the LIS professional with insights into the implementation, technical and strategic issues associated with the development of digital collections. (Chowdhury and Chowdhury, 2002; Gorman, 2002; Hughes, 2004). However, although these all are worthy texts, none discuss marketing of such collections in any great detail. How then should LIS professionals market digital collections? Do we turn to traditional marketing principles and techniques or do digital services require something unique? Or perhaps a bit of both? Which ever approach is taken, the question of definition is paramount. ‘‘Virtual library,’’ ‘‘digital library,’’ ‘‘electronic library’’ are all terms to used describe library and information services delivered via the Internet, but they can mean different things to different users. Therefore the issue of marketing these services is problematic since, as LIS professionals we must ask what exactly are we trying to market and to whom? Are we marketing a collection of digitised material that belongs to a physical library, that is, a hybrid library? Or are we marketing the library’s services via the web? And this is not to mention the different user groups which may require different marketing techniques. The growth of digital libraries makes one wonder if, in the zealous drive to digitise and make collections available as widely as possible, we have not created a monster! Due to the growth in services which focus on a client-orientated approach (rather than product delivery or sale), and the increasing use of the Internet for marketing, marketers have turned to relationship marketing (RM) techniques. Relationship marketing could be one approach LIS professionals take when marketing digital library services. Thus, the purpose of this issue’s column is to raise some of the issues LIS professionals may have to consider when marketing digital collections in this way. Marketing strategies Relationship marketing and digital collections Relationship marketing is to identify and establish, maintain and enhance and when necessary also to terminate relationships with customers and other stakeholders, at a profit, so that the objectives of all parties are met and this is done by mutual exchange and fulfilment of promises. (Grönroos, 1994) In order to be sure that they are providing the best, and most appropriate services to customers, it is essential that libraries know who their customer (or potential customer) is. This can be achieved through the organisation of personal data and its storage in a central database – in line with data protection regulation. This information can then be used for market segmentation, in which the user population is divided into groups according to similar characteristics. This may be done on the basis of demographic details, such as age, ethnic origin, gender, occupation; or according to borrowing characteristics, the library services they use, their interests, the time they visit the library – or more likely a combination of the two (de Sáez, 1993, p. 81). This data can be used to ascertain to what extent the services currently offered are appropriate to the customer and can be used to make decisions about the creation of new services and the termination of existing ones. The population can then be further segmented, at a customer level, by personalising services to customers (Goldsmith, 1999, p. 189). This would involve using their personal data to make predictions about their individual needs, and offering services to them or making recommendations about the services they already use – for example, using data on their book borrowing to suggest books they might like to read. This approach can be taken when the library has the data available and knows who its customers are. Segmentation can help libraries target particular user groups via RM techniques. The benefits of relationship marketing are: . No costs of acquiring new customers . Less need to offer incentives to customers . Less price sensitive (loyal customers are pleased with the service) . Loyal satisfied customers will recommend the service to others All of which are benefits which would satisfy libraries and their users. RM has largely developed due to the use of IT as part of the marketing function. (Knox et al., 2003). New technology has allowed organisations to implement Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to manage the RM function. It is via CRM systems that libraries could promote digital services to users, by using data from existing library management systems to target particular customers and promote specific services. For example a library management system such as TALIS could be integrated with Business Objects a graphics based system for interrogating databases to extract user details. These can then be downloaded into any Microsoft package where they could be used for target or segmented marketing, if users gave permission to be contacted in this way. A user’s email details could also be used to target particular services via web links. Libraries have been doing this for years, making the customer 343 LR 54,6 344 the focus of service delivery. However now the Internet can be used to target customers more effectively. American memory Take as an example the American Library of Congress digital library service, American Memory (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/). American Memory is, as the website states, ‘‘a digital record of American history and creativity.’’ The target market for the collection is ‘‘Congress, academics, teachers, students and any interested members of the public from anywhere in the world.’’ Likewise particular aspects of the site are aimed at specific user groups: . . . the Learning Page is aimed at students, teachers, school librarians and life long learners (which takes in practically the whole population), Genealogy/Local History is aimed at individuals interested in tracing their ancestry, and America’s Story from America’s History, is aimed at children. American Memory is a perfect example of a digital library and its services. The site is intended for a diverse range of users and the marketing and placement of specific collections within the overall service demonstrates this. However targeting users in this way is exactly the kind of strategy that would be employed to market traditional services. So therefore does the digital library offer any fresh challenges to marketers? Conclusion Relationship marketing is in its broadest sense about cultivating good relationships between staff and existing customers and maintaining those relationships, thus retaining customer loyalty. In the LIS sphere this is nothing new as good customer service is at the core of the profession. Relationship marketing techniques are an option when considering marketing digital services, as in part RM uses technology to contact and communicate more easily with customers. Indeed the use of email and discussion lists have long been used to contact customers and as a distribution, selling and marketing channel. The most important step is deciding exactly what type of digital service is being marketed and to which user group. For example the marketing of existing and new library services can be carried out directly to existing users via email with web links. Research shows that customers accept direct personal contact provided that it is relevant to their needs (Van Steenderen and Van Tiggelen, 1997). The Internet allows LIS professionals to deliver services regardless of time and place. As the example of American Memory shows marketing and technical skills are required to do this effectively, which requires dedicated staff to deliver digital library services to diverse user groups. However, if we look back to the benefits of RM, we must not discount internal marketing by staff and customers. Customer loyalty is paramount to RM. Loyal customers will tell others about good service and efficient staff – the service is promoted by word of mouth. Therefore as LIS professionals we must seek to use the most appropriate marketing methods according to sector, service and user. References Chowdhury, G.G. and Chowdhury, S. (2002), Introduction to Digital Libraries, Facet, London. de Sáez, E. (1993), Marketing Concepts for Libraries and Information Services, Library Association Publishing, London. Goldsmith, R.E. (1999), ‘‘The personalised marketplace: beyond the 4Ps’’, Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 178-85. Gorman, G.E. (Editor) (2002), International Yearbook of Library and Information Management 2002-2003: The Digital Factor in Library and Information Services. Grönroos, C. (1994), ‘‘Relationship Marketing: strategic and tactical implications’’, Management Decision, Vol. 34 No. 3, pp. 5-14. Hughes, L. M. (2004), Digitizing Collections: Strategic Issues for the Information Manager, Facet, London. Knox, S. et al. (2003), Customer Relationship Management: Perspectives from the Marketplace, Butterworth, Oxford. Van Steenderen and Van Tiggelen (1997), ‘‘Verwende klant en hij blift je trouw! Klantenbinding door relatiemarketing’’ Bibliotheekblad, Vol. 2, pp. 6-9. Marketing strategies 345