MINUTES

Statewide Marketing Project

Friday 16 July, 10.00am – 12.30pm

B3.23 Meeting Room, State Library of Victoria, 328 Swanston St.Melbourne

Attendance:
Statewide Marketing Project Advisory Committee
Anne-Marie Otley / (AMO) / Community Relations Coord., Yarra-Melbourne Regional Library Corporation
Michael Hogan / (MH) / Client Services Librarian, Mildura Rural City Council Library Service
Pru Menzies / (PM) / Customer Service Manager, Casey-Cardinia Library Corporation
Christine Denis / (CD) / Service Librarian, Hume Global LearningVillage Library Service
Annie Opray / (AO) / Marketing Coordinator, Bayside Library Service
Wendy O’Hara / (WO) / Customer Services Librarian, Campaspe Regional Library
Lesley Fell / (LF) / Marketing & Program Librarian, Monash Public Library
Public Libraries Unit
Debra Rosenfeldt / (DR) / Service Development Coordinator, Public Libraries Unit, SLV (Item3)
Nicole Lowndes (Minutes) / (NL) / Project Officer, Public Libraries Unit, SLV
The Marketing Bank
Lisa Naphtali / (LN) / Account Manager, Bristow, Prentice, Lambaart, Budd (Items 1-2)
Apologies
Marlo Branagh / (MBr) / Account Director, Bristow, Prentice, Lambaart, Budd
Lorraine Seeger / (LS) / Community Liaison Manager, Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation
Michelle Wallace / (MW) / Corporate Programs Manager, Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation
Larissa Oldham / (LO) / Ararat Branch Librarian, Central Highlands Regional Library Corporation
Christine McLaren / (CM) / Library Operations Manager, West Gippsland Regional Library Corporation
Michael Byrne / (MB) / Coordinator Library Operations, Monash Public Library

Agenda:

1)Progress Report: MB/LN/NL

2)Life is Learning revised proposal

3)2004-05 Statewide Marketing Project plan:

  • @ your library campaign
  • Visual Merchandising Tool Kit
  • First Impressions Strategy
  • Councillor-Library Introductions

AGENDA ITEMS / ACTION
1 / Progress Report
NL reported:
Lisa’s 3AW interview (in mp3 format) is now available on Infonet via a link on the front page, along with a number of other marketing and @ your library items
Mystery Shopper Survey and Web Site Review
  • Report received from Annie Opray with Library Services specified
Seminar
  • 100 people attended, including 2 NSW colleagues
  • 93% rated very good or excellent.
  • Positive feedback: workshops very useful, Annie, Kevin, and Fiona Vasic were especially popular, Awards great idea
  • Negative feedback: most complaints on heat of venue, Con Stavros pitched below audience understanding and off topic (although others asked for a full day with him!)
  • Suggestions: more localised funding for marketing ventures, ‘The Professional Corporate Look of Libraries’, ‘Evolving staff roles’, ‘Community Influence/Partnerships in the Library’, ‘Targeting smallish country libraries’, ‘Marketing on a strict budget’, ‘How to choose the right partnerships’ more Mystery Shopping.
  • Proceedings online, including notes from workshops
  • Article on SPLAM Awards in Australian Library News
Doing Business
  • web page created including media release
  • listing on Business Victoria web site
  • Business Victoria information and contacts provided to all libraries
  • Libraries seem to have organised quite a large number of events, particularly in conjunction with other local organisations
Treasures
  • NL met with Heritage Victoria, who may be able to provide travelling displays and contacts for guest speakers (eg archaeologists, assessors)
LN reported:
Some coverage of Doing Business in local media. Little interest at state level; generally aimed at medium/large rather than small businesses
Feedback on Just Ask:
  • 32/41 services responded- number of respondents is decreasing
  • Highlights: local media, talks, prizes, L&IW activities, LOTE activities
  • Limitations: Big Ask competition had too many questions, material sent late
  • Most Champions reported enquiries and attendance met or exceeded expectations
  • Materials and logo well used, 40-50% used ideas and media release, ad not used
  • Some Champions tiring of campaign look; efficacy of consistent look subsequently explained at workshop
  • Badges: quality raised, & concern that “Just Ask’ message could be misinterpreted
  • Some libraries still struggling with local media
  • Target audience seen as too broad- contradicts feedback from earlier campaigns
  • Noticeable split in ratings between services who ran additional activities and those who relied on standard activities and the Big Ask
Recommendations:
  • Narrow the target audience and message if Just Ask repeated
  • Avoid programming campaigns to overlap with existing promotions like Library and Information Week
/ Annie to forward electronic copy of report for distribution without service names
LN will forward electronic copy of reports for distribution
2 / Life is Learning revised proposal
NL reported
  • Revised radio proposal received and distributed for comment
  • Few comments received, so progress delayed
  • Adult Learners Week information is being distributed to all libraries; coordinators have been requested to promote resources and activities in libraries to other Adult Community Education providers
The committee discussed the revised proposal and agreed:
  • recommendation to promote Life is Learning via one week radio campaign approved
  • spend options approved: 3 placed and 1 live spots, 4 nights per week for one week with 3AW ($1920) and 1 paid spot each hour, 4 nights, one week with ACE radio ($2400)
  • scope and quote invoice approved already
  • concept development and script production, to be used for 3AW and distributed to all Champions for use with their local radio stations- $ 2500- approved
  • coordination of program- $2000- approved
  • the committee would prefer the production of the radio advertisement to be completed by 3AW, subject to final quotation
NL asked for volunteers to brainstorm the key message for the Life is Learning ad, to brief the creative team at The Marketing Bank. WO, AMO, and CD agreed to meet.
AMO commented that Yarra-Melbourne staff were concerned about the Internet romance image and message, and would be unlikely to use the material. NL replied that the material might actually have a high impact with the target Seniors group, as so few posters portray seniors in a positive light. NL will check if alternate artwork was provided with the South Australian material.
AMO also reported that some smaller posters were being damaged during distribution, and requested they be packaged better. / LN to obtain quote for production of radio advertisement by 3AW
NL to check for alternate artwork
LN to notify mail house
3 / 2004-05 Statewide Marketing Project Plan
@ your library campaign
The contract with The Marketing Bank will come to an end on 20 August. DR said she & NL had met with Shelley Roberts, SLV’s Marketing and Communications Manager, and with Annie Opray, to discuss the scope of work for a new contract. DR recommends advertising for Expressions of Interest to a selected list of consultants, including the existing contractors. The EOIs will be assessed by a selection panel comprising DR, NL, one committee member, and one external PR practitioner.
NL circulated a draft specification, including a significantly altered scope of work, such that the emphasis is on PR services, with some strategic marketing services required to develop two new campaign months. NL will take on many of the established support tasks, such as the Champions newsletter, survey and analysis, and ordering printing.
NL said that the Project Proposal was based on planning and discussions with members of the committee, but that the final order and theme of the addition 3 @ your librarycampaign months had not been decided. The committee agreed to repeat Holiday Fun in January, and run the new campaigns Read in March and Connect in May, and discussed the timeline of campaign activities.
AMO suggested that the Yaclink group be asked to support the campaign by adding the logo and possibly images to the Summer Reading Club material.
NL will need to check the copyright agreement on the existing design framework with Lange Hill Marketing, if they are to be used for the Read and Connect campaigns.
Visual Merchandising Tool Kit
DR described her concern with using State Library of Victoria funding to purchase a small number of display items for each library service, and suggested that this project activity should be modified. Her recommendation is to produce a set of guidelines for visual merchandising minimum standards and best practice, akin to those used by retail chains to standardize and optimize the display of products.
NL also suggested that Champions could participate in a tour of display equipment/ shop fittings retailers, many of which are located in the Fitzroy area. This could follow the proposed Champions workshop in December to ensure good attendance.
First Impressions Strategy
NL suggested that the effect of this project activity be evaluated by a formal mystery shopping survey before and after implementation. She will develop a draft specification and Request For Quote for the production of First Impressions new member induction guidelines and workshops.
Councillor-Library Introductions
This activity will need to be undertaken in conjunction with Libraries Building Communities project. NL suggested that two committee members from each project form a working group. Discussion was deferred to the next meeting. / NL to revise EOI brief with agreed campaign themes and timeline
NL to ask Yaclink to support Holiday Fun in SRC
NL to check copyright with Lange Hill marketing
NL to develop Request for Quote
NL to develop NL to develop Request for Quote
Other Business
AMO described a successful sponsorship deal between the City Library and Met Cards: the library is being promoted on the cards, and the cards in turn are promoted in the CAE Course Guide and by a display stand in the library.
Next Meeting
Monday 2 August, 9.30 – 11.30am, B3.23Dome Meeting Room, State Library of Victoria