Designing a marketing campaign for the Materials Access Program for Students with Disabilities program “requires a follow-through to market many of the goals and objectives” of Wythe County Public Schools’ (WCPS) strategic plan (Moran and Morner, 2018, p. 127). In this way, the project beings and ends with the vision, mission, objectives, strategies, and action plans as implemented by WCPS. According to Velasquez, the Ps and Cs of marking most relevant to library marketing include products, place, promotion, customer solutions, convenience, and communication; price and customer cost are not as relevant in this particular area of interest (2019, p. 120-121). These elements will be wisely incorporated into a marketing mix. To create a comprehensive plan for the Materials Access for Students with Disabilities project, a mix of print, digital, and word of mouth communications will be utilized. Additionally, all members of the library team will be utilized to market the services provided by the project and emphasize the importance of the Fort Chiswell Middle School (FCMS) library to the patrons and stakeholders. With the advice of Lamb that communications stay “focused on the needs of library customers” (p. 8.6, 2020), the marking plan for each component follows.
A logo will be designed to feature on print materials with the goal of being “simple, but at the same time appealing and striking” (Lamb, p, 8.22, 2020) to accompany the @FCMSlibrary slogan that is already in place. These posters will clearly and cleanly outline the top three benefits the program offers students and their parents, as identified by the library and district. This print layout can be used as the initial digital post to social media.
Existing social media accounts will be utilized to accomplish digital aspects of the marketing plan. FCMS regularly utilizes Facebook to push out information, and the site is more heavily trafficked than the school website or library link found within the school’s page. Velasquez recommends updating “at least weekly, if not more often” (2019, p. 128). The assigned librarian staff member will make one post on Tuesdays that features student involvement (with their consent, of course), and one post on Fridays that highlights reminders and information for the coming week pertinent to the project.
The word of mouth campaign will be propagated by reiterating points from the print and digital aspects of the marketing plan at school-related events such as board meetings, parent meetings, after school programs, and sporting events. Additionally, “staff should also be discussing the library wherever they go in town” (Velasquez, 2019, p. 123). This provides a talking point when a library worker or other staff member of the schools incidentally meets with a parent at grocery stores or community events. The marketing plan will be monitored and evaluated to ensure its success, which may result in the school board making the decision “to increase funding based upon demonstrated goal achievements through proactive measures that both create and prove value for the larger community” (Moran & Morner, 2018, p. 135).
Resources
Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2020, May 4). Message design, branding, and the library’s story. eduscapes: Marketing for Libraries. https://eduscapes.com/wp/marketing-for-libraries/
Moran, B. B., & Morner, C. J. (2017). Library and information center management (9th ed.). ABC-CLIO.
Velasquez, D. L. (2019). Marketing. In L. K. Hussey & D. L. Velasquez (Eds.), Library Management 101: A Practical Guide (2nd ed.) (pp. 119–133). American Library Association.