|
Abstract:
|
Marketing of information services is now an important goal of librarians all over the
~orld t? attract mor~ users to the libr~ry. thereby promoting user satisfaction. Marketing
IS considered ~s ~n Integr~1 part of libraries and information centres mainly due to the
developments In information t.echnology, information explosion, and declining library
budgets. Kotler defines marketing as the "analysis, planning, implementation and control
o~ carefully formulated programs designed to bring about voluntary exchanges of values
WIth target markets fo~ the ~~rpos~ of~chievingorganizational objectives". Organizations
suc.h as museums, unrversittes, libraries, and charities need to market their causes and
their products to gain. political and social support as well as economic support (Kotler,
1995). In the marketing world people are now migrating from the traditional Four P
~lodelto th~ S~VE mode! (Alt~ns~n, 2013). According to the SAVE model, marketing
III an orgarusanon must grve pnonty to 'Solutions' instead of the features or functions
of~he.'Product" Similarily it is to focus on 'Access', instead of ,Place'; 'Value' instead
of Price" so that the benefits are more stressed, rather than production costs. Instead of
:Proliloti.on', marketi~g has. to conc~ntrate on 'Educating' the customers, providing
lJlfo~mahol~ about t~eJr specific req~lrements, instead of relying on advertising, public
rel~tlons, direct selling etc. From a library point ofview, to ensure maximum utilization
of library ~ervices there is an increasing need for definite marketing plans to exploit the
techn.ologlcal dcvelop",len~s so ~s to entice the users. By anticipating their changing
needs and ~y co.mmulllcatl~g WIth them it should be possible to devise strategies to
present various library services and products in a perceptive style. |