Last updated on Oct 12, 2024

How do you promote and market your resource sharing services to your users and stakeholders?

Resource sharing is a vital service that allows libraries to expand their collections and provide access to diverse and relevant materials for their users. However, resource sharing can also be challenging to promote and market, especially in times of budget constraints, staff shortages, and changing user needs. How do you showcase the value and benefits of your resource sharing services to your users and stakeholders? Here are some tips and strategies to help you communicate effectively and creatively about your resource sharing services.

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1 Know your audience

The first step to promote and market your resource sharing services is to understand who your audience is and what they need. Different user groups may have different preferences, expectations, and motivations for using resource sharing. For example, students may be interested in accessing textbooks, journals, and databases that are not available in their home library, while faculty may be looking for rare or specialized materials for their research. Similarly, different stakeholders may have different goals, concerns, and perspectives on resource sharing. For example, library administrators may be interested in the costs, benefits, and outcomes of resource sharing, while library staff may be interested in the workflows, policies, and procedures of resource sharing. Knowing your audience will help you tailor your messages, channels, and formats to suit their needs and interests.

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Leah Ortiz

Project Manager Certified: Let me help you achieve seamless launches for your courses/offers/membership.
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If you are just starting and want to understand your audience, you must first identify who you want to serve. You can't serve everyone. By narrowing down your focus, you can understand their challenges and create tutorials or educational posts based on that. Please connect with your target audience and ask them about their struggles so you can figure out what to create and tailor your service offerings to meet their needs.

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2 Highlight the value proposition

The second step to promote and market your resource sharing services is to highlight the value proposition of resource sharing. This means explaining how resource sharing can help your users and stakeholders achieve their goals, solve their problems, or satisfy their needs. For example, you can emphasize how resource sharing can save time, money, and space for your users by providing access to a wide range of materials from other libraries. You can also emphasize how resource sharing can support the mission, vision, and values of your library and institution by enhancing learning, teaching, and research. You can use stories, testimonials, statistics, or examples to illustrate the value proposition of resource sharing and show its impact and outcomes.

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Leah Ortiz

Project Manager Certified: Let me help you achieve seamless launches for your courses/offers/membership.
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Testimonials and teaching can make a big impression on potential clients. Asking for recommendations from previous clients can help build your authority in your niche. I'm happy to connect with someone with lots of educational posts on their feeds rather than being too salesly.

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Matinde Evans
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Rather than relying solely on verbal persuasion, we've found that a hands-on approach is more effective. By demonstrating the tangible benefits of resource sharing through concrete examples like saving essential documents and daily agendas, we've successfully encouraged adoption among our users.

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3 Use multiple channels and formats

The third step to promote and market your resource sharing services is to use multiple channels and formats to reach your audience. Depending on your audience's preferences, habits, and behaviors, you can use different channels and formats to communicate your messages. For example, you can use social media, newsletters, blogs, podcasts, or webinars to share information, updates, tips, or best practices about resource sharing. You can also use flyers, posters, brochures, bookmarks, or stickers to display or distribute in your library or on campus. You can also use events, workshops, demos, or tours to showcase or demonstrate your resource sharing services. You can also use word-of-mouth, referrals, or incentives to encourage your users or staff to spread the word or try your resource sharing services.

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Matinde Evans
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We've found that webinars and videos have been particularly successful in reaching a broad audience and promoting our resource sharing service. In addition to offering diverse content formats, we've adopted a phased approach to adoption. Starting with essential documents and daily agendas provides a tangible benefit and makes the transition to our service more seamless.

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4 Collaborate with partners

The fourth step to promote and market your resource sharing services is to collaborate with partners. Partners can be other libraries, departments, units, or organizations that share your goals, values, or interests in resource sharing. Partners can help you expand your reach, leverage your resources, or enhance your credibility. For example, you can partner with other libraries in your network, consortium, or region to promote or coordinate your resource sharing services. You can also partner with academic departments, research centers, or student groups to align or integrate your resource sharing services with their curricula, projects, or activities. You can also partner with external organizations, such as publishers, vendors, or associations, to access or offer additional resources or benefits for your resource sharing services.

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5 Solicit feedback and evaluation

The fifth step to promote and market your resource sharing services is to solicit feedback and evaluation from your users and stakeholders. Feedback and evaluation can help you measure the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of your resource sharing services. They can also help you identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your resource sharing services. You can use surveys, interviews, focus groups, or analytics to collect feedback and evaluation from your users and stakeholders. You can use the feedback and evaluation to improve your resource sharing services, adjust your messages, or modify your strategies. You can also use the feedback and evaluation to celebrate your achievements, acknowledge your challenges, or report your results.

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6 Be consistent and creative

The sixth and final step to promote and market your resource sharing services is to be consistent and creative. Consistency means delivering your messages frequently, clearly, and accurately across different channels and formats. Consistency helps you build trust, awareness, and recognition for your resource sharing services. Creativity means finding new, innovative, or engaging ways to communicate your messages. Creativity helps you stand out, attract attention, and inspire action for your resource sharing services. You can be consistent and creative by following a plan, using a style guide, or adopting a brand for your resource sharing services. You can also be consistent and creative by experimenting, testing, or learning from others for your resource sharing services.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you promote and market your resource sharing services to your users and stakeholders?

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1 Know your audience

2 Highlight the value proposition

3 Use multiple channels and formats

4 Collaborate with partners

5 Solicit feedback and evaluation

6 Be consistent and creative

7 Here’s what else to consider

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