Using Technology To Market To Young Adults: Kimberly Bolan

Using Technology
to Market to Young Adults

Kimberly Bolan
Librarian | Consultant | Trainer | Writer
ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

June 24, 2007 Kimberly Bolan & Associates Page 1

Queens Library
The Exit Project
□ streaming video tutorial – NYC Department of Education’s
8th Grade Exit Project (Science & Social Studies)
□ step-by-step guide on how to

(a)choose a topic
(b)incorporate research methodologies and
(c)conduct an oral presentation
□ 2005 – 2006; LSTA Grant – NY State Library Division of Library Development
www.queenslibrary.org @ For Teens

TeenLinQ
1
#1 - Understand “marketing”
Marketing is a process! It’s ongoing….
Research & analyze needs
1. Identify your “customers” / target groups
2. Identify your “products”
What are the wants & needs of target customers?

How do you satisfying these customers?
How do you plan and promote your “products”?

4 P’s - Marketing Strategies

Product Pricing
What is the cost in time and money to
What do you have that teens need?
library?
What could you offer to attract What is the “price” to customer?
teens to the library?
How can you get the most “bang for
your buck?”
Note: Technology can be a product
and/or a promotional tool How should you evaluate (i.e. ROI)?
Placement Promotion
How can you attract teens to your
Where is the most effective
services?
location to provide and promote
your product? How do you inform them of what the
Key: Think in terms of within the library has?
library and outside the library Find your “power” networkers -
Outreach, outreach, outreach!!!

#2 - One Size Does Not Fit All

□ Small vs. Medium vs.
Large
□ School vs. Public vs.
Academic
□ Teen to Teen
□ Multi-faceted –
Not one perfect solution

2
#3 - Tie in new ideas with more
traditional ones

#4 – Develop active & ongoing

teen participation
• Get their input
• Listen to them
• Get them involved
Teen Advisory Boards
(Yes, even in schools!)
Board Members
(See my blog – Multnomah Co.)
Online Surveys
Focus Groups (See my blog - focus group tips)
Focus Group Findings “Don’t

“Talk to us!” treat us
Word of mouth
is the best PR! like kids!”
“We like
humor (in
“We don’t
advertising).” like
Everything
doesn’t cheesiness”
have to be
elaborate.
More technology,
more technology,
Don’t just appeal to one gender
more technology!!!
3
Don’t make
assumptions
"What's the airport that has all that neon?"
Oh yeah, O'Hare.
Let's not do that, it gives me a headache."
– Teen Customer from Durango Public Library (CO)
“Have teens help with things. No offense, but

adults don’t always know what we want.”
– Teen Customer from Waupaca Public Library (WI)

User-generated content
□ Co-opt program / contest
□ Teens create
graphics,
animations, ads,
videos, podcasts
□ Set ground rules & objectives
□ Turn them loose
Viral
Marketing
□ Marketing that’s
“contagious”
□ It spreads
because
customers
share it!
Source: Logic + Emotion
http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/
2006/08/influence_rippl.html
4
“It’s not about us,
it’s about them.”
-Dr. Mike Cowan, Principal, and
Julia Jorgensen, Librarian
Cape Central HS, Cape Girardeau, MO
#5 – Collaborate with other

libraries, organizations, local
businesses and, yes, vendors!
□Idea sharing Bloomingdale (IL) Public Library
□Funding Grant money received from Best

Buy to purchase equipment for
□Scale
podcasting and video-casting
Possible DDR and other gaming

tournaments with other local
libraries.

First Steps…
Your Teen Web Page
□ Have one!
□ Draw them in
□ Online outreach
□ More than just words
Good Resource:
□ Make it dynamic! 101+ Great Ideas for Teen

Library Web Sites by
Miranda Doyle (Neal-
Schuman, January 2007).
5
Podcasts, RSS, Online Program Registration, Auto Reminders, & More…
Manchester (CT) Public Library, Lansing (IL) PL, Memorial Hall (MA) Library, Hennepin County (MN) Library,
Dearborn (MI) Public Schools, Galileo High School (CA), ImaginON (NC), Palos Verdes (CA) PL
Online Summer Reading

The State of Massachusetts, Pima County (AZ) Public Library, Prince William County (VA) Library System,
Kent District (MI) Library
DRAWING!!!!
Free Online Summer Reading Software
□ Visit http://indielibrarian.blogspot.com/
Go to the posting for “ALA Drawing…”, click the “Sign Me Up”
button, enter information as directed, and you’re entered
□ One lucky winner will win a FREE 1-year subscription
□ Enter through June 30, 2007
□ Winner announced July 2, 2007
□ Thanks to YALSA’s Teens & Technology Committee
Software donation provided by

6
A few more tips…
□ Don’t try
everything at
once
□ It doesn’t have to
be perfect!
□ Know when it’s

time to reassess &
try something new

Resources
□ Ypulse (Anastasia Goodstein) http://www.ypulse.com/
Daily news & commentary about Generation Y for media and
marketing professionals.
□ NetDay Student Voices Resource Center

http://www.netday.org/SVRC/
Comprehensive research and collaboration space that provides
resources to engage and involve students in technology-related
decision-making.
□ The $100 Billion Allowance: Assessing the Global Teen Market

by Elissa Moses and Wise Up to Teens by Peter Zollo
□ Alternative Teen Services http://www.yalibrarian.com/
□ YALSA website

Rolling Stones & Marketing

• Provide value
• Transcend generations
• Embrace your audience
• Show your humanity
• Deliver a memorable brand
experience
• Leave a lasting impression
My challenge to libraries:
Develop a marketing initiative and make it your
library’s mission to do 2 – 3 of the above items well!
Logic + Emotion - http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion

“What a Stones Show Can Teach Us About Marketing” by David Armano
7
Thank you!
Kimberly (Kim) Bolan
Librarian | Consultant | Trainer | Writer
Kimberly Bolan & Associates

10094 Yosemite Lane, Indianapolis, IN 46234
P: 585-739-7003 (business cell)
E: bolan_kimberly@yahoo.com
B: indielibrarian.blogspot.com
W: www.libraryconsultants.org


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Using Technology

to Market to Young Adults

ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

□ step-by-step guide on how to

□ 2005 – 2006; LSTA Grant – NY State Library Division of Library Development

www.queenslibrary.org @ For Teens

What are the wants & needs of target customers?

ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

4 P’s - Marketing Strategies

ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

#2 - One Size Does Not Fit All

ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

#4 – Develop active & ongoing

Focus Group Findings “Don’t

“Have teens help with things. No offense, but

ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

#5 – Collaborate with other

□Idea sharing Bloomingdale (IL) Public Library

□Funding Grant money received from Best

Possible DDR and other gaming

ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

□ Make it dynamic! 101+ Great Ideas for Teen

Online Summer Reading

□ One lucky winner will win a FREE 1-year subscription

□ Enter through June 30, 2007

□ Winner announced July 2, 2007

□ Thanks to YALSA’s Teens & Technology Committee

Software donation provided by

□ Know when it’s

ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

□ NetDay Student Voices Resource Center

□ The $100 Billion Allowance: Assessing the Global Teen Market

□ Alternative Teen Services http://www.yalibrarian.com/

ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

Rolling Stones & Marketing

Logic + Emotion - http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion

Kimberly Bolan & Associates

ALA Annual Conference Kimberly Bolan, Consultant All Rights Reserved

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