Market Research

Focus on the user

What's a library?

Marketers say that perception is reality. For each user, the perception of the library may be different, and sometimes not what you expect!

• To some users, the library is the building, not the collections and services.

• For online users, the web site is the library - if it's not online you don't have it. Needs of different generations or different levels of ease with technology affect perceptions and preferences. Are you marketing to digital natives or digital immigrants (see sidebar)?

• To another user, one unanswered question might forever represent the capabilities of the reference department.

• For a few vocal users, lousy parking equates to your level of service.

• Some groups of users are in conflict - libraries are just books and they want technology - or libraries have too much technology and nobody reads anymore!

Market research identifies user perceptions

You need to know how users perceive the library, what they expect from the library, and how they make decisions about using library products. Market research helps you understand your market, your specific user groups, or segments. Getting information directly from the user can help you do the following:

• Identify the demand for services from the various segments (user groups).

• Identify your competition -- what are other sources of services you provide that your customers may prefer, and why.

• Learn how your users make decisions about which services they actually use, what factors influence their choices.

• Learn what value customers place on library products, what are the features and benefits they look for in a library product.

• Determine the promotion strategies that will influence decisions of your users, what will work best for specific groups (market segments) and for specific types of products.

Types of market research

Market research is primary information (talking to or surveying users) rather than secondary information (data from census resources, reference books, and other data that you did not gather personally).

Research is also categorized as quantitative (things that can be measured, how many, how often) or qualitative (how people feel about something). You might want to know how many people use a service or how many people of a certain age use a service. On the other hand, it may be helpful to know WHY your patrons use or don't use a service. Do they like a service but find it inconvenient, for example? Qualitative research includes focus groups, talking to users, written narrative surveys, etc. Quantitative research is data driven and should follow sound principles of statistical research including defining a population (group) and true random sampling within that population.

Who does research?

Look at your needs and your budget for market research. What is the project worth? Perhaps there are marketers from other libraries available to you. Local agencies or colleges may have marketing experts, or more likely, students who can help.

Maybe the marketing department for your library is you -- when you're not being the reference, circulation, or tech services department! Can you do it yourself? Yes -- but carefully. For example, focus groups ("in-depth, qualitative interviews with a small number of carefully selected people") involve a lot more than gathering a group in a room. Recording and analyzing the data requires some training. Designing a good written survey is also tricky. Whole chapters in statistical textbooks are dedicated to the process of designing "survey instruments" that are valid and reliable. However, the methods are worth learning and fortunately there are many good resources available. (See sidebar).

With careful market research, you can determine how your users perceive the library, what they expect from the library, and how they decide whether or not to use your products.

Read chapter 1 in the "What is a Survey Series" and then look at sample surveys: Library User Surveys on the Web, from Library Research Service. Note: Alternate information about conducting surveys and sample surveys may be available in your library collection.

• Do you think a phone or a written survey would work best for your library? Why? Has either method been used? Consider how it would be carried out at your library, by whom, when, cost, etc.

(Note: for a real survey, you would select a sample of that population to give you accurate information about the population as a whole. For example, if your "population" is the whole community, giving a written survey at the circulation desk would not give you information about non-library users or web users, and would not be a proper "sample.")

• In the market research section of your plan, describe who you would survey, i.e., who is your target audience? In research terms, what is the population you want to learn about?

• If you do not have access to a library marketing plan, look at sample library marketing plans from Module 2 or Sample Marketing Plans from NSLS and Members. You may also look at online plans for several types of business available on a commercial site. Choose one or two of the non-profit plans to scan. These plans are more complex than the plan you will be working on in this module, but will give you an idea of the way that marketing audits, market research, and the whole planning process are reflected in the final marketing plan.

Challenges.