Internet Librarian 2009-Meredith Hammons

The last session I attended this afternoon was on Mobile Marketing. I went because the blurb in the catalog talked about how effective mobile marketing could be with Latino/Latina populations, as well as with teens. Two of our branches have large Latino/Latina populations and we’re always trying to reach teens. The presenter was Nancy Dowd from the New Jersey State Library. They are in the midst of a pilot program with text messaging, involving 10 branches. They selected text messaging as a relatively affordable and quick means of beginning mobile marketing. The branches that were most successful were those with staff who really enjoyed communicating. One benefit of text messaging over, for example, e-mail newsletters, is that it is easy to target information to specific users. To join a group, one texts to the number and uses keywords for specific groups. Thus, all messages for teens, or parents of young children, or anime lovers, and only messages for those specific groups, go out to them.
The New Jersey system partnered with a group called GoldMobile to handle the legal issues (the necessary disclaimers about the cost of text, and how to unsubscribe, etc.), as well as marketing help and training. For texting, one uses a short code, which is quite expensive. Working with GoldMobile allowed the branches to share a short code, thus cutting down on the expense. This project costs approximately $50 a month for each branch. One example of how the texting has been used has been to advertise to Spanish speaking parents that there are Spanish-speaking librarians through more traditional means, and as part of that, asking them to sign up to receive texts. Another is to remind teens of upcoming events, even minutes before they start, as well as getting feedback during the presentation itself.
Nancy noted that in order for programs like these to work, one needs a compelling reason for people to sign up (either meeting a need, or an opportunity to win a prize). There is sign-up resistance, as well as some people having text message filters (especially teens). Nancy also offers that one must use mobile marketing as one of several marketing tools. It is especially useful for calls to action and the text number/instructions can be included on posters, bulletin boards, and newspaper blurbs.
Tomorrow, sessions will include more on technology and marketing, as well as finally a session on “Retooling Technical Services for the Digital Environment.” Wouldn’t you know that would be the last lesson on the last day?