Marketing library programs in rural communities can be a challenge, but with the right strategy, you can successfully reach your target audience and increase participation. Here are some steps to follow:
- Identify your target audience: Determine the age range, interests, and needs of the people in your community. Do a short two-question survey to your program attendees about how they heard about it, or what they like about it. This will help you tailor your marketing efforts to meet their specific needs.
- Use traditional methods: Reach out to your community through traditional methods such as flyers, posters, and announcements in local newspapers. These methods are often effective in rural communities.
- Partner with local organizations: Partner with local schools, community centers, and other organizations to reach a wider audience. You can also collaborate with them to co-host events or programs.
- Utilize social media: Utilize social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to reach a larger audience and share information about upcoming events and programs.
- Offer incentives: Offer incentives to encourage participation, such as raffles or prize drawings for those who attend events or sign up for programs.
- Engage with the community: Host events and programs that are relevant to the community and its interests. Engage with community members and ask for feedback to improve future events.
- Evaluate your efforts: Regularly evaluate the success of your marketing efforts and make changes as needed. Keep track of attendance and feedback from community members to see what is working and what isn’t. Make sure your goal is reasonable – even the attendance of a few people can be considered a success!
By following these steps, you can effectively market library programs in rural communities and increase participation.
Here is Parkland’s Library Program Guide for more information!
Here’s a Super Library Marketing Program Marketing Video with additional tips & tricks.