605-394-4171
Ÿ www.rapidcitylibrary.org
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Date: August 1, 2005 |
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To: |
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From: G. Chapman, Director |
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Re: Marketing Plan Proposal |
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Recommendation: Send out a scope of work request to local public relations firms for interviews and proposals for the development of a marketing plan. Recommended proposals would go to the Board Finance Committee for review and recommendation to the Board. The proposal would include collaboration between the consultant and library staff to produce a marketing plan. Given there are a number of resources and background research available from current library marketing practices, the consulting support would pull together and fine tune existing resources for efficiency and effectiveness. |
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Summary: In contacting local companies, the estimated cost range based on an hourly rate for a marketing plan would be from $2000-$4000. This cost is based on an average hourly rate for obtaining approximately 25 hours on a marketing plan, which would take from 30-60 days to complete. Average hourly rates are from $80 - $160 per hour. The library budget has $2,000 available and the remaining amount could be considered from auxiliary funds, end-of-the-year, the Foundation or the Friends. |
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Background: The library’s Strategic Plan identifies four goals that relate to library marketing: |
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In addition, when the public survey was conducted in preparation for the strategic plan, a recurring theme was that library users and non-users alike were unaware of services we already offer. This emphasized the need for us to more adequately market our services and resources. |
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As an initial step in a marketing assessment, the library’s current marketing and public relations efforts were reviewed. In addition, information was gathered from other libraries that already have marketing or PR positions in place. The information reviewed for this assessment included: |
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After reviewing the information from the other libraries that have marketing positions in place, it is clear that RCPL could do much more to develop an effective marketing plan for our library. |
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Examples of Background information for local firms: |
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Seize the Day
Marketing Group, 341-1845 |
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Seize
the Day Marketing Group (STDMG) is a full-service marketing firm
specializing in marketing and business development, graphic design and web
site development. Kari Jagodzinski has outlined a plan of work for
the project, which includes training for staff involved in promotional efforts. |
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Their final product would be include recommendations,
designs and copies to be completed and bound for a “Marketing Plan for Rapid
City Public Library Programs and Events,” including CD format. The project is not expected to exceed 25
hours at a non-profit rate of $75/hour, for a total cost of approximately
$1900. The time frame would be about
30 days for completion. |
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Hot Pink, Inc., 341-2388 |
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Hot Pink is currently working with the South Dakota Library Association on a marketing campaign, and they are very interested in working with RCP. |
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For a project cost of approximately $5,000, we would directly with Hot Pink for about 2 months. The product developed for us at the end of this time would be a marketing planning guide; it would outline how we would need to target audiences, define achievable goals, and include time checks for evaluating the process. If over the next six to twelve months additional work with Hot Pink was necessary during implementation of the planning guide, it would be billed at an additional cost. |
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