Empathy by Design
Empathy-Driven Marketing for Libraries

Sabine Jean Dantus (Author)

9798892555579

Paperback / softback, published 12 February 2024

160 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.3 cm, 0.454 kg

The library is a universal resource where knowledge and information meet. To advertise this resource and advance equal access in positive ways, libraries must develop strategies, campaigns, and messages that show they care about the lives of their diverse communities.
 
Empathy by Design: Empathy-Driven Marketing for Libraries offers step-by-step strategies for understanding why people visit the library and tailoring your marketing with personalization that resonates with users on a deeper level. It provides real-world solutions for understanding your target audience through empathy and demonstrates how to gather and use data to develop messages and programming that fosters meaningful connections and engagement. You’ll find ideas for understanding the customer journey, creating an empathic library brand, and creating empathy-driven marketing strategies, campaigns, content, and tactics.
 
Today’s library marketers should both understand the effectiveness of using empathy in marketing and use it as a radical tool for advancing our profession’s values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. The strategies outlined in Empathy by Design can give you the tools you need to make your marketing--and your library--more targeted and empathic.
 

• Dedication
• Acknowledgments
• Preface. Crafting a Foundation for Empowerment and Change: Exploring the Use of Empathy in Library Marketing and DEIA Values
• Overview of the Book
• Terminology
• Purpose and Audience
• Chapter 1. Empathy in Libraries: A New Way to Engage with Your Community
• What is Empathy?
• Empower Your Library’
  s Marketing with Empathy
• The Process of Empathy in Library Marketing
• The Takeaway: Empathy in Libraries
• Chapter 2. Leveraging Compassionate Library Marketing Practices through Empathy and DEIA Values
• Empathy as the Foundation of DEIA Practices
• Empathy and DEIA Practices Lead to Compassionate Actions
• Cultivating Empathy through Practice
• Tailor Your Empathic Marketing Approach to DEIA Values
• Addressing DEIA Values
• The Takeaway: Bridging the Gap between Libraries and Diverse Audiences
• Chapter 3. Empathic Design: A Human-centered Solution
• Empathic Design Explained
• Why is Empathic Design Important?
• Empathic Design in Library Marketing
• Creating Messages That Resonate
• Empathic Design Steps
• Achieving Resource/Program/Service “
  Nirvana”
  
• The Takeaway: Empathtic Design in Action
• References
• Chapter 4. Observation and Identifying the Needs of Users
• Triggers of Use
• Interactions with the User’
  s Environment
• User Customization
• Intangible Attributes of the Library
• Unarticulated User Needs
• Identifying User Motivations
• The Takeaway: Observation and Identification of the Needs of Users
• References
• Chapter 5. Gathering Accurate, Reliable Data for Informed Decisions
• Let’
  s Talk About Market Research
• How to Begin Your Market Research Journey
• Gathering User Feedback through Surveys, Focus Groups, and Interviews
• Tips for Creating a Survey or Questionnaire
• The Takeaway: Capturing Data and Marketing Research
• Chapter 6. Uncovering Insights from Data: Reflection and Interpretation
• Examining and Synthesizing Data from Market Research
• Organize the Data into Groups
• Addressing Equity for All Users
• Organizing Data to Address Pain Points
• Conducting a Needs Assessment for Empathic Library Marketing Solutions
• Finding Your Target Audience
• The Takeaway: Reflection and Analysis
• Chapter 7. Brainstorming or Ideating Solutions
• Brainstorming for Solutions
• Setting up Ground Rules
• Creative Brainstorming Strategies
• The Importance of Brainstorming to Understand the Users’
  Needs
• The Takeaway: Brainstorming to Develop Solutions
• Chapter 8. Crafting Empathic Library Marketing Solutions through Prototyping and Testing
• Library Marketing Solutions (Ideas, Tactics, and Strategies)
• The Differences Between Library Marketing Solutions, Channels, Campaigns, Goals, and Strategies
• Comparing a Marketing and an Action Plan: Understanding the Distinctions
• Crafting a Marketing Plan
• Prototyping an Empathy-driven Library Marketing Solution
• Testing the Effectiveness of a Library Marketing Prototype
• Tools and Techniques for Continuous Improvement in Prototyping
• Managing Continuous Improvement in Prototyping
• Strategies for Communicating Library Marketing Prototypes
• The Takeaway: Using the Prototype to Launch Your Library Marketing Solution(s)
• Chapter 9. The FIRST Values Framework: Putting Empathy into Action or Empathy-Centered Library Marketing Strategies
• Fellow-feeling
• Identification
• Responsiveness
• Self-awareness
• Thoughtfulness
• The Takeaway: The FIRST Framework
• Chapter 10. Evaluating and Measuring Success: Gauging the Impact of Your Library Marketing Strategies
• How to Measure the Success of Your Library Marketing Solutions
• Common Metrics for Measuring Success
• Qualitative Versus Quantitative Evaluation Methods
• Evaluating Library Marketing Effectiveness
• Improving Library Marketing Results
• The Takeaway: Gauging the Impact of Your Library Marketing Strategies
• Appendix A: Empathic Library Marketing Solutions Toolkit
• Empathic Library Brand
• Conduct Research and Collect Customer Feedback
• Create, Refine, or Revise the Library Mission Statement
• Develop an Empathic Brand Strategy
• Create an Outreach Plan
• Communication Plan
• Empathy-driven Marketing Plan
• Appendix B: The FIRST Framework for Library Marketing Questions
• Appendix C: Marketing Plan
• Vision
• Core Values
• Executive Summary
• Target Audiences
• Situation Analysis
• Marketing and Outreach Strategies and Tactics (or Objectives)
• Brand Identity
• Key Messages
• Campaign/Action Plan Schedule/Timeline
• Budget
• Communication Samples and Prototypes
• Assessment Results/Reporting/Evaluation/Indicators of Success
• Media List
• Glossary
• About the Author