Components of Promotion and Marketing

In planning a program of promotional activities consideration should be given to essential marketing components

Subject
Promotional activities are most effective when related to the normal school calendar and planned at least a semester ahead, thus providing each activity with a specific focus. Events of wider significance such as a school fete or Anzac Day should be included in the planning calendar. Regular activities, even on a small scale, are more effective than larger spasmodic efforts and easier to coordinate.

Purpose
The purpose of the promotion should be:

• linked to the expected educational outcomes stated in the school operational plan;
• stated in terms that are measurable;
• the expected benefits should be clearly defined.

Audience
Ensure that the promotion targets a selected audience. The audience can include students, staff, parents, and the community and network schools.

Time and place
The calendar of planned activities should show the specific time frame required for planning and where the main focus of the activity will take place.

Strategies
Select strategies that will achieve maximum impact from minimum effort on as much of the audience as possible. Responsibility for activities can be shared among staff, student and parents. When planning canvass widely for ideas, devise a series of manageable steps and allocate sufficient time to achieve the desired result.

Evaluation
Evaluations can be either formal or informal. Evaluate the promotion in terms of its purpose, efforts expended and perceived benefits. Monitor ongoing promotions during their progress as well as doing a summative evaluation. Briefly record successful strategies and any improvements that could be incorporated into future promotions.

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Strategies for Promotion and Marketing

Strategies for promotion are limited only by imagination and each activity will demand a blend of a range of tools and strategies. Information concerning the resource centre needs to be directed at both the school and the community. It should cover the needs of new users as well as keeping established users up-to-date with how the resource centre supports student learning. Using written, oral, visual and electronic communication means, leisure activities, special events and displays can achieve the distribution of information.

Written communication

• Newsletters – resource centre newsletters aimed at students, staff or the local community and contributions to the newsletters of others, e.g. school newsletter and community news sheets.
• Reports – monthly, semester and annual reports to the school administration; semester and annual reports to the school community; reports on special projects or functions (See also 3. Strategies for communication).
• Submissions – regarding particular issues, e.g. staffing, budget, seeking funding from outside sources (See also 3 Strategies for communication).
• Letters and fliers detailing promotions to supportive groups, community leaders, politicians, newspapers, staff, parents and students.
• Procedural handbooks.
• Articles to local newspapers and professional journals.
• Free samples – give-away bookmarks with resource centre messages.

Oral communication

• Meetings with school administration; year level or subject area teachers; P & C Association, networks, cluster schools, departmental representatives, and the wider community.
• Professional development initiatives – in-service programs for staff and the community; workshops for volunteers.
• Media reports – community announcements on the local radio or television and interviews.
• Special events – open days; information days in shopping centres.
• Announcements at assembly and during school events.
• Teleconferences and audio conferences with personalities such as children’s authors and illustrators.

Visual communication

• Displays
• Directional signs
• Posters and notice boards to advertise new resources, coming events and lunchtime activities
• Realia
• Audiovisual materials – in-house video; commercial products

Electronic communication

• Screensavers on school intranet – changed regularly to highlight resource centre activities
• Email communication with students and teachers in other schools
• Internet groups

Leisure activities

Leisure activities promote the resource centre by broadening the perception of students of what may occur in a resource centre and what it might have to offer. Possible activities include:

Games	Competitions	Reading
Interclass quizzes	Club meetings	Computer use
Craft activities	Storytelling	Displays

Special events

These may include: Anzac Day, Book Week, visiting authors and illustrators, parent nights, local festivals, morning teas, fetes.

Displays

Displays are an ideal way to promote resource centre services and collection. They also capture attention, stimulate interest, reflect school activities and highlight student work. There are numerous resources available to assist in developing a program of displays. They cover topics ranging from how to produce calendars of events to techniques of presentation, printing and publication.

The teacher-librarian must be alert to current issues of interest to the students and act on these. It is particularly important that displays are changed frequently. While some displays may last a month, there is also need for a quick turnover of material of short-lived interest. Although these sometimes involve considerable work, a significant collection of display material for various topics is available for sharing with other schools.

To be effective the year (or semester) program of display must be planned in advance. Acting as coordinator the teacher-librarian can enlist the collaboration of staff, students and members of the community, inviting them to contribute ideas, time, effort and special skills, and encouraging them to accept responsibility for particular displays. The timetable will need columns for Date, Topic, Group responsible for display, Area required (Perhaps a graphic)

When mounting a display:

• Design it for the intended audience.
• Make it as eye-catching as possible.
• Locate it at eye-level.
• Label it clearly.
• Include interactive elements where possible.
• Vary formats – try 3 dimensional as well as 2 dimensional.
• Include realia wherever possible and always use resources that can be borrowed.

Some ideas for subject matter include:

• Photographic displays of all school events suitably captioned.
• Theme displays:authors, illustrators and famous people - countries and regions; special days, weeks and festivals - literary genres; local events and community activities - general interest
• Curriculum topics.
• New or neglected resources.

Some useful items for mounting displays are listed below. Students can be involved in their collection and preparation:

• old umbrella frames
• mosquito nets
• fabric covered notice boards
• clear plastic pouches
• hanging hoops
• alphabet display letters
• (graphic)
• fishing nets
• fishing line
• coloured hessian
• large boxes
• mobiles
• living things
• spray painted paper
• soft toys
• curtains/cushions
• lengths of fabric

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Last updated 5 May 2008