Matching, adapting, executing and optimizing organizational resources,
services and facilities which are best suited to satisfying customers, is the
basic mantra of modern marketing. Marketing, applied and practised
systematically, becomes the central focus and force of every successful
organization, whether profit-making or non-profit making. The organization’s
success depends on its effectiveness in meeting identified customer wants
and needs, both explicit and implicit. Customers are people whose behavior we
want to influence and with whom we want to develop long-term loyalties for
our library's offering.
Delivering satisfying products and services for library customers is an
art in itself. And to this endeavour, we must capitalize upon our experience as
well as gain knowledge from other professions, which consider customer loyalty
and satisfaction central to their mission. The turn of the 21st century brings
forth new trends in marketing from cradle to grave. And our profession must
be cognizant of these trends and ready to employ them.
Our profession’s offerings include libraries, library and information
professionals, and library and information goods and services. Our offerings
represent a sacred store of human mental efforts for centuries. Successful
libraries are influenced by the application of marketing. Marketing is necessary
to: offer benefits, users want; reduce barriers to use and access; persuade and
inform our customers; and carefully plan to satisfy their needs. From a set of
techniques to a mindset - the more we delve into marketing, the more useful it
is for daily planning, execution and outcome.