16 Minutes of Your Spring Break Well Spent

Every Thursday, you’ll get this short, fun, relevant newsletter. It will contain a quote or smile about the library and those who love it, an idea you can use to promote your library or reading in general, and a shameless plug for the programs I offer. Enjoy!

If you are new to EOT or have missed any previous issues, you can read them all at www.smartlibrarians.com. And please tell your friends about it!

It's Spring Break for a lot of you, so I'll make this brief. Children's author Mac Barnett has an absolutely wonderful and inspiring TedTalk that I promise you is worth the 16 minutes it will take for you to watch it. You don't have to thank me. But you probably will!

Watch it here.

PS – Don’t forget to share this newsletter and blog with your colleagues!

www.TommyJohnsPresents.com 
tommy@tommyjohnspresents.com 
Call (770) 640-6509 or Toll Free at (866) 490-READ
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Your peers appreciate your advice about quality programs. Please tell them about your experience working with us. Our best sales people are our many loyal clients.

You are not going to BELIEVE what she called you!

Every Thursday, you’ll get this short, fun, relevant newsletter. It will contain a quote or smile about the library and those who love it, an idea you can use to promote your library or reading in general, and an occasional shameless plug for the programs I offer. Enjoy!

If you are new to us or have missed any previous issues, you can read them all at www.smartlibrarians.com. And, please; tell your friends about it!

In this issue:

A Little More Name-calling!

If They Only Knew!

This Just In!

A Little More Name-calling!

Here are a few more titles that have been bestowed upon you and your tribe of book loving masters of the media center!

Catalog Queen

Dewey Diva

Book Warrior

The Book Keeper (MY personal favorite!)

That Book Lady

And the most submitted? Library Goddess! (with thanks to Carmen Deedy!)

If They Only Knew! – Marketing your Media Center (continued)

Marketing is everything you do to place your products and services in the hands of people who would benefit from using them.

There are three steps to marketing effectively

1.   Discover what your clients need and want – we’ve talked about this one. We covered that one!

2.   Offer a great product or service that meets their needs and wants – you’ve got that covered! YOU have that one covered!

3.   Get your message across in ways that make it stick

I have effectively marketed my business using four very “sticky” ways to get the word out. The first is VISUAL ADVERTISING. The second is Viral Marketing – intentionally getting specific teachers (mavens & connectors) to tell other teachers. Identify the leaders in your school. Not the principal or this year’s team leader or grade level chair, but the people in your school who others watch and listen to. No need to be sneaky about it. Tell them that you realize that they are people that others look up to and you’d like to harness their influence for good. It’s easier if that person is already a fan, but even if they are neutral about the media center, they can usually be brought on board with good information about the value of your program ad resources. Ask that person or persons to tell their friends about the services you offer. People will respond and all will benefit!

For more about Mavens and Connectors and harnessing the power of influence, check out Malcolm Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point.

If they only knew what you offer, and how it would benefit them, they would take advantage of it! Next week, we will look at the third sticky way you can get the word out.

THIS WEEK, identify a maven or connector and have a conversation with her! She’ll probably be happy to help!

This Just In!

May is a great time to reward your readers and encourage reading all summer long. It’s after the BIG test and you really want the kids to see the value of reading all summer. I can help. Take a look at the website and see how you can make a difference with your readers with just a simple phone call or email! I’m looking forward to coming to your school!

Encouraging kids to read, I am
Tommy Johns
Educational Entertainment Specialist

PS – Don’t forget to share this newsletter and blog with your colleagues!

www.TommyJohnsPresents.com
tommy@tommyjohnspresents.com
Call 770-315-3339 or Toll Free at (866) 490-READ
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Your peers appreciate your advice about quality programs. Please tell them about your experience working with us. Our best sales people are our many loyal clients.