Pitch Perfect: Selling to Libraries and Selling Libraries to Non-Users
1. University of Chicago
University of Illinois
Indiana University
University of Iowa
University of Maryland
University of Michigan
Michigan State University
University of Minnesota
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Northwestern University
Ohio State University
Pennsylvania State University
Rutgers University
Purdue University
University of Wisconsin-Madison
―We don’t gotta sit here
and listen to this‖
Mark Sandler
CIC Center for Library Initiatives
Charleston
November 8 , 2013
2. A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Closing.
Academic libraries have a large inventory of goods
and services to move
They have a potential customer base to convert to
users
Use=value and value=budget support
Challenge is to increase use/uptake
Convert non-users into users
Nudge users to increase their use
Encourage both users and non-users to use
more stuff sooner and more often
3. ―Coffee is for closers‖
Should we be converting our libraries from so-called
―learning organizations‖ to ―sales organizations‖?
What we can learn about sales—doing sales and
managing sales— from our vendor/publisher
colleagues?
Are we staffing our libraries—especially our collection
development departments— with the right people doing
the right work?
PRESENTERS
David Celano, Vice President for Library Sales, Springer
Melissa Oakes, Sales Manager, ProQuest
Marianne Ryan, AUL for Public Services, Northwestern U.
Mark Sandler, Director, CIC Center for Library Initiatives
5. Title of the Presentation | 12/4/2013 | 5
Springer Market Intelligence & Web Analytics | Springer Journals and eBooks In Aggregator Databases| 5
Starting misc
• Background
• Fit in the industry
• My involvement in sales
• Why am I here?
6. Title of the Presentation | 12/4/2013 | 6
Springer Market Intelligence & Web Analytics | Springer Journals and eBooks In Aggregator Databases| 6
What makes a good sales person/who do we look for?
• ―Just looking for someone with good sense‖
• Personality traits
• What I could live without
• Bottom line
7. Title of the Presentation | 12/4/2013 | 7
Springer Market Intelligence & Web Analytics | Springer Journals and eBooks In Aggregator Databases| 7
What keeps people sticking around?
• Sales success
• Networks – internal and external
• Potential management opportunity
• Retention without advancement to management
8. Title of the Presentation | 12/4/2013 | 8
Springer Market Intelligence & Web Analytics | Springer Journals and eBooks In Aggregator Databases| 8
Before I pass this along to Melissa…
• All of this stuff takes time
• Incentives
• Sales reputation at Springer
10. My background/experience
• 15 years experience selling same
product line to Academic libraries
• Manage group of ‗specialists‘
• New to sales management but hired 2
people recently
11. What makes someone a good sales person?
• Personable & good relationship building skills
• Planning, active listening, asks thoughtful questions
• Understanding how the customer makes purchases and is able to help the
selector make a case for the product
• Good follow-up
12. What makes a sales organization successful?
• Hiring the right people
• Training
• Communication between sales, product
management and marketing
• Support from organization
• Understanding the companies goals
• Good customer information – CRM
15. What’s wrong with this picture?
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (a film by George Lucas, 2005)
16. The academic library picture
• Uphold—or at least allow—adherence to bygone models
• Hire individuals with subject expertise in a particular area, rather than with more
versatile skills
• Limit involvement to the few--full-time professionals or PhDs
• Assign a small percentage of a given job to liaison responsibilities
• Struggle to clarify expectations and consistently measure accountability
• Focus on academic departments only
• React rather than be proactive
• Defer rather than take charge
18. Leading roles and bit parts
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Responses to department requests
Librarian selection of books and journals
Research consultations for faculty and students
In-class library instruction for students
Faculty participation in collection development and cancellation decisions
Updates to the department about library services and future plans
Workshops on library resources
Consultation between faculty and librarians to discuss strategies to
integrate library instruction into the curriculum
Representation at department functions
Notices of new publications in the discipline
Representation on department committees or task forces
Information about scholarly communication and open access
Information about copyright
Julie Arendt and Megan Lotts, “What Liaisons Say about Themselves and What Faculty Say about Their Liaisons, a U.S. Survey.” portal:
Libraries and the Academy, Vol. 12, No. 2 (2012), pp. 155–177.
19. Picture this . . .
• Partner to identify real needs and new possibilities
• Collaborate to accomplish common goals
• Strategize to reach non-users
• Relinquish control/abandon territorialism
• Develop shared responsibility for training and advocacy
• Involve graduate assistants and undergrad students
• Encourage vendor involvement
• Build real and lasting relationships that add value
21. How to improve casting
• Hire for flexible, adaptable, 21st century skills
• Expect all staff to have an active role in library outreach
• Clarify roles and responsibilities
• Set clear expectations
• Provide training and support
• Identify a cadre of campus partners
• Tap and involve sales reps for unique expertise
• Engage and communicate actively and continuously
• Use the Force
22. ―I’m here on a mission of mercy‖
Selectors
Subject Specialists
Outreach librarians
Liaisons
Embedded librarians
Campus engagement
Libraries manage campus outreach with all
the sophistication of a Girl Scout cookie drive
23. What do our libraries need?
Locate
Measurable goals– what do we want from users and
non-users?
Librarians who can and will promote what they purchase
Managers who can hire, train and assess outreach librarians
Tools to monitor and measure inputs and outcomes
Incentives for success and punishments for failure
A sense of urgency!
24. Believe in your product, but define it carefully
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Libraries
Books
Reading
Research
GET SMARTER
GET A’S
GET PUBLISHED
GET TENURE
EARN ACADEMIC
RESPECT
Market to the insecurities of your customers
25. ―Everyone lives by selling something‖
Libraries are great and useful institutions, but
they are only ―useful‖ to the extent that they are
used.
Go forth and create users!
―Second prize is a set of steak knives;
third prize is you’re fired!‖
26. The Committee on Institutional Cooperation is an academic consortium of 15 top-tier research
universities, including the members of the Big Ten Conference and the University of Chicago.
For over half a century, CIC members have collaborated to advance their academic missions,
generate unique opportunities for students and faculty, and serve the common good by sharing
expertise, leveraging campus resources, and creating innovative programming.
msandler@staff.cic.net
1819 South Neil Street, Suite D, Champaign, IL 61820-7271
www.cic.net • 217.333.8475 • cic@staff.cic.net
Notes de l'éditeur
Background = what I’ve done, etc. Fit in the industry = not too salesy and analytic approach. My involvement in sales = sales as well as sales management as well as company stakeholder. Why am I here? Great question. To be honest, I was quite surprised when Mark reached out to me. Instead of asking that question, I think the better question is what I’m not here for. I’m not here to tell you how to do your jobs. That would be too much fun. Rather, I’m here to tell you how I do mine with the idea being that presentation could further progress the topic of this session. I’ll also will be answering the questions “what makes a good sales person” and “what keeps people sticking around in sales” as a conversation starter.
Personality traits - Not too “salesy”, though. Analytical. Organized. Ambitious. Network-building. Entrepreneurial. Consultative. What I could live without – CRM experience, competitor insight, librarians, know it alls Someone who could know their stuff and develop relationships, internally & externally
All of this stuff takes time – relationships take time. This could be quite frustrating. So what to do about it? Incentives usually work – sales people aren’t in it to look sexy or to get deep vein thrombosis from so many flights; Most want to get paid. However, don’t assume that’s all that motivates. Sales reputation at Springer – we run the company. It’s not a dirty position…at least in this industry. Be not afraid/ashamed.