Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 Strategic marketing planning for public libraries: an introduction
- 2 Ambition as the basis for marketing planning
- 3 Making sense of the market for public library services
- 4 Creating segment-specific value propositions for users and non-users
- 5 Priorities: making sound choices
- 6 Clear objectives and winning strategies
- 7 Attention-grabbing marketing communications
- 8 Implementation and quick progress
- Appendix Twenty fast-track templates
- Select bibliography
- Index
8 - Implementation and quick progress
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 June 2018
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 Strategic marketing planning for public libraries: an introduction
- 2 Ambition as the basis for marketing planning
- 3 Making sense of the market for public library services
- 4 Creating segment-specific value propositions for users and non-users
- 5 Priorities: making sound choices
- 6 Clear objectives and winning strategies
- 7 Attention-grabbing marketing communications
- 8 Implementation and quick progress
- Appendix Twenty fast-track templates
- Select bibliography
- Index
Summary
By the end of this chapter you will be aware of how to make quick progress despite the constraints on effective marketing planning. You will recognize the importance of ‘quick wins’ in keeping energy within the process. Advice is also offered on action and resource plans, monitoring the plan and staffing for marketing planning.
Having undertaken the analytical part of marketing planning and chosen a set of key strategies and marketing communications, attention can be given to what should be the most satisfying part of the marketing planning process – implementation and the pride in return from marketing effort. Although this is potentially the most satisfying part of the marketing planning process it can be the most frustrating if new priorities appear early in the plan's timescale which deflect attention from long-term strategic planning.
Barriers to implementation
One of the major barriers to effective strategic marketing planning is the difficulty in implementation. Staff may recognize the need for marketing, but it is important that for effective implementation this recognition is supported by an atmosphere in which staff and other stakeholders feel the plan is to their personal advantage. It is important to have top management commitment, but in addition modern leadership recognizes that simply ordering staff to implement is not always the most appropriate way to get things done. Without this feeling of personal advantage for all there is a danger that the best laid plans will, for a variety of often good reasons, not materialize. Some of the common responses by those on front-line teams who have to implement marketing plans in all types of organizations are:
• It means more work
• We tried it before
• It's just a fad
• It might cost money
• We already know our users
• There might not be much in it, so it might not be worth the effort
• Lots of other reasons!
When advocating your plan throughout the organization remember to make sure that you have met these and any other local objections. This will require leadership and change-management skills, because strategic marketing plans almost always involve change. Change is at the very least disorientating and, at worst, positively frightening for employees.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Developing Strategic Marketing Plans That Really WorkA Toolkit for Public Libraries, pp. 168 - 194Publisher: FacetPrint publication year: 2006