Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Enthusiasm
This story is based on the story in, "Commercial Online Tough Sell," by Barbara Quint. Can be found at: http://stats.acc.nccu.edu/dstuhlman/Quint_Commercial.txt This discussion question is not based on the article.
================================================
The librarian of a small community college in a community with a high education level described her extended negotiations with a major database vendor. Deciding on the vendor was relatively easy. The complexities arose when she wanted to add access to the library's Web site. At first the vendor wanted to charge her for each and every student within the city limits. Gradually they negotiated down to students and parents in the school. The salesperson's boss refused to sign the deal. Finally, the director threatened to go to a competitor. In the end the library paid about $2000 for the rights to offer access over the library's Web site.
With unlimited subscription pricing for the library and around-the-clock Web access for the students in place, the director went to market the ideas and product to the teachers, students, and staff. Stories were placed in the school newsletter and local newspapers. The director visited classrooms. She designed and had printed promotional book marks. She mounted a banner across the top of the main entrance to the library.
This all resulted in 43 search requests in the first month and 40 in the second.
========================
Doloho says:
In the story, the librarian’s enthusiasm and excellent marketing skills were her greatest weapons. In the future, she may even drum up enough support and usage to validate her work. However, she didn’t investigate whether or not the database was needed in her community. Even though there is a “high education level” in her community, maybe the resources that the database offered were available in the libraries (public and university.)
She should first find out what her community’s libraries are lacking then put her considerable enthusiasm behind that.
================================================
The librarian of a small community college in a community with a high education level described her extended negotiations with a major database vendor. Deciding on the vendor was relatively easy. The complexities arose when she wanted to add access to the library's Web site. At first the vendor wanted to charge her for each and every student within the city limits. Gradually they negotiated down to students and parents in the school. The salesperson's boss refused to sign the deal. Finally, the director threatened to go to a competitor. In the end the library paid about $2000 for the rights to offer access over the library's Web site.
With unlimited subscription pricing for the library and around-the-clock Web access for the students in place, the director went to market the ideas and product to the teachers, students, and staff. Stories were placed in the school newsletter and local newspapers. The director visited classrooms. She designed and had printed promotional book marks. She mounted a banner across the top of the main entrance to the library.
This all resulted in 43 search requests in the first month and 40 in the second.
========================
Doloho says:
In the story, the librarian’s enthusiasm and excellent marketing skills were her greatest weapons. In the future, she may even drum up enough support and usage to validate her work. However, she didn’t investigate whether or not the database was needed in her community. Even though there is a “high education level” in her community, maybe the resources that the database offered were available in the libraries (public and university.)
She should first find out what her community’s libraries are lacking then put her considerable enthusiasm behind that.
# posted by Doloho @ 7:39 AM 
