Influencing Skills for Special Librarians:

In Our Own Interest

Stephen Abram, MLSEOS WebinarsNov. 14, 2013

START WITH THE “WHY?”Influence out of context is just a party conversation.

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The Essential Definitions

Advocacy is Different

• Public Relations is getting your library’s message across – This is who we are and what we do, where and for whom.

• Marketing is understanding your customer and how to best deliver services and products

• Advocacy is marketing an ISSUE. Support and awareness are built incrementally. Advocacy is an agenda and not an event!

Propaganda bad, Spin good.

Ask Yourself . . .

How do libraries differ as an issue?Are special libraries different?

Are librarians different than libraries?From the listener’s point of view and

experience?

Selling IdeasYou are engaging in an INFLUENCE agenda.

Selling is not a dirty word!Politics is not a dirty word!

Selling Yourself

You are engaging in a long term relationship!Invest your personality

Position Yourself and not merely your resources . . .

YOUR COMPETENCIES – NOT JUST YOUR SKILLSYOUR INSIGHTS AND ADVICEYOUR NETWORK AND CONNECTIONSYOUR RESOURCES

YOU!

What are you selling?

To whom must you advocate?

• Your host enterprise…• Your boss and decision-

makers…• Users, clients, customers…• Vendors…• Who else?

Your Network

Essentials for Advocacy

• Someone who needs to care• Courage• Trustworthy• Passion• Belief• Proofs • Stories and Knowledge• Respect for whom you need to influence• Understanding beyond caricature (e.g. Politicians, the

“Boss”, Teens, Seniors, The “Public”, Vendors...)

Definitions

"Advocacy is planned, deliberate, sustained effort to develop understanding and support

incrementally over time." - Dr. Ken Haycock

Before you need it!!

When is Advocacy Needed?

AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

‘

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Issues and Timing

Why is Advocacy Needed?

• Is stuff changing? Then you need to advocate and re-position.• Survive or Thrive? Choose words carefully since they frame

understanding . . .• To avoid downsizing of locations, budgets, staff, collections that

hurt end-user success, opportunities and goals• To address shallow thinking about the web and electronic

resources like e-books• To speak up for the silent majority of library users• To position libraries in the minds of funders and decision-

makers• To prepare for future success and to build a well of support and

goodwill• To inoculate against political trends and competition for

resources and capital

AdvocacyActivitiesMustBe PLANNED!

Crafting messages

Am I an introvert or extrovert or somewhere in between?

Who is the general audience? Who is interested?

What interests them?

What should I do to pique their interest?

Will they agree with what I have to say?

If not (which will likely be the case!) what counter- arguments

should I be prepared to answer?

Logic and values(SLA alignment study results) Bias: Quality, Speed,

Time savings, Authority, Comprehensiveness, decision-ready... the Truth?!

Why do you think there’s a problem at all? Is it conceptual or pragmatic? What are the costs? Is their

perception of the ‘issue’ the same as your’s?

What kind of solution do you propose? Does it ask me to do something or to understand something?

Does it match the problem exactly?

Is it a relatively better way, compatible with my methods, less complex, trialable, and observable?

Communicating value

• Intrinsic• Instrumental• Contributory• Exchange

Plan within a plan• Identify your goal and message

• Establish relationships with key decision makers

• Work with key stakeholders, find new friends

• Link with groups that may influence decisions

• Stay up-to-date with research

• Keep plans ongoing

Lobbying

Grassroots

Partnering

Robert Cialdini's Six Tactics

• Authority• Consistency and

commitment• Liking

• Reciprocity• Scarcity

• Social proof

Homework

1. Identify two to three stakeholders in your local setting.

2. Learn two things about those stakeholders that can help you make meaningful contact with each.

Questions?

Seeking and Getting Attention

Hints

Beyond Elevator Speeches

The Elevator Speech

The Starbucks Coffee

The Quick Break: Hot Dogs or Deli

Lunch

Social

Build it Yourself?

Can You Stand Out in a Crowd?

Find Target, Aim, Shoot, Check-in

Be The Sun

Stand Out in a Crowd

Ask for It!

Drive them to what they want

Ummm, It’s real easy! Talk to me about something I am interested in, where I am, that meets my needs and goals.

Speak Up!

Money is not the key.

TIME IS THE KEY

Thank Heaven You Have the Library!

Metrics

• Traditional versus New Statistics / Altmetrics• Statistics versus Measurements• Visualizations• Impact Studies using sampling• Geo-IP data• Massive increases in virtual usage• Social Media• Satisfaction surveys

The Virtual Handout• Value of Libraries Megapost http://stephenslighthouse.com/2013/08/29/value-of-libraries-megapost/ • The Value of Public Libraries

http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/06/the-value-of-public-libraries/• The Value of School Libraries

http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/06/the-value-of-school-libraries/• The Value of Academic and College Libraries

http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/07/value-of-academic-and-college-libraries/

• The Value of Special Librarieshttp://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/07/value-of-special-libraries/

• Library Advocacy: Save the Library Campaignshttp://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/01/save-the-library-campaigns/

• Springboard Stories

http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/07/having-the-value-conversation-springboard-stories/

• Cheryl Stenström's dissertation• http://eprints.qut.edu.au/59510/

Learn to tell a story for influence and not just Information andentertainment

Testimonials and Word-of-Mouth

Breaking Through the Noise

The Value of Conversations

source: http://www.distilled.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/conversation.jpg

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Stephen Abram, MLS, FSLAPrincipal

Lighthouse Consulting and Dysart & Jones AssociatesCel: 416-669-4855

stephen.abram@gmail.comStephen’s Lighthouse Blog

http://stephenslighthouse.com

Thanks!