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Title:
Information Marketing
Review:
In today's challenging business environment, companies and
organizations that have a adopted a marketing orientation are more
likely to survive than those that have not. In the library and
information marketplace, there are few organizations that understand
the benefits of strategic marketing and practice it. Jennifer
Rowley's book, "Information Marketing" fills a much-needed gap in the
literature, explaining marketing within the context of organizations
operating in the information marketplace.
The book is divided into ten chapters and covers all the classic
marketing concepts, from the marketing mix, products, customers and
customer relationships, branding and corporate identity, to marketing
communications, pricing policies, collecting marketing data, marketing
strategy and planning. The aims of chapters are clearly stated at the
beginning of each one and the author makes excellent use of figures to
illustrate the marketing theory being discussed. Where appropriate,
these figures put the theory in an information context, which is one
real advantage of this book. For example, in the section on core,
actual and augmented products, the author provides a useful figure
listing the services/products offered by Bath University Library and
in Chapter Three, which looks at customers, one of the figures
outlines some characteristics for segmenting users of information.
The practical nature of the book is further underlined by the
inclusion of reflection points in all the main sections. These are
very useful and give the reader an opportunity to think through the
material and apply the ideas presented to their own information
environment. For example, in Chapter Nine, which reviews the
collection of marketing data, the reflection point asks readers how a
school library might use focus groups not only to encourage the use of
the service, but also to better understand why the service is not
being used as much as it could be. Another reflection point, which
follows a discussion on the promotional mix, aims to get readers to
rewrite a number of objectives in terms that apply to a library
seeking to promote its services to users. Readers who want to delve
further into marketing theory will find the references and further
reading lists at the end of each chapter useful.
Although the book is aimed at a very wide audience, from information
studies students to professionals working in varied organizations that
make up the information industry, this does not make it any less
readable. Indeed, the book is suitable for anyone who needs to
understand more about information marketing or brush up on the subject
and it would be a worthy addition to every reference shelf.
Free Pint Reviewer:
Helen Clegg is Market Analyst with RR Donnelley & Sons Company Europe,
in Amsterdam. She holds an M.Sc. in Library and Information Studies
and has worked for a number of organizations in Europe including Bain
& Company, BNFL plc and AT Kearney Ltd. Helen can be contacted at
<Helen.Clegg@rrd.com>. She writes here in a personal capacity.
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