Librarians make the best marketeurs.

Simple snapshots you and I understand. Which is why even Einstein kept it down to E=mc2 despite reinventing everything science stood for.

I’m a copywriter. And this is my confession:
Librarians make the best marketeurs.

Don’t believe me? O.K. Let me ask you this: Who are the best researchers on the planet? Don’t librarians study the way content is referenced, organized, and sourced? In fact, once upon a time a university librarian taught me a key difference between librarians and normal people. “Librarians understand the structure of information,” she said.

I’ll buy that. Describing the 1st cut of Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall,” film editor Ralph Rosenbloom called it “The product of a chaotic collection of bits and pieces that seemed to defy continuity.” “We will be humiliated!” exclaimed co-writer Marshall Brickman. Yet somehow “Annie Hall” went on to win Best Picture and 3 other Academy Awards. So what happened? Stick with me for today’s article and you’ll see.


New! Fresh! Original! The viewing lens of today’s library
My mission: To turn you on, turn on America and turn on the world to the value of this product we call: the library. And how to do that? Start where you do. With the gift of research. Let’s flip through some real-life fact-finding examples:

Research Story #1: Alex Hailey: researched and wrote “Roots.” For twelve years.

Research Story #2: James A. Mitchner: didn’t publish ‘til he was 40 years old. Visited the countries and areas he was interested in writing about, interviewing countless people, as well as reading more than 200 books for background material for each of his books. Result? Careful research created a 50-year publishing career. And Mitchner winning the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for “Tales of the South Pacific.” It was his 1st novel.

Research Story #3: Mary Kay Hill: suburban housewife with 2 teenagers. A lady who lived her research. Questioning her own life, she wrote about what she knew. “Carpool: A Novel of Suburban Frustration,” was rejected 9 times. One rewrite later, it was bought by Random House. Becoming a Literary Guild main selection. Then, Viacom bought the rights to turn it into a movie.


Research Story #4: An unknown writer wrote a successful action-adventure film that was released by a major Hollywood studio. The original script featured a number of detailed dramatic rock climbing scenes. And one of the things that originally interested the producer was the writer’s obvious knowledge and passion for his subject. What that producer still doesn’t know is that the only climbing this screenwriter ever did was on the shelf of the New York City Public Library. Where he learned absolutely everything he knows about pitons, pickets, hoists, and carabiners.

Research Story #5: Two reporters had a nagging feeling about a burglary at a local hotel. They did months of research, pursued every lead, and wound up revealing a scandal called “Watergate.” Woodward and Bernstein became national heroes and Nixon resigned from office.

Research Story #6: On the opening night for the musical “A Chorus Line,” co-author and first-time writer Nicholas Dante told a reporter, “What you saw on stage is 90% true; our life stories.” The story went on to win a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for best musical. Becoming one of the longest running shows in Broadway history. And a major motion picture.

Research Story #7: Ben Hamper: riveter in a Detroit factory. “I was so bored,” he says, “that I started writing just to move the minute hand. I would think of things and as soon as I released the rivet gun, I’d write down a line. I’d take it home at night and try to expand it. Although it was hard because there’d be grease all over it.” His work paid off. “Rivet Head. Tales from the Assembly Line,” was published by Warner books. It became a selection of the Book of the Month Club and Quality Paperback Club. The movie rights were optioned for $100K. He gets $400K more if the movie gets made.

Research Story #8: A library director in California was handed $40M for a new building. What was the 1st thing Waynn Pearson did? Research. For how long? 9 months. Only then did his team create this learning destination: “Club Med for the Mind.” Just 2 years and 2 months later, the Cerritos “Experience” Library was selected “Best Public Library in America” by Reader’s Digest Magazine.
[Check out photos of this amazing library at <http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/library/library.html>]

Hmmm. Alot can happen when you research this thing called You.

The Power of a Good Brand Story
Cut to Woody Allen’s dilemma. What was the movie missing? Meaning. Eventually, 45 minutes of the film were spliced out, more data searching meant new ideas were written in and “Annie Hall” was a smash hit. As Mr. Allen so eloquently put it “Thank God the public only sees the finished product.”

Ever wonder how your visitors see your product?

Now, my first research question to market Fortune 500 CEOs, wannabe rock stars and startup micropreneurs is the same, “What’s your story?” Here’s what happens: nobody has a 10-second martini monologue (you can call it an “elevator speech” if you’d like). It’s not an easy question for anybody to answer. Before we can sum it all up for today’s audiences’ short attention spans, we need to have thought it all through. Like Einstein and Allen, there’s a whole lot of unseen effort that goes into the public performance.

I know too, that, no matter what I’m called in to do (write a brochure, craft Web content, create a name or promotion to get more people in the door) there’s a deeper need. More significant work to be done. And here it is:

Develop a better understanding of who the company is, whom they serve and what it is that binds them together in lasting and profitable relationships.

And that takes: Crafty research. And that’s why librarians are the best marketeurs in the world. But the research doesn’t end with data. Otherwise you have jagged pieces that end up on the cutting room floor.

Or as the rock band Who says “Who are you?”
Do your visitors see your story? Do they get it? Because there is a story. That unites you to the people you work with. And binds you to the people you serve. It’s a special kind of epic – strategic, building on itself chapter by chapter over time. And one that grows as it responds to changing customers, markets and products.

Your story is your key business driver

Like every great novel, report, DVD, CD and database within your 4 walls, the more coherent and compelling, the more it will power the success of your enterprise. (I always say that Shakespeare was a great sales writer. Just look at how many people read and perform his works. And for how long.)

Here’s how to weave a good tale. (As always, it’s in the words, natch!) Clarity. Consistency. Character.

Clarity. First-up: know what you wish to say. This is the content of your brand: who you are, what you do, who you do it for, why it matters to them, how you interact with them. And how it’s all different from anything else in the marketplace.

Consistency. Then, make sure you say and show it the same way. All the time. This is how your words, actions, employee behaviours, business accomplishments start to work together. Building unity.

Character. Finally, give it a little oomph, ahhh, flair. And panache. Let your personality shine. That’s what brings you to life at an emotional level. Emotions are where people live. It’s why they want to connect with you!

Where do you work? A data depository? Or an imaginary?
Are you ready to rev up your most erotic organ of all – your imagination? Because the moral of a story is the core idea or truth that the story expresses. And impresses. And you gotta dig deep to find it. That’s the missing link between understanding the structure of information. And knowing that a message must emote and evoke emotions.

Booming businesses and successful people do this. Take Madonna. Even though she’s a creative chameleon, her core story has remained the same for 2 decades. (Radicalism). The Boy Toy-Material Girl-Spiritual Woman found her heart and soul story. And she uses it to sell and serve. Very, very, well.

Ultimately, you want your research to unearth mental visions that answer the root question of existence: “Why?”

Why do you decide one decision? And not another?
Why do your customers need you?
Why are you better at meeting their needs than anyone else?
Why does your logo, website, interior, card catalog look the way it does?
Why do your press releases and flyers read like they do?
Confidential to managers and marketeurs alike: Why would a customer or money-funder make that critical decision to use your products and services over those of anyone else?

Now we’re talking!
And the more you tell, the more you sell. The process is a natural one. Once you’ve done this research, you can go on to create important communications tools. Messages that keep your people on point. Speeches that rally investors. Copy and design that convey your identity to consumers. With the power of clarity. And brevity.

Why wouldn’t your library love to be the world’s best storyteller?

A-ha. I thought so. And now, gentle reader, I’m going ask you to conduct your research. Answer the questions. And then: distill it down. Simplicity is essential. Your brand image is money in the bank. Don't ever change it. Carry this vision: A tight formation of airplanes streaking through the sky. Take some time out this month to decide your image. Try: a noun and an adjective. This will help you to master the pro-communications industry. And reap its sweet rewards.

Let me know how it grows.


Tia Dobi is a copywriter and library fanatic living in Los Angeles. Reach her now at tiad@earthlink.net.

This article is a replica of what appears in publisher Marylaine Block's elite e-zine: "Ex-Libris." Subscribers include: librarians, library directors, teachers, professors, analysts, information science students, and computer techies. A former columnist for Fox News Online, super-sonic information-world consultant known as the 'Librarian without walls,' Marylaine's work was mentioned in a "Wired" magasine article (penned by the tech reporter to the Los Angeles Times). Like bees to honey, 1500 persons added their name to her (already huge) e-zine subscription list. A perfect example of the power of the press. Why not put it to work for you today?