Promotional strategies for information products and services: Aligning with the serious and entertainment facets of information consumers' lives

摘要

Purpose: Libraries are subscribing to many expensive information products/services available through information aggregator/provider services. It is a concern for them, as well as these services, to get users (also referred to as consumers) to fully exploit the products/services, and especially new and innovative additions and features. This paper aims to address this issue. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is written against the background of research from information behaviour as well as a touch from marketing as reported in the library and information science (LIS) literature. Findings: The paper reveals that to improve the use of information products/services, and especially new products/services and features, libraries, especially academic libraries, as well as information aggregator/provider services, need to address consumers on various levels. In the case of academic libraries, the librarians, faculty members, and students (under-graduate and post-graduate) should be included. To appeal to the seriousness and entertainment facets of the lives of consumers, a variety of targeted competitions and prizes can be used. Originality/value: Although publications have appeared on using innovative methods such as Web 2.0 and collaboration with students to market products/services, the authors are not aware of articles focusing on competitions and prizes specifically addressed at the serious and entertainment facets of the lives of consumers.