Marketing a database in the social sciences; description of an experience and its results

Abstract

The article describes a marketing project for a bibliographic database in the social sciences. It states the reasons which prevented the potential users of the database from using it. The marketing project is described according to the stages by which it was built. The results of the marketing project show that when such a project is carefully planned and carried out systematically, even heavy obstacles for non-use can be overcome, and habits of potential users can be changed.

The marketing of information products and services is now viewed as an essential part of the management of databases and of information systems. Even though information products and services are like consumer products and services in many respects, there is little in the literature about their marketing. This statement that was made by Donald W. King in 1982 [1] is still true today. There are many articles about marketing theory and the ways and means of marketing, but only very few describe experience of information systems in this area.

The following pages will describe a planned effort of marketing the services of a national bibliographical database in the social sciences in Israel, its stages - market segmentation, market positioning, marketing program - and its results [2].