You and your staff members have breathed life into the yearbook and worked hard to see its creation completed. As the yearbook crew, you all realize that the blood, sweat, and tears you've spent will only fully pay off if the student body purchases the book. You want your creativity, hard work, and commitment to be worth it! We know the yearbook is complete, but now how do you sell them all?
Make “Yearbook” the Buzz Word at School
Selling yearbooks requires exposure. At every chance you get, have the yearbook present and in front of the student body at all times. Create anticipation and make the yearbook the central, hot topic of conversation around the school. The more they see it, the more they’ll want it. Hang posters in strategic, high-trafficked places around the school announcing the final deadline to purchase the yearbook. The poster can feature blurred bits of the cover and yearbook. Feature indistinct page spreads that show students in the yearbook. Keep the theme a secret and build curiosity around the yearbook! The idea of seeing themselves and their friends in the book will get students very excited and build anticipation. Incorporate a medium to large-sized QR code on the poster so students can easily be sent to the purchase link.
Your School has Marketing Tools – Use them!
Furthermore, utilize any announcements that your school makes every day. For example, invite your staff members to make the announcements to the school, no matter the method; video recording or loudspeaker. They are the experts in your yearbook and school culture. They know how to relate to the student body. Let them speak earnestly about the importance of the yearbook. Have them build excitement for the yearbook theme by revealing small easter eggs in their announcements. The more students are intrigued by the mystery of the yearbook, the better!
Make Marketing Extra Credit
Allow students to earn extra credit for the fresh marketing ideas they conceive, and nudge the students who need the extra incentive to increase their grades in a fun, helpful way. You’ll be surprised by the new initiatives your students will come up with when given the space to advertise their hard work.
In our recent Yearbook News podcast about Sales and Marketing, we interviewed Baldwin Park High School adviser, Destinee Garcia. She shared a unique marketing initiative that her staff members have implemented. They looked for the students who still needed to purchase the yearbook and found the page numbers where those students were listed. They would talk to those students to show them where they are pictured in the yearbook and share what they will miss if they do not purchase it. This is a perfect example of the unique marketing initiatives that the students thought of and developed. You can start implementing this method in your classroom too.
Email Blitz the Parents
Utilize the power of emailing, and email blitz the parents! Parents are typically the ones purchasing the yearbook. At this point in the year, your emails to parents must be precise, clear, and directive, with a purchasing link or QR code for the yearbook. Remind them that the deadline to purchase the yearbook is approaching and that they don’t want their child to miss out. Creating a sense of urgency will go a long way for parents and students.
Spread the Love of Yearbook with “Yearbook Angels”
Introduce a compassionate way to promote sales: Yearbook Angels! This idea builds kindness and empathy within the student body as it increases yearbook sales. A yearbook angel is someone who purchases a yearbook for a graduating senior, usually one who is unable to purchase for themselves. Yearbook angels can be faculty members, other parents, students, or even someone kind in the community. Promoting the Yearbook Angel Program is a good reminder of the yearbook’s significance. Not only will graduating seniors be gifted the book, but the yearbook will also be getting the spotlight it deserves.
Now is the time to kick your marketing initiatives into high gear. As you go out into your school community, remember that your staff members clearly understand the student body; give them the space to lead you. We applaud you and your staff for your hard work. We can’t wait for your student body to get their hands on your incredible creation.
United Yearbook offers resources, curriculum, and year-round workshops on this and other topics. To learn more, contact us at info@UnitedYearbookPrinting.com or visit our website at www.unitedyearbook.net. For more resources, check out our podcast episode on Sales and Marketing!
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Editor: Donna Ladner obtained a B.A. in Education and a minor in English from California Baptist University, and a M.S. in ESL from USC, Los Angeles. After she married Daniel, their family moved to Indonesia with a non-profit organization and lived cross-culturally for 15 years before returning to the U.S in 2012. Donna has been working as an editor and proofreader for TSE Worldwide Press and its subsidiary, United Yearbook since 2015.