Marketing Your Yearbook: How to Sell Your Yearbooks

The importance of marketing and selling yearbooks is often overlooked, yet it is just as significant as creating the book itself—if not more so. If you hit your sales goal, you can pay for your yearbook. If you surpass your sales goal, you can use the additional revenue to add more pages to your yearbook or add features like a supplement, or autograph pages. On the flip side, if you miss your sales goal, you may owe money or have to cut part of your program. Whatever the case, marketing and selling your yearbook is vitally important.

As with any project, proper planning and organization will go a long way in helping you accomplish your goals. In this case, the first step is to assess your school’s past yearbook sales success and build on it. This means taking some time to ask and record answers to the following questions:

  • What worked well in last year’s sales process? Why?
  • What didn’t work well in last year’s sales process and why?
  • If you are new to your school, ask the school secretary and the teachers how well the marketing and sales process worked. great questions to ask could be: What did you like the most about the process? What one thing would you improve about the process?
  • Review all materials that are available from your publisher pertaining to marketing and selling your yearbook. Do you have everything you need? Posters, flyers, money collection envelopes, etc.? What else do you need in order to be prepared for your campaign?

If your school has a tradition of keeping the yearbook a secret, consider changing that tradition. The yearbook is one of a few items where a person is asked to pay in advance with the promise of receiving a high-quality product later. Simple things like including the student body in the design of the book or taking peeks into the yearbook by sharing cover ideas are ways that can increase awareness and connection to the book which, in turn, drives a student or others to purchase one. Learning from last years’ experience is an important first step in building a successful sales and marketing plan for this year’s book.

How to Not Procrastinate During the Holidays

The holiday time is exciting! It is a time for parties and gifts and upcoming vacations. It’s also a time when most of us like to “loosen our belts” and tend to lose focus on everyday tasks and goals. That includes the yearbook committee.

So how can you keep your committee productive and avoid procrastination during the holiday season without being called “the Grinch?” Here are some tips:

  • Provide your committee with a work party. While this may sound counterproductive, work parties can motivate the team to continue working while simultaneously enjoying the season. Maybe have a Secret Santa for just the staff and bring in special holiday food for the committee while they work.
  • Implement a rewards system. Reward systems are spectacularly beneficial during the holiday season because there are so many unique activities that will for sure entice team members. For example, reward team members that finish their tasks with a gift card that they can then use on holiday gifts for their friends and family.
  • Create looser goals. Yes everyone wants to slow down the pace during the holidays. That doesn’t mean the great yearbook you are creating should be neglected. By giving the team lighter written goals each day you can help them stay motivated but also reward them with free time that they can enjoy. Remember a little bit of work is better than no work at all.

The holidays are about being together. Productive yearbook committees will more than likely continue to enjoy each other’s company while they are staying productive and creating a great yearbook!

2016-2017 Yearbook Submission & Deadline Information

Yearbook season is in full swing! Before you know it, your yearbook will be complete and you’ll be ready for submission.

Just some information to get you through to the end…

Yearbook Deadlines and StuffFinal Deadlines

If you need to work past the submission date on your agreement or on the Pictavo clock, you can, just contact us to reschedule the submission and delivery dates.

Deposits & Final Payment

A 50% deposit is due upon submission of your book. We will send you an invoice for this deposit once your book is submitted. Remember that you can alter the number of books or the number of pages of your book from the original contracted amount up until your submission date without penalty. Just contact us for the adjusted price of your books.

Follow Us on Facebook!

For information through yearbook season, please follow us on Facebook – Facebook.com/Yearbooklife.

Technical Support

Our technicians are available to assist you with all of your Pictavo questions. Please contact them at 1-800-887-0414, or through email at support@pictavo.com. Be sure to also refer to Pictavo’s Help Menu for detailed information about all of Pictavo’s functions.

 

…and don’t forget about our 2016-2017 Best Yearbook Contest!

From March 1, 2016, through midnight (EST) May 31, 2017 (the “Promotional Period”), YearbookLife will conduct a 2016-2017 best yearbook contest.  All Spring delivery yearbooks delivered between March 1, 2016 and May 31, 2017 will be eligible to win. For official contest rules, click here to visit our web page for more information. Good Luck and Have Fun!

 

Marketing Your Yearbook: How to Sell Your School Yearbooks

The importance of marketing and selling yearbooks is often overlooked, yet it is just as significant as creating the book itself—if not more so. If you hit your sales goal, you can pay for your yearbook. If you surpass your sales goal, you can use the additional revenue to add more pages to your yearbook or add features like a supplement, or autograph pages. On the flip side, if you miss your sales goal, you may owe money or have to cut part of your program. Whatever the case, marketing and selling your yearbook is vitally important.

Yearbook Flyer.inddAs with any project, proper planning and organization will go a long way in helping you accomplish your goals. In this case, the first step is to assess your school’s past yearbook sales success and build on it. This means taking some time to ask and record answers to the following questions:

  • What worked well in last year’s sales process? Why?
  • What didn’t work well in last year’s sales process and why?
  • If you are new to your school, ask the school secretary and the teachers how well the marketing and sales process worked. great questions to ask could be: What did you like the most about the process? What one thing would you improve about the process?
  • Review all materials that are available from your publisher pertaining to marketing and selling your yearbook. Do you have everything you need? Posters, flyers, money collection envelopes, etc.? What else do you need in order to be prepared for your campaign?

If your school has a tradition of keeping the yearbook a secret, consider changing that tradition. The yearbook is one of a few items where a person is asked to pay in advance with the promise of receiving a high-quality product later. Simple things like including the student body in the design of the book or taking peeks into the yearbook by sharing cover ideas are ways that can increase awareness and connection to the book which, in turn, drives a student or others to purchase one. Learning from last years’ experience is an important first step in building a successful sales and marketing plan for this year’s book.

How to Avoid Procrastination with Your Committee During the Holiday Season

The holiday time is exciting! It is a time for parties and gifts and upcoming vacations. It’s also a time when most of us like to “loosen our belts” and tend to lose focus on everyday tasks and goals. That includes the yearbook committee.

Group people in santa hat at Xmas business party.So how can you keep your committee productive and avoid procrastination during the holiday season without being called “the Grinch?” Here are some tips:

  • Provide your committee with a work party. While this may sound counterproductive, work parties can motivate the team to continue working while simultaneously enjoying the season. Maybe have a Secret Santa for just the staff and bring in special holiday food for the committee while they work.

  • Implement a rewards system. Reward systems are spectacularly beneficial during the holiday season because there are so many unique activities that will for sure entice team members. For example, reward team members that finish their tasks with a gift card that they can then use on holiday gifts for their friends and family.

  • Create looser goals. Yes everyone wants to slow down the pace during the holidays. That doesn’t mean the great yearbook you are creating should be neglected. By giving the team lighter written goals each day you can help them stay motivated but also reward them with free time that they can enjoy. Remember a little bit of work is better than no work at all.

The holidays are about being together. Productive yearbook committees will more than likely continue to enjoy each other’s company while they are staying productive and creating a great yearbook!