Putting together your class’s yearbook takes a lot of time, coordination and effort. The finished product should be something you should be truly proud of. To assist with some of the costs for putting that masterpiece together, advertising is needed.
Selling ad space doesn’t need an advertising agency or a slick sales person. It just needs some best marketing practices and tips: Here are a few helpful ones.
- Create a list of local businesses in the area that you have worked with in the past on other fundraisers and events. Then reach out not by phone or email but in-person. You will get a much better response with a face-to-face conversation then behind a cell phone or computer. If someone at the school has a specific relationship with one of those businesses, have that person do the pitch. The more personable you can be, the better.
- Create a media/sales kit. When visiting local business you don’t want to go empty-handed. Creating a sales kit will make it easy to show the potential advertiser the options in the book that you have available. People are visual in nature. If you can paint a picture for them, they will be more apt and excited to buy.
- Always have a notepad with you. This way you can take notes on what the advertiser wants to say in their ad. Business owners are very limited in time. They may want to help but getting the information you need could become challenging. Ask all the design and contact information questions up front so you don’t have to bother them a second time and perhaps even delay your book from printing because of an advertiser.
- Be willing to negotiate. Even though you should bring a rate card, every company may not have a big budget to spend. If you are willing to negotiable you can probably get some additional sales. Remember everyone likes to feel like they are getting a deal.
Advertising is very important for the success of your yearbook. YearbookLife has a variety of additional marketing tools that can help. Click here to learn more and congratulations to the graduating class. Oh yes, happy selling!