You’ve distributed all of the yearbooks that the students and families ordered but you realize that you still have some leftover…don’t worry. Here are some tips for selling out all of your yearbooks that may be “left over”.
WAITING LIST
Many schools have a “waiting list” for kids or families that may have missed the order deadline but were still interested in getting a yearbook. First, reach out to those families and let them know that there are some yearbooks available to purchase. Then you want to give first dibs to the students in the “graduating class,” or the oldest kids in the school that will be moving on to a new school next year. You can either reach out to their teachers via e-mail, pop into the classroom to chat face-to-face, or enlist the help of the class parent to make sure every child in that grade that wanted a yearbook has one.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Whether kids are in the graduating class or not, many schools have “moving up” or end of year ceremonies where they present kids with awards and recognition for their work over the school year. Parents are typically invited and most don’t miss this important event, so you should also take this as an opportunity to reach a lot of parents. Ask the teachers to make an announcement during their classroom ceremonies telling parents that they can still purchase a yearbook from the extras left over. Chances are you’ll reach some parents that you may have missed previously.
ONLINE IS KEY
You should also ask the school to post an announcement or flash message on their website or in their weekly newsletter that even though parents may have missed the original deadline, they can still grab a yearbook now. Most schools and PTAs have social media pages as well, so you should also post on there. Additionally, ask the school to share this with their parent e-mail distribution list (if they are willing to share) so that all parents are notified of the extra yearbooks. Many schools also have morning announcements (many times done by the students themselves) where they announce the weather, school lunch, etc. Why not ask them to include an announcement about the yearbook and that students can still get a copy if they didn’t order them before? Kids are very good about reminding their parents about things they really want and will go home and tell them to find out how to get the yearbook!
VIDEO "UNBOXINGS"
Speaking of social media…most kids spend time watching all sorts of videos online. Why not ask them to get involved in spreading the word about the extra yearbooks? Ask your child and a friend to make a short video clip of them opening and scanning the yearbook (kind of like a kid version of an adult “unboxing” video). Have them really ham it up while checking out their favorite pages and have them show the camera some of their favorite pages from the yearbook. Share this video on a private group like a PTA Facebook group and be prepared for lots of positive comments (and sales of yearbooks)!
SISTER, SISTER
One missed group of kids that may still want yearbooks are kids that have siblings in the school. Many times parents just order one yearbook thinking that will be enough and that their kids can share. I know I only did that the first year I ordered yearbooks for my kids. It quickly became obvious that they all wanted (NEEDED) one so that they could each get their friends to sign their yearbook and write personalized messages in their OWN book. We will NEVER make that mistake again! Our family quickly learned that it’s best to get EACH kid a yearbook. When you send your messages to your school families, alert them of this because some parents may not realize this (I know I didn’t)!
SHOW IT OFF
The best way to really get rid of all the extra yearbooks is to have a presence in the school to show off the yearbooks (and all the hard work you’ve done). Ask the school if you can set up a small table at the entrance of school during drop off and pickup during the last few days of school where you can display the yearbook for immediate purchase. If you can’t be there yourself, ask another parent to help or reach out to a trusted staff member.
As you can see…even though you may have some extra yearbooks at the end of the year, there is nothing to be worried about. There are so many different ways and opportunities to get those yearbooks SOLD! Chances are once everyone sees the beautiful memory book you have created, kids and parents alike will be BEGGING you for the book. If not, you can always refer back to these tips to help with those extra yearbooks that are hanging around! Good luck!
Stay at home mom of 3 active boys living in New York, NY.
Has had a pen pal from Finland for the past 30 years.
Most likely to be drinking Diet Lemon Snapple and snacking on a Peppermint Patty
“I created the yearbook in about two weeks time because I didn’t want this group of kids to miss out on having a yearbook…It was a huge sense of accomplishment finishing and getting it done so fast and having the kids so happy with the final product.”