With summer winding down there is no better time than now to start planning your yearbook promotion strategy. Promoting early is key to raising yearbook awareness and excitement. Deploying multiple strategies early on will help make sure you reach everyone in your school community and assure they have a chance to order their yearbook. Here are some early promotion ideas to help you get started.
Open House Posters – Many schools have open house before the official ‘start’ of school. Now is the time many school community members are coming into the school building. Utilize this by hanging ‘Yearbooks on Sale’ posters in high traffic areas. They can include sale dates & information on how to order. They can be printed or hand-made, just make sure they are a color that stands out.
Teacher Packets – Many teachers send home a packet of paperwork for parents to look over either at open house or on the first days of school. See if you can include a flier in this packet with yearbook information. Try bright colored paper so it stands out, but make sure the text is still easy to read. Depending on what computer programs you are familiar with, you could even include pictures of last years yearbook, or hint at this year’s theme on your fliers to raise interest.
Social Media – Early in the school year many social media sites for your school will be humming with activity as members of the school community are checking them out for back-to-school announcements. This is a great time to post about the yearbook and raise interest. Try making the post fun by showing a corner of a graphic that has to do with your yearbook theme and asking people to guess if they know what the theme will be.
Push Notification System – Many schools have a text or email messaging system set up where parents can opt-in to receive important messages about school cancellations or announcements. Find out if you can have them schedule a few text notifications throughout the year to promote the yearbook.
Open House Booth – If your school allows, set up a table near the main entrance with a display of past yearbooks. Members of the school community will enjoy looking through the pages and maybe even finding themselves from years past. Make your display eye catching with signs that include information about this years sale dates & ordering information. **BONUS** If you have any leftover yearbooks from last year or even several years back, offer them for sale at your booth. You may just save the day for someone who lost theirs or forgot to order. Remind folks to be sure they order their books ahead of time this year because you may not have extras left next time. This can be done verbally or with signage. This is also a good time to connect with individuals who may be interested in helping with the yearbook.
School Annual offers a wide variety of FREE yearbook sales materials for their customers.
Call 1-800-436-6030 to get started today.