With a shelter-in-place order postponing production, many staffs are still waiting for books. Whether your school year is over or you’re worried about safety, you might not be keen on a drive-thru distribution. Here are three other options for you.
Plan and promote a traditional distribution or signing party for a time when it is safe to gather. If your book isn’t arriving till mid-July or August, it might actually be better to wait for school to resume to hand out yearbooks. This will build more buzz and offer more opportunities for new sales.
- Communicate the distribution plans as soon as possible to reassure students.
- Email a “Save the Date” notice with instructions for students and parents.
- Create a Facebook event with date, time and location.
- Consider holding distribution during another gathering like registration or Homecoming.
- Provide information on how to purchase a book or where to pick up orders if not attending the live event.
- Generate buzz with reveal videos and record messages from seniors, teachers and administrators.
- Have additional items available for sale: autograph pages, plastic covers and pens.
Bowie High School usually holds an outdoor distribution event with books sorted alphabetically. They hope to have a similar event, with social distancing measures, later this summer. Photo by Lindsey Shirack
HAND DELIVER
If any type of distribution event makes you nervous, consider a delivery approach when school begins. While hand delivering books takes more time, it is an efficient way to get books to students.
- Communicate with buyers and teachers how and when the books will be distributed.
- Update your order list to include schedule information: homerooms, an advisory period, English class or whatever period the yearbook class is held.
- Gather books and accessory items (nameplates, plastic covers, autograph pages) by the buyer’s designated class. Use yearbook boxes to organize each class delivery.
- Organize and print the order list for each class.
- On the designated day, take each box to its respective class.
- Have the teacher aide in distributing books. Students should sign for the book, or have the teacher make some type of notification on the list.
- Before the end of class, pick up empty boxes and undelivered books.
- Re-deliver leftover books on another day.
- For seniors and students who no longer attend the school, consider shipping books or contacting the families for pickup.
SHIP TO HOME
If you prefer books are handed out immediately, but have safety concerns about a drive-thru event, shipping books might be an alternative.
- Request a cost estimate for shipping and handling costs.
- Discuss options with your sales representative.
- Consider adding a shipping charge to previous and new orders.
- Check if the school could assist with shipping costs or a local business will provide sponsorships to offset expenses.
- Send mailing addresses to your account executive and we’ll ship the books directly from the publishing plant.
Cypress Springs High School is offering to ship yearbooks. There’s a ship-to-home option for new orders, while previous buyers can pay $10 to mail the book.
NOT SAYING GOODBYE JUST YET
Normally, this would be our final blog of the school year. We’d wrap up the year, say goodbye and relax into summer. But we’ve learned the hard way over the last few months, this isn’t a normal year.
With many of you still waiting for books, really your yearbook season isn’t over yet. So, we’re sticking around too. Through June, we’ll post every Tuesday to keep you energized about yearbooks.
We might be social distancing, but we’re still here for you.
