We’ve said it before: It takes a village to make a yearbook. From coordinating school pictures to designing and editing pages, a yearbook’s production requires a team of talented and dedicated individuals. Recruiting interested students, parents and faculty members is crucial, but don’t overlook these additional players you need in your yearbook network–now.
This one may seem obvious to most, but making sure your principal is involved in the yearbook process is key. Meet early in the year to discuss last year’s book and any expectations for this year. Be sure to verify the estimated shipping date and make sure it works with the end-of-year schedule. Discuss deadlines and ask for support in getting everything turned in on time. The principal may be able to encourage other faculty members or parents to send photos during crunch time. Be transparent with the budget as well, discussing the importance of selling yearbooks throughout the year. Consider asking the principal to help promote the yearbook by sending an email to parents from their school address. Principal emails have been shown to increase yearbook sales, especially just before price increase time or the book sales deadline.
Everyone from the receptionist to the school counselors is vital to the success of the yearbook program. Introduce yourself to each and discuss your goals for the year, like spelling everyone’s name correctly and increasing sales. The front office team serves as the school gatekeeper, so arming them with as much information as possible is important. Provide a sheet listing the price of the yearbook (and student ads, if applicable), how to purchase and the sales deadlines. If you have copies of last year’s yearbook left over, give a few to the front office staff to show parents who visit the school. The reception area of the school is a great spot to leave order forms or display an eye-catching table tent as parents enter the school.
Make friends with this person to get book or ad sales information added to the school’s homepage. Balfour provides free web banners you can provide to the webmaster, along with the direct link to purchase a yearbook on Balfour.com or a link to a custom PDF order form parents can return to the front office. If your prices increase throughout the year, it’s important to provide new order forms or sales information to this person so they can update the site accordingly.
If you are a classroom teacher, you know how important the custodians are to your success. Not only do they restore your classroom to normalcy after deadline all-nighters, they also let you into locked rooms when you forget your keys. Don’t forget the impact of a handwritten card—or a slice of cake during a celebration.
Whether you’re creating the yearbook as a parent volunteer or as a classroom teacher with a staff, be sure to reach out to the president of your parent-teacher organization. They have a direct line into the buyers you are trying to reach—parents! Provide them with as much information as possible about sales, book prices, deadlines, photo & design opportunities, and watch your yearbook network grow.