Whether you organize your staff by sections (sports, student life, academics, etc.) or function (copy, design, photography), consider adding a few critical positions to your staff.
Too often students and parents aren’t aware of the yearbook sale until it’s too late. A Yearbook Sales Manager (YSM) and a simple marketing plan can make all the difference in selling more yearbooks. This person should have an interest in marketing, promotions, public relations, sales and/or management and does NOT necessarily work on the production of the yearbook. The YSM instructs and motivates staff members on sales campaign techniques and keeps records of all yearbook purchases. At the end of the year, the YSM organizes an event to distribute the yearbook and oversees distribution. See the job description here.
Working with the YSM, the Social Media Manager promotes the book and pushes out notifications of yearbook-related dates and deadlines. By creating a yearbook-focused online community, the SMM keeps the yearbook relevant all year long. To promote the printed book, the SMM can share news about athletic competitions, classroom activities and school events in real-time using Twitter or Instagram.
Who you gonna call? The Ghostbuster. This is a yearbook staff member who works with the master list to get missing kids photographed, names corrected and eliminate ghosts (missing pictures and quotes) in the index. Obviously, the staff member must be detail oriented and willing to be a super-sleuth. Design skills are NOT needed for this position.
h/t to Rebecca Calvo, Homeschool Connections, for the Ghostbuster inspiration!