Students Will Only Buy The Yearbook If You Invite Them To Help!
Why buy a yearbook? Are you pictured more than just your school picture, that no one really likes anyways? I wouldn't want to buy one either if that was the only time I was in the yearbook. I didn't have anything to do with the yearbook.
Does this sound familiar?
Let's change that. There are lots of ways we can get students to interact with the yearbook. It's up to you to get them excited to be involved and then ultimately purchase the yearbook. Let's check out some ideas.
Does this sound familiar?
Let's change that. There are lots of ways we can get students to interact with the yearbook. It's up to you to get them excited to be involved and then ultimately purchase the yearbook. Let's check out some ideas.
Posters
We should have yearbook posters in the hall all year that give directions on how to purchase the yearbook and how much it costs. This is just a given. It's not fun. It's not creative, but we need to have the info posted.
Social Media
I know you're on your phone during class. I see it. Are you on social media at all? Probably. So let's use it to help promote the yearbook. We can run contests, share sneak peaks at completed pages, share photos of a football game or of something sweet that happened in class. We could encourage students to share their own pictures for the yearbook. Maybe we're having a hard time getting photos for something? Why not have someone in class or at the game take a photo for us? Their feature in the yearbook is sweet. It's fun, free, and encourages people to purchase the yearbook.
Teasers
A teaser is when we print a finished page of the yearbook and use it as a poster or image in social media posts that show off what's going to be in the yearbook. It gives a sneak peak at what students will buy.
Song or Rap
Why? Because it's fun! we all know someone in this school that can sing or rap. Let's put that talent to use. Hold a contest for students to create a short song or rap about purchasing the yearbook. Maybe we can offer the winner a free yearbook if we are able to sell business ads.
Sidewalk Chalk
Another cheap, but fun reminder to purchase this year's yearbook. We could include a contest with it.
Letters Home to Parents
Not as fun, but a way to communicate with parents. I know you don't tell them everything. We'll help remind parents.
Instagram Album
Essentially this would me a yearbook on social media. We wouldn't include as much as what's in the yearbook, but it's a fun way to engage students to be interested in the yearbook and to track things that have happened during the school year. The album may disappear at the end of the year, but purchasing a yearbook ensures you'll have those memories forever.
Memes
They're funny. They get people's attention. They're easy to remember. We can use student pictures to create memes to sell the yearbook. We would also have a contest for students to turn a photo into a meme for the yearbook.
Create a video promoting the sale of the yearbook
Create a video as a team and post it on social media. It could be serious, funny, or educational. It should probably fit in with our theme though. Here's a few below.
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Send an email to parents
So, you may not use email much, but us adults communicate over email just as much as anything else we use. It's easier than a phone call, it's not a piece of paper I'm going to lose, and I can read it right on my phone. I can get the parent email list from the front office and we can send out the same letter we send home for parents. It's another option for communication. Let's be real though, I'm not going to care if it's super boring. We need to include some pictures and maybe our school logo.
Create an Ad on our district and school website
Much like an email, we can include useful information for parents along with pictures that can be added to the district and school's website.
Ask students to caption a photo
Maybe one of our photographers got an amazing shot at last night's basketball game. Involve the students by printing it large and post it on a bulletin board. Ask students to submit a caption for the photo. The winner will be sited in the yearbook.
Encourage Pre-Sales
We have a set price for the yearbook each year. We could use it as a fundraiser and incentive for students to purchase yearbooks. At the beginning of the year start with the yearbook price. It is that price until November or December. After that date, the price of the yearbook goes up a couple dollars each month.
Set up a table at parent/ teacher conferences
Set up a table at conferences to pass out information about the yearbook and take payments for sales. Maybe include a photo booth or something fun to encourage parents and students to visit the table. Bring a couple iPads for parents to order online as well.
"You're in the yearbook" Cards
Create cards to let students know they're in the yearbook more than once. Include info on purchasing the yearbook with these cards.
Yearbook Cover Contest
Hold a cover contest. It can be hand drawn or created on the computer. Maybe the winner gets a free yearbook if we're able to sell business ads. Students can win a chance to sit with one of our graphic designers during class and work on a design. Runner ups can win a photo of their entry on the inside cover of the yearbook. There's a lot of options for cover contests.
School Spirit Contest
Hold a school spirit contest during spirit week. The winner can win a free yearbook. Photos of the student would need to be taken each day. maybe students can submit their photos for this one. It's not as much work for us this way. Then we can hold an online contest to determine the winner.
Raffle off a yearbook
Each time a student submits a photo for the yearbook their name is put into a drawing. In January, draw a winner to receive a free yearbook.
What will you miss?
Remind students what they'll be missing if they don't purchase a yearbook. This can be on the announcements, social media, posters, or included in any of the other mentioned things above.
Signing party for those who purchased a yearbook
Maybe we do a fundraiser and hold a special event for those who purchased a yearbook. This can be a signing event with ice cream and time out of class. A special reward for purchasing a yearbook.
Offer a payment plan
This takes a little more planning,but could be helpful in helping students and parents afford the yearbook. Let me know if you think students would be interested in this. It takes a little time to set up.
Offer reduced price days at school events
Offer a reduced price at parent/ teacher conferences, or at a big basketball or football game. Make the entire event fun.
Send reminders to purchase the yearbook with sweet treats
Send class reminders to purchase the yearbook, but reward those that have already purchased one. This is inexpensive. It can be as simple as attaching jolly ranchers or another candy with a small thank you. It gets others wanting the same reward.
Have a selfie contest
Students love to take pictures of themselves. Create a page dedicated to this in the yearbook and hold a contest.
Weekly Photo Contest
Let's keep students engaged each week. Each photo contest can be the same or it can be different. Maybe one week is to caption something, maybe another week is to choose the favorite, and another week is for students to submit their own photos. Keep it fun and easy.