The Yearbook World of Scott Geesey
from Jostens Yearbooks of central/northern Pennsylvania
ARCHIVE - FEBRUARY 9, 2020
FEELING THE LOVE OF PROMOTION: Get Great Promo Ideas from Jostens and Scott
Hello! Well well, we got at least a little weather last Friday that caused either snow days or early dismissals across much of the neighborhood. I feel bad for those schools who had in-service days this coming holiday weekend that were also snow makeup days - looks like one of those days will probably be lost.
Checked out the January Yearbooking Report episodes yet? The feature interview is on good yearbooking promotion, and there isn't a staff out there that couldn't use more of THAT right now. We share some great ideas and advice - check out the widgets in the lower right column here for both the monthly video and podcast episodes. PLUS the deadline for our monthly fun trivia question prize is FRIDAY NIGHT!
And speaking of which...
Boost your yearbook promotional efforts now with these proven ideas...
Promotion is a key to any great yearbook effort - and yet it's been my experience that most yearbook staffs either do a poor job of promotion or some hardly even try. They don't let their audience know about the many facets of their operation and yearbook product, or they expect their yearbooks to essentially sell themselves.
Think about any other product - cars, computers and gadgets, clothes, anything. If those retailers expected their items to sell themselves they wouldn't stay in business for very long.
Here in February, every yearbook staff has books to sell. That, and in trying to get your audience more interested in your book and your memory keeping, means that PROMOTION should be a key element of every yearbook effort.
But where can you get some ideas that you can use right now to boost your sales and also your visibility?
First, let's mention my monthly Yearbooking Report episodes again. The current ones shown here in the right column feature views from outstanding adviser Rebecca Pollard from Texas. She and her staff do a fantastic job of not only promoting sales but promoting THEM, what they do, the stories they are telling, etc.
Again, too many yearbook staffs work in secret - no one in school really knows what they're doing. But then we want them to spend their money and buy the school yearbook with no idea of what could actually be in it. Maybe that idea worked in the 70's and 80's but it doesn't work today.
If you haven't already, take some time this week to watch the video and listen to the podcast. The video is only 10 minutes, play it for your staff during class or club. And maybe listen to the podcast driving to and/or from school. You'll get some great ideas from Rebecca.
And while you're watching the video be sure to check out the fun trivia question at the end - enter via email and you could WIN. But HURRY, the deadline to enter is Friday night!
Next, check out my personal series of online videos on promotion - click on the link in the left column of the home page for my complete list of videos. My titles including Yearbook Promotion 101, The Psychology of Yearbook Sales, and LOW Tech Promotion. In these videos I share many ideas on how you can let others know about all of the great things you and your staff are doing - and why they NEED to get a copy of your book.
For Jostens advisers, absolutely check out your Yearbook Avenue website and head to the Digital Classroom for even more great promotional ideas. Check out the video series there, use the search function for "promotion" to see what other items are available, and see what's included in the YBA Sell menu under Plan and Promote. LOTS of ideas there.
And for my advisers, you'll be getting emails from me soon filled with more great promotional ideas that are effective, thorough and FUN. Spring book advisers, the goal is to sell all of your remaining books before distribution day in May or June. Fall book advisers, you still have nearly three months in your regular sales campaign so let's make the most of it as we work down the stretch.
Even as spring yearbooks finish up their book page creation work in the next few weeks, and fall yearbook staffs start to ramp up their page submission work, don't overlook PROMOTION. Don't wait, get active, and show your audience all the great aspects of your book this year and why they NEED to get one.