Main Entry: school year•book mar•ket•ing
1a: the act or process of selling the yearbook b: the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a school yearbook.
Let me guess, as the yearbook adviser, you’ve printed the yearbook posters, sent home the sales flyers and still, nearly 60% of your students and parents have yet to purchase their copy of the yearbook you’ve worked so hard to create. And you’re probably thinking, “I love creating the yearbook, but selling it is too hard.” There is an easier way and it starts with recognizing where your audience feels comfortable communicating: email. Before you tell me your parents don’t use email, let me share some facts.
According to the 2011 Internet Trends report, the primary method of advertising for the yearbook adviser, printed flyers, sees a far lower open rate and response rate than email. Additionally, if you’re offering online purchasing options for your yearbook, which you should be, having a clickable call to action in an email is far more effective than asking someone to remember a message from a sheet of paper that may not even make it home in the first place.
By now, you should be thinking, “How can I use email to get the word out to parents and students about the yearbook?” While there are countless examples of techniques to leverage this online communication tool, let’s geek out on a few simple ones to start with.
Use An Email Tool To Market Your Yearbook
This has to be easy, right? In that case the yearbook adviser needs an email tool to make it a snap to send out regular updates about your school yearbook. At Treering, we built an email communication tool right into our free online yearbook software to help you get the word out to parents. You can send out invites to purchase online, see which parents have created accounts and purchased books, and email those who haven’t yet purchased their books If you aren’t using Treering, I’d recommend selecting a free email marketing solution. Personally, I love MailChimp. It’s elegant, intuitive and has built in analytics to show you who has opened your emails.
Create Emails With One Great Call To Action
Send Regular Updates About The Progress Of The Yearbook
It’s also helpful to build excitement around the yearbook. You should send out emails that inform your school community about the progress of the yearbook. Consider offering opportunities for your entire community to interact and collaborate by offering cover contests, requesting your school to contribute photographs or the ability to suggest sections or topics for the yearbook. If you make your community feel involved with the yearbook process, they’ll be far more excited about it and therefore more likely to purchase a copy.
Getting started by using the tips above will help you better engage with your school and ultimately, sell more yearbooks. For more detailed information about marketing, you can access our ebook at the Treering yearbook ideas page. Also, check out this guide by MailChimp.
