The struggle is real. Getting parents to buy the yearbook, let alone submit photos for the yearbook is about as easy as putting pajamas on a 2-year-old. Even your ride or die mom friends who you can usually count on for anything manage to simply get busy and forget. (No judgment, I’ve been there.) Whether you’re trying to get more photos, or simply increase your yearbook sales we’ve gathered a few unique ways to get your community to not only participate, but be excited to do so!
Make the Yearbook Personal
Give Each Student Custom Pages for their Yearbook
Everyone wants to be featured in more than one photo in their yearbook. Get people engaged early by allowing each student to create their own custom pages for just their yearbook. Set deadlines if you’d like. When people feel as though they only have a small timeframe to complete a task, they’ll get started early rather than waiting until the last minute, or worse yet, forgetting altogether.
Make the Yearbook Trendy
Poll Students to Discover What’s Lit This Year
My guess is the word “lit” is already out of style, but what do I know, I’m in my 40’s. Put together monthly polls to send to your students. Each month could be a different topic (movies, music, games, hobbies, clothes, etc). Don’t be afraid to share the results with your community before printing in the yearbook. If people see the results and disagree, they will be sure to participate the next month so their voice is heard.
Make the Yearbook Competitive
Create a few Contests
The number of times I’ve turned getting into the car to a race is embarrassing, but it works when I need my son to hurry up. If you want people to get engaged with the yearbook process, create a few competitions. Of course, you can ask the students to have a cover contest, but there’s so much more.
Silliest Halloween Costume Photo…
Best Photo From the Carpool Lane…
Craziest Candid Photo…
Get a little friendly competition started and be sure to share the results. Sometimes the best part of winning is simply bragging rights.
Make the Yearbook Fun
Host a Digital Signing Party
No one wants to miss out on a party, or the chance to sign one another’s yearbooks. Dedicate an hour to an online party where you not only show people how to digitally sign each other’s yearbook, but where you announce superlative winners or host a Who’s Most Likely To… game. The best part, you don’t need to wait until the end of the year. You can host a digital signing party anytime you’d like. Between the fun of the games and the FOMO, you’ll have everyone getting excited about your yearbook.
The best part about each of these activities is that not only will they help you gather more photos for the yearbook, and increase yearbook sales, they will get your community engaged without having you feel as though you’ve constantly got your hand out.
It’s good to send frequent reminder emails, but after a certain period of time those can start to be ignored. Instead, invite your community to parties, ask them questions, get them going with a little friendly competition. You’ll be communicating often, but offering something for them in each communication.
