Getting parents to buy early in the school year can set you up for yearbook success. As your deadline approaches, you want to be able to focus more on your yearbook creation and less on the yearbook sale. Here are some great ideas you can use to encourage parents to purchase a yearbook early in the school year.
TIMING IS KEY
Promote early and often! Make sure yearbook sale information is posted in high traffic areas during school events.
TIERED PRICING
Offer the yearbook at a special price as an early bird special! This price will only remain for a short time as it is meant to cause a boom in yearbook sales. After that time has passed, you can increase the price per book for the next sale. You can even try a back-to-school sale which is offered for one day and one day only at an extra special price.
FREE MARKETING MATERIALS
Take advantage of the free marketing materials! Plaster common spaces and hallway walls with posters. Use stickers, fliers and take-home envelopes to get the word home to parents.
INCENTIVES
Offer fun incentives such as; free admission to a school sponsored event, half off a parent ad, a free book at the book fair, an entry in a drawing or raffle (family lunch with the principal, free library time, extra recess), or a pizza/ice cream party for the class with the most orders. It’s can be a win win for everyone!
SOCIAL MEDIA
Use social media to promote yearbook sales. Parents tend to follow school accounts for news and events, so use those spaces to also promote the yearbook. Get in contact with the page administrator and see if they could post your announcements about the yearbook.
USE THE SCHOOL'S WEBSITE
Just like social media, parents tend to check their students’ school website for information. Use the school website to promote the yearbook where parents are already online. Contact the page administrator to see what information they can house on the website. Try to push for the information to be put at the top of the page where it’s extremely visible.
TEXT MESSAGES
Many schools have a text messaging system in place. This is a great way to reach busy parents! Ask if you can send out a message about yearbook sale dates and prices.
EMAIL REMINDERS
Send email reminders to parents as the early deadline approaches. Printed materials are good at delivering the message, but parents are busy. An electronic reminder, especially one that includes a link to purchase, may be just the thing to push them to action.
COLLECTION ENVELOPES
Pass out collection envelopes to all classroom teachers at the beginning of the year. These envelopes will allow teachers to collect payment from their students, making it easier for you.
SNEAK PEEK
Give parents a sneak peek of a page you are creating. You could let parents know the content of the book, hint at exciting features, or highlight school dances and special events that are going to be featured in the yearbook.
When you partner with Memory Book, we help support your yearbook sale from start to finish. We offer free sales supplies including your custom printed take home envelopes. Ask your rep how our online yearbook sale options can make payment collection a breeze at 1-800-247-1526.