Need some last minute ideas for book sales? Here are a few.

Tip #1. Despite all our technological sophistication, no sales drive works better than having the yearbook staff ask, face to face. Identify the students in school who have not purchased a book, divide their names among staff members, come up with a cute handout, and make personal contact an assignment with a grade for each of the students. Prior to the sales push, have them practice their approach with each other. Help them with a script, if needed. For a real nice touch, make sure you let the unsold students you are approaching know they are in the book. If your  staff members can jot the page numbers on the flier on which their assigned students are featured in pictures, captions, or stories, even better. Include ordering info on the flier, and the suggestion that students share the info with their parents. Advisers, consider having an incentive for the staff member who makes the most sales this way.

Tip #2. Same as above, but target faculty. It’s much more effective to have students divide up the administration and faculty who have not purchased books and approach them personally – much better than a cold email.

Tip #3. Use your principal. A well-delivered and enthusiastic phone-home or letter home from the the school’s leader can be very effective. Be sure to include pricing and deadlines. Principals, perhaps more than anyone, want the book to be a financial success.

Tip #4. Yearbooks make a great holiday gift. Let parents know they can purchase the book as a present. They obviously won’t get it until late May, so print up a “gift certificate” that purchasers will get now.