Archive for the 'Yearbook Publishing' Category

How to be a Good Yearbook Manager

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

Once you take on your yearbook project you will officially become the manager. Sometimes being a manager and telling people what to do could get very tricky. Managing people can get very tiresome but it is important to stay focused. Try doing some of these activities to keep people moving.

1. Brainstorming Sessions: Don’t just tell people what to do but rather ask your teams input. People are more apt to get involved and really participate. Your team will want to feel like their input is really being put to good use and if someone’s idea becomes a reality have them on that part of the project. It will most likely get done right if you involve the person with the vision in the execution.

2. Congratulate: if a team member or a group on your team, or even the whole team is doing a good job, let them know. Part of being a good manager is reinforcing good quality behavior. This will get your team working even better and more efficiently. People like positive reinforcement when they feel like they have been working hard and doing a good job. If you deny this to your team it cause them to loose focus.

being a manager means you have to keep your team moving like a well oiled machine. You have to manage not dictate. This will keep your team happy and smiling through the entire yearbook planning and building process.

Yearbook Publishing Tips for Yearbook Success

Sunday, December 21st, 2008

Yearbook publishing isn`t something that just happens. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to get your photos and text into the perfect format and then print it. With that in mind, here are a few yearbook publishing tips to ensure that the job is just a bit easier.

  • Plan ahead. Having everything worked out ahead of time is the best way to ensure that your yearbook publishing goes smoothly. Otherwise, you`ll be scrambling at the last minute to get things done.
  • Allow a little time. Incorporating extra time into your schedule means you can add in anything extra that you`ve missed out on.
  • Get the kids involved. Your students can be a huge help in your planning and getting things done on time for the yearbook publishing deadlines. It`s a good idea to involve students in the entire process as it can be a great learning experience.

Yearbook publishing takes quite a bit of planning and organization, but if you are prepared to do so, it makes the entire process much faster and easier.

Yearbook Publishing Tips to Make Life Easier

Saturday, December 13th, 2008

It can be pretty stressful after the school break is over. You`re faced with yearbook publishing deadlines and it is suddenly time to finish everything up. Fortunately, there are steps you can take earlier in the year to ensure that there won`t be any problems when you hit this point.

  • Plan ahead. Make sure you know when all the yearbook publishing deadlines are and be prepared to meet them.
  • Use a yearbook ladder. This will help keep everything in order and let you know just where and when everything must be done.
  • Give earlier deadlines. To ensure that you meet all the yearbook publishing deadlines, it`s a good idea to make sure students turn in their work a week or so earlier.
  • Talk to the publisher. Find out what formatting needs to be used and if you have any special requests, make them known early in the game.

Yearbook publishing doesn`t have to get too stressful. Make sure that everything is thought out well in advance and you won`t be surprised by much when it comes down to it.

Yearbook Publishing Deadlines and How to Make Them

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008

It won`t be long before those yearbook publishing deadlines are rearing their heads and the entire class will be in a panic. While this is a fairly common occurrence, it certainly doesn`t have to be that way.

Yearbook publishing is something that you do every year, so it certainly isn`t a surprise. That means you can plan ahead to meet the deadlines that are required. In part, the yearbook ladder helps your yearbook class keep track of the progress toward being ready to send the yearbook out.

It isn`t necessarily easy to meet deadlines, but keep in mind that if you are aware of them and make your students aware, as well, you will find it far easier to get everything done on time. The trick is to work equally hard in all yearbook classes and not ease up just because the yearbook publishing deadline is so far away.

Yearbook publishing requirements can be met easier if you work hard all year to accomplish them.

Yearbook Publishing Deadlines: Motivating Students

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

Yearbook publishing deadlines are the bane of many an editor. However, if you know how to stimulate and motivate your students, you`ll be able to ensure that they finish up ahead of schedule.

Making it into a competition works if you have some competitive kids in your class. Offer some prizes for the person who finishes their assignment first, for example.

However, not all students will be into a competition, so you can just offer rewards for certain behaviors. For example, when a student turns in their work a day early, they get a small prize, perhaps an extra credit. A week early and the prize is even bigger. You can set whatever will work as a prize for your students, depending on their age and interests.

Motivation goes a long way toward getting students to meet those yearbook publishing deadlines!

Yearbook Publishing Timelines

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

Do you have a timeline set up for yearbook publishing? It`s important to have your yearbook deadlines met and the beginning of the year is the best time to start.

Make your timeline now and get everything ready to go. You may want to put a slightly altered timeline up for your students to look at. By bumping the dates up a week, you can ensure that even late entries will be on time for the actual deadlines. It`s definitely a good way to go if you have students who tend to delay.

Setting up a lot of short term timelines will help you reach your yearbook goals, as well. Integrate your yearbook publishing timeline with the yearbook ladder to create a great system.

Finding ways to get organized from the very beginning of the school year will ensure that you have a good year and meet your yearbook publishing goals.

Yearbook Publishing: Adding Interactivity

Sunday, August 3rd, 2008

One of the advantages of today`s technology is that we aren`t just limited to paper for yearbook publishing. Now you can include a CD-Rom or DVD in the back of the yearbook. This has many possibilities for creating more interactivity.

  • Interactive quizes
  • Photo slide shows
  • Video montages and important events
  • Extra photos that didn`t fit in the yearbook
  • Anything else you can think of

There are just so many ways to add interactive fun to yearbook publishing with the addition of a CD-Rom. It`s something to consider if you aren`t satisfied with the print version of your yearbook.

Some yearbook publishers can offer this as an option that is included in the yearbook publishing package, but you can also have the discs done separately and add them to the completed yearbooks.

Yearbook Publishing: Adding an Index

Saturday, July 26th, 2008

Often, yearbook publishing preparations can get pretty stressful. One way to ensure that everything runs smoothly is to have an index that you update throughout the year. This is a great way to make sure that you have included everyone on the school roster and are able to find where they are in the yearbook instantly.

An index can be invaluable when you are in those last few days before yearbook publishing begins. The proofing that goes on is intense and making sure that you haven`t forgotten a single student or teacher is vital.

Rather than compile your yearbook publishing index at the last minute, it`s recommended that you do this early in the year. Get a copy of the school staff list as well as the enrollment list to be sure you have everyone included. Double check the spelling of students` names to avoid problems and then make a master list in alphabetical order. When a photo is added to the yearbook, write the page number beside the appropriate names on the list.

This process will make it easier for students and teachers to find each other within the yearbook and can be finalized in the last days before the yearbook publishing begins.

Yearbook Publishing: What to Look For in a Publisher

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008

Yearbook publishing is where it´s at. If you can´t find a good yearbook publisher, then you won´t have a good yearbook, no matter how much work you put into it. It´s a shame to spend all year working hard on getting just the right layouts and then end up with a lousy printer!

What to Look for in Yearbook Publishing

  • History. If a yearbook publishing company has only been around for a few months, you might not want to jump into a deal with them. A company that has existed for longer and has a good reputation will give you the yearbook without hassle.
  • Price. What do you get for the price? Sometimes it isn´t how much it costs, but how good the value is. Get a quote and find out what is offered for the price before committing.
  • Samples. There´s nothing like being able to see actual samples of the work the yearbook publishing company has done previously, so find out if you are able to check out some of their samples.
  • Timing. Different yearbook publishing companies have different delivery schedules and you will need to find out if the company you are looking at will be able to provide you with the service you need.

Yearbook publishing is something you will most definitely need and finding a good yearbook printer is the best way to ensure that all the hard work you´ve put into the book will actually result in something students will be more than happy to spend their hard-earned money on.

Sponsored Yearbook Publishing: Why You Need It

Friday, June 13th, 2008

Yearbook publishing isn´t cheap and if you end up with too few students buying yearbooks, there could be very little profit, if any. That´s where a yearbook publishing sponsor, or two or three, can come in very handy, ensuring that you have the money to get the publishing done and still earn enough to make it all worth while.

Finding a yearbook publishing sponsor shouldn´t be terribly difficult. Look at some of the businesses in your area and offer them the opportunity. You might want to prepare a special package that will contain all information needed, including a mockup of what the sponsor yearbook layout will look like. In your fake page layout, include everyone you are hoping will help you out.

Often, students do the best job of convincing potential sponsors. Let them know that with their contribution, they will receive lifelong publication in the yearbook and will also receive one for their personal collection.

Yearbook publishing sponsors should really be featured within the school book, after all, they are the ones who made it possible. You may want to feature a different business per section by adding a “This Section Sponsored by . . .” title or footer, or have all the sponsors listed in one layout which can be at the front or back of the yearbook.