Business Ads

How To Plan Your Yearbook Ad Sales

Campaign To Businesses

Business Ads

• Business ads provide a yearbook program a great revenue opportunity by raising extra income in exchange for advertisement space or listing in the yearbook

• Business ads allow local business to show their support for your yearbook program

• Business ads are a great tax deduction for local businesses

• Business ads can be formatted to meet the budget of any business, no matter the size of the business

Getting Started: Audience

The first step in developing a business advertising program is to identify your audience. You have 3 distinct buyers:

• Local Businesses: Businesses are near the school or in the district. These businesses usually include insurance companies, banks or financial institutions, restaurants, real estate agents, mechanic shops, car dealers, recruiters, and fast food establishments. (Most rely on local consumers or buyers for revenue vs. Business To Business transactions)

• School Vendors: Businesses are on a school vendor list and do some sort of business with the school/district. See your Purchasing Office.

Getting Started: Develop Offer

The next step in developing a business advertising program is to identify your cost & develop your offerings/rates:

• You will need to identify what your cost is to print on a single page. Most color yearbooks average about $150/page wholesale (take your overall cost and divide it by # of pages to get a simple #).

• Once you identify your cost, you will need to determine how much income you would like to raise (Consider raising about 2 – 3 times your cost).

• Once you have your profit margin identified, & a per page cost you are looking to raise, then figure out how you can raise that amount: ¼ page, ½ page, business listing, etc.

• Finally, develop a rate card for businesses that will allow you to present your offerings

Getting Started: Materials Needed

The next step in developing a business advertising program is to prepare the tools you will need to launch your campaign. You will need the following:

• Cover Letter • Rate Card & Deadline Chart

• Business Cards • Yearbook Specs/Circulation

• Last Year’s Book • Sample Ads (All Types)

• Ad Sketch Pad • Ad Guidelines (what you need)

• Ad Contract Form • Digital Guidelines (what you need)

• Sales Brochure (for drop-off/mailing piece)

Timeline For Program

The next step in developing a timeline to initiate sales in both an efficient and effective manner:

• Choose one month to implement your program

• Call businesses or vendors to collect contact data

• Mail out letters on school stationery with administrative signatures to all local businesses or vendors announcing your launch of the program.

• Stagger your mailings to cover a proper # of businesses you and your team can call within the week.

• Include a business card in your mailing and possibly a sample ad page in your mailing

• Announce that you will be contacting them within the week of mailing of the offer

Initiating Contact

You will need to have data about your yearbook program as well as the business you are contacting.

• Have a one of four clear goals on every contact you make: Stage 1: Gathering data Stage 2: Securing appointment Stage 3: Making presentation & answering objections Stage 4: Asking for order & referrals

• Many businesses need to see the advantage of buying an ad. Many are currently spending ad $ in different areas. All you need to do is convince them to reallocate the funds of an existing ad to your program.

• Remember…many transactions do not have to be handled in person at the business…many can be done over the phone, through mail, via e-mail, at your school, etc.

Types Of Ads: Traditional

No need to discount…just multiply # of boxes w/ cost per box. Consider a package that includes a yearbook

Types Of Ads: Booster

This limits # of pages used in book and instead pursues a limited # of businesses. Consider a package that includes a yearbook

Types Of Ads: Strip Ad

This allows for lower prices ads and can include more businesses. Consider a package that includes a yearbook.

Billing Of Ad

Make sure that you have a plan in place to collect ad revenue. Most schools have one of 4 types of payment options: Pay in Full (cash or check) – made out to school Down Payment for any ad over $100 (non-refundable

deposit of a set fee of $50/down) with final payment due upon mailing of proof to client)

Billing For Entire Fee – Mail invoice to company and include a proof with word “PROOF” written across it. Inform them that you will proceed with ad once payment is received. Provide them no more than 30 days to pay.

Barter – Some businesses have traded goods for services. Consider this an option for payment. Make sure to provide a receipt that explains this payment.

Follow-up

Any communication with a business or vendor should be in a professional manner:

Do all communications on a school letterhead

Mail thank you cards for all meetings and conversations as a quick form of appreciation & reminder of conversation

Provide ideas at all times to business so they feel you have their best interest in mind

Invite businesses to your yearbook distribution event so they can see what they helped support. Prepare a program or flyer with company names/numbers to give to all attendees.

Provide businesses a thank you “framed” appreciate flyer that they can display their support for your program.