Finishing the school year strong

It’s hard to believe it’s the end of May. Many seniors are finished for the year. Underclassmen are counting down the days, as are many advisers.

If you are a spring delivery yearbook, you may have already received, distributed and sold most of your extra books. If you are a summer/fall delivery yearbook, you’re busy with your last deadline and wrapping up final details for the year.

This is the time of year to give the final push no matter the season of your book delivery. Here are some ideas to stay motivated for a strong finish.

• Be creative – try something you’ve never done before. Many staffs have success with a “Last Chance” postcard to catch procrastinating students and parents. Make sure to approach faculty, administrators, school librarians, community librarians, public safety officials and other community organizations about buying a book.

• Maybe one last email to senior parents will boost your sales and fill your remaining ad pages as parents begin to really feel sentimental about the year now that the end is here.

• Send out a final invoice for outstanding balances on business or senior/parent ad sales. In the rush of the remaining days of school, these often get overlooked and a good deal of income is left uncollected, which hurts when you are wrapping up the year or planning for next.

• Continue to put as much energy and enthusiasm into your final spreads as when you started the year. Often advisers and editors feel drained and tired at this point. Reinvigorate yourself and your staff by doing something fun. Re-motivate by reviewing your ideas and goals for the book and put in extra effort to ensure consistency of your designs, copy, photography and coverage. Nothing is worse than regret about a spread where a few extra minutes could have made all the difference. You’ll be reminded of this each time you open that book – forever!