Recognition Ads

Recognition Ads

How To Plan Your

Yearbook Ad Sales

Campaign To

Families & Groups

On Campus

Recognition Ads

• Recognition ads provide a yearbook program a

great revenue opportunity by raising extra

income by allowing families & individuals to

recognize important people/accomplishments.

• Recognition ads allow people to show their

appreciation for others

• Recognition ads are a great gift for people who

are hard to shop for

• Recognition ads can be formatted to meet the

budget of any person, keeping in mind cost.

Getting Started: Audience

The first step in developing a business advertising program is

to identify your audience. You have 3 distinct buyers:

• Families: These buyers want to recognize their children for

the their accomplishments throughout their school years.

Many photos will probably accompany their ad as well as

words of praise.

• Students: These buyers want to recognize their

friendships on campus. Many photos will probably

accompany their ad as well as words of celebration.

• Club Sponsors/Teachers/Coaches: These buyers want to

recognize their club officers, fellow colleague’s, teams or

team captains, classes, or overall organization. Some

photos will probably accompany the ad as well as words of

appreciation, accomplishments, or encouragements

Getting Started: Develop Offer

The next step in developing an recognition ad 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 people that will allow you to

present your offerings. Consider offering these ads at a

10% – 25% LOWER RATE than you offer businesses

Getting Started: Materials Needed

The next step in developing a recognition 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 • Last Year’s Book

• Ad Sketch Pad • Sample Ads (All Types)

• Ad Guidelines (what you need – digital/paper)

• Ad Contract Form

• 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

• Announce to all students & faculty the launch of your

program. Include ads in the local newspaper, football

program, volleyball program, etc.

• Mail out a brochure announcing your launch of the

program to all parents included in a school mailing done

by the administration (like report cards).

• Provide incentives for early buyers like a $10 coupon to an

ad (make sure you include an expiration date)

• Post sample ads on the school website as well as in your

brochure

Promoting The Process

Public relations & marketing are critical in getting the word out

about sales of recognition ads. Consider the following ideas:

• Make sure to have a definite beginning and ending to the

offering. Do not leave it open ended where people can come

in any time.

• Tie launch of ad sales with yearbook sales and offer a

coupon for one or the other. Consider a 10% - 25% discount

off one or the other (use business rates if you are offering an

discount coupon on ads)

• Attend all parent functions in the district at all campuses &

announce sale of recognition ads

• List ad in all sport/event programs

• Use the school calling system to announce sale of ads as

well as the school website & marquee

Promoting The Process

A very popular process is having a parent/student appointment

process to review ad ideas and offerings.

• As in a doctor’s office, set up an appointment schedule for

parents and students to sit/visit with yearbook staffers in your

room. Set up appointments two weeks ahead of time.

• Mail/call reminders for appointments one week in advance

• Set up meeting times to be an average of 30 minutes in

length

• Set up multiple meeting tables in your room so more than

one person can be discussing ad options with your staffers.

• Have each station have a set of supplies and samples along

with an ad contract

• Provide parents a 9 x 12 collection envelope with deadline

date and instructions for ad material/digital guidelines.

Types Of Ads: Traditional









Consider a discount from business ad rates if you do not offer

coupons…just multiply # of boxes w/ cost per box.

Consider a package that includes a yearbook

Types Of Ads: Strip Ad









This allows for lower prices ads and can include more

people who just want to include a few words of

appreciation. 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 3 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.

 Make sure to include a yearbook offer in all billings or

include it in an ad package at a special package rate