1. Welcome… new members of the 2016 Lance & Shield staff. Please have a welcome donut! For those of you who haven’t signed the contract for next year, please take one home and bring it back signed by Friday. new members of the 2016 Lance & Shield staff. Please have a welcome donut! For those of you who haven’t signed the contract for next year, please take one home and bring it back signed by Friday.

2. Yearbook Ad Sales Yes, every one of you has to sell advertisements! BEGIN NOW! If you start early, you won’t be scrambling to get them sold in time to get the highest grade possible. Plus, you’ll beat the football booster club! Yes, every one of you has to sell advertisements! BEGIN NOW! If you start early, you won’t be scrambling to get them sold in time to get the highest grade possible. Plus, you’ll beat the football booster club!

3. Why are ad sales important? 1.Each page costs almost $400 to produce – even selling one full-page ad does not cover the cost. So, the combination of book sales and ad sales combine to cover the full cost of pages. 2.Each book costs more than $100 to produce – but in the past, we’ve charged less than that for students to purchase the yearbook. The more ads we sell, the less we have to charge for the yearbook.

4. Due Date: Friday, Oct. 2 Grading scale: A – Sell 1.5 pages total B – Sell 1.25 pages total C – Sell 1 page total D – Sell.75 page total F – Sell less than ¾ page of ads This grade is the heaviest of all your first nine weeks’ grades.

5. But, wait! There’s more! Want to earn a free yearbook? Of course you do! Especially, because they are going to cost $95-100 at the cheapest next year. Sell 2.5 pages and earn a free yearbook. Sell 2 pages and earn a 50% discount.

6. We are here to help. We have a list of businesses you can peruse and sign up for current advertisers and those we think may purchase a 2016 advertisement. We have a letter and form for you to use as you contact businesses. We have this incredibly helpful PPT to guide you into sales nirvana!

7. So, who buys ads? Local Businesses – Target local businesses that would be a good fit for the yearbook. These could include: dress shops, tuxedo rentals, hair salons, restaurants, convenience/grocery stores, firefighters/police officers (many may have children in school), and more. Also, remember that everyone and anyone is welcome!local businesses Patrons – This is a great way for friends or community members (that don’t own a business or aren’t a parent) to send a message to the seniors, student body, or individual students. These are one to two sentences to congratulate the school and can be collected on one page. Sponsors – Sponsorships are not a whole ad, but rather a single line with the name of the person or business. These can be listed all on one page. As a collective whole, they will show great community support! Repeat Buyers – Make sure to take a look at last year’s book and see who participated in the ads. Chances are the same businesses and individuals will be interested this time around, too.

8. 1. Make a stealth visit Go to the business to find out everything you can about what they sell that can be marketed to your readers. Make a list of these items.

9. 2. Look for their ads Look at professional publications to see if you can find ads this business is currently using. This includes local newspapers and online. These ads will prove two points: –They should indicate that the business values advertising. –These ads will give you something tangible to show to the advertiser in making your pitch.

10. 3. List why they should buy Make a list of reasons why this advertiser should buy ads from you. Your reasons should include value to the business, such as reaching the company’s target audience of teens or parents and faculty, or showing parents that the business supports the school. Work through some sample rates, especially if they have bought advertising from your publication in the past.

11. 4. Call Ahead Call the business to get the name of the person who handles its advertising. Find out the hours this person generally works so you can plan your visit for when they are available. If you have to call more than once—do it!

12. 5. Be prepared Organize your packet and sales tools so you are prepared to answer buyer questions and get contracts signed. These tools should include: –Rate sheets –Sample ads/Yearbook –Two ink pens –Contracts

13. 5. Be professional When selling ads, it’s important to make a good impression. Dress business casual, shake hands, and introduce yourself! Start big by pitching the full page, and sell it up! Be energetic and persuasive, without being pushy. If they aren’t interested in a whole page ad, work down from there to half or quarter page… Leave them with something. Have some materials that you can leave behind for those individuals that want time to think it over. The letter you bring and the contract can be left behind. Follow up with a phone call and see if they have any questions. Or, if they have sent in ad information, thank them for their contribution.

14. Sample Sales Pitch See the handout…