A school yearbook is a publication with a ready audience, eager to buy the volume, even performing so in advance. Yet a wise yearbook advisor knows that there are many things to attend to. Poor decisions along the way can lead to an entire student body that is unhappy with a book that they had hoped to cherish. How can such a catastrophe be avoided? All of the tips any yearbook advisor should take to heart begin with planning.Tip #1 – Plan who will do the workEarly in the school year the decision should be made as to the yearbook publisher. There is no way to overcome problems that will arise due to procrastination. The school should have historical data as to the usual purchase rate for annuals. Samples from various publishers, with printing costs, can guide selection of the company to be used. Well known publishers such as Jostens, Entourage Yearbooks, Lifetouch, and Taylor Publishing have longstanding reputations for quality work. Be sure to inquire about specials such as cover upgrades or price breaks for changing from black and white to color. Once a selling price is set, a budget can be worked out. This will serve as a financial plan for the projectTip #2 – Plan what the book will look likeThis is the most critical issue to students. The yearbook should include all the important memories of the school year. It is the advisor’s responsibility to see that these are presented in an organized and total way. A yearbook can be made interesting by tying all the sections with each other with a theme. The theme can be almost something, but it should be consistent throughout the volume. The sections of the book should include all of the activities that are important to school life. Even if only 2% of the student body participates in a certain club, there will be unhappy clients (and their parents) if that organization is left out of the yearbook. Produce a sample layout for the sections, planning the number, size and style of pictures. This plan will guide the actual work.Tip #3 – Plan and execute the collection of materialsDecide early on elements of data collection. What software will be used to lay out the volume? The publisher will have formats that they will accept. Make certain that the editors know how to use the software and do a test run to be certain the publisher is receiving sample pages accurately. Choose who will do the photography, writing, and recording of names for labeling the pictures. Individual shots will usually be taken professionally, and at least one backup date will require to be scheduled for retakes and to cover absences. Who will take candid shots, and what will be their common style?Tip #4 – Plan for and meet all deadlinesProduce a time line with the various deadlines prescribed by the printer. Know when photographs, copy and art work is due and submit it on time, even early. Things always go wrong and publishers can be most flexible when errors are discovered early. Be sure the editorial employees understands when their portions of the project are due.If you appreciated this article about yearbook printing, click the link below to access out web site.