Sponsoring a signing party is a great way to distribute yearbooks while having fun and making money! Charge admission, sell soft drinks, popcorn, pens, plastic covers and autograph supplements. Order items from the Herff Jones Collection and give them away as door prizes, or sell them to make money for the yearbook program. Use the weeks before distribution to publicize the party and promote the yearbook. It’s extra work, but the money you’ll raise and the publicity you generate will be worth it!
Party planning timeline
8 weeks to go
- Reserve a space for the party (may be done at the beginning of school or months in advance); it’s best to hold the party in the gym or cafeteria.
- Arrange for chaperones and security at the party.
- Order pens to sell at the party.
- Order autograph supplements for signing.
- Order items from the Herff Jones Collection and decide how to distribute.
- Order plastic covers for yearbooks.
- Order 300-500 helium balloons (in school colors or the color of your book), helium tank, ribbon and balloon clips.
- Order butcher paper for signs.
- Order staff T-shirts for the party. Put the time and place of the party on the T-shirts and wear them one month prior to the party.
- Buy white or colored poster board (about 25 sheets).
- Purchase crepe paper (in the color of your book).
- Buy small stickers for personalized yearbooks.
7 weeks to go
- Make signs on butcher paper to advertise the party.
- Make signs on 8.5″ x 11″ paper and photocopy them.
- Contact your school newspaper for an article about the party.
- Begin to write promotions to submit for school announcements.
6 weeks to go
- Continue to make signs on butcher paper to advertise the party.
- Check that items ordered for the party will be delivered on time.
- Arrange for four cash boxes at the yearbook signing party:
– one at the door
– two for new book sales
– one for pens, plastic covers and autograph supplements - Arrange for a DJ or music for the party.
5 weeks to go
- Make signs for the following:
– cost of admission to the party
– cost of plastic covers, pens and autographĀ supplements
– cost of extra yearbooks - Make signs that display alphabet groupings: A-F, G-N and O-Z. These will be posted above yearbook distribution tablesĀ at the party.
4 weeks to go
- Make or finalize a list of yearbooks previously sold; divide the list by letters of the alphabet and paste on poster board for quick reference.
- Put up the first set of signs in your school advertising the party.
- Distribute 8.5″ x 11″ fliers throughout your school.
- On Friday, put the first promotion of the party on the school announcements.
- Begin wearing T-shirtsĀ advertising the party on Friday.
3 weeks to go
- Continue to place signs throughout the school.
- Make sure the list of books sold is complete and personalized books are given a special number.
- On Friday, put your second promotion of the party on the school announcements.
- Wear your T-shirts on Friday.
2 weeks to go
- Continue to place signs throughout your school.
- Make sure all the signs advertising the party are displayed around the school.
- Every day of this week, promote the party on your school announcements.
- Wear your T-shirts on Friday.
- Assign students jobs for setup and cleanup.
1 week to go
- Every day of this week, promote the party on your school announcements.
- Check to see when the yearbooks will be brought to the party location.
- Arrange for ladders, tape and scissors for the day of the party.
Day of the party
- Staff members should wear their yearbook signing party T-shirts.
- Three hours before the party, the staff should begin to decorate the party location with balloons and crepe paper.
- Set up the yearbook distribution tables; post signs according to alphabet groupings (A-F, G-N, O-Z) above the tables.
- Personalized books with name stamps, name plates or other specialized options should have stickers with numbers placed on the spine for easy reference.
- Set up a separate table for the purchase of additional yearbooks.
- Have plenty of plastic covers, pens and autograph supplements.
- Have the sound system set up for music.
- Now, open the doors and distribute your yearbooks!