All of the SoCalYearbookGal videos are below:
These are quick videos designed to inspire, encourage, support, and make your life easier as a yearbook adviser. Use them as an entry task for your class, view them with your staff to jump-start lessons, or just sit back with a coffee and binge watch them all! Have an idea for a topic I haven't covered yet? Send me an email!
Final Deadline Sanity Booster
During final deadline season, you might want to consider doing something a bit counterintuitive:
Stop… Breathe…
...even when you feel like you need to go go go.
Focus on the relationships and make it fun.
This week’s video highlights some ways to help you keep your sanity as you work toward your final deadline.
Please remember, if you need anything, please reach out. I gotchu.
Length: 5:03
Fun Stuff at Jostens to Make you Look Like the Hero
From CMYK honor cords for your senior editors to idea cards and photography tips, Jostens has all sorts of resources in our little ol’ pot of gold to make you look like the hero.
Check out this video and let me know how you use these items in your classroom (or how you will as soon as you get yours in the mail). I hope you love it all as much as I do!
Length: 7:37
Increase Coverage, Amplify Sales... even Include Prom/Graduation in your Yearbook with Jostens YBK+
As a former yearbook adviser, I remember having a bunch of beautiful pictures that we just couldn’t get on our spreads. At some point, we had to choose good design over maximum content. Jostens YBK+ has completely changed the game.
With YBK+ digital content (only available at Jostens), we are now able to include all those hundreds of pictures that you wished you could have in your yearbook. Imagine all of the additional content!
**And, we all know that the more coverage you have, the more likely you are to sell more books. Win-win!**
In addition, you can include content that hasn’t even happened yet. Do you wish you could include prom and graduation and all of those spring sports? Well, you can now! Include a placeholder image in your printed book with a trigger icon, and upload those photos even well after your book has been printed.
Revolutionize the way you do yearbook with Jostens YBK+.
Check out this video for a quick overview on how the program works and please reach out to me for more information and to get started.
Length: 4:43
Change it Up: Using Alternative Copy and Interviews to Keep it Fresh
This is the time of year when some advisers and their staffs begin to notice mundane consistency in copy and interview questions. My daughter is the editor-in-chief of her high school yearbook and she came home recently asking for suggestions on how to keep it fresh. Their interview questions were beginning to sound repetitive and she needed help. Our creative team at Jostens came up with a bunch of examples of fresh alternative coverage and I wanted to share some of them with you. I hope it helps!
Length: 8:59
To Reveal or Not to Reveal: Marketing Videos and Post-it Note Reveals
So many of my schools tell me that they sell the bulk of their books as soon as they come out. Sometimes it is just because people see the cover and decide they have to have it. As a yearbook adviser, I never revealed our covers before distribution... but would I have increased my presales if I did?
Check out the amazing video that Nobel Charter Middle School did to market their books this year. It gave me all the "feels" and got me super excited about their book. Many thanks to them for sharing this wonderful example. Please let me know how you do videos as well as if you want to start and need any help with the process.
I also included a fun way to reveal your cover as an incentive for people to buy their books early. Check it out and let me know what you think!
Length: 5:13
Superlatives: How to do them right, if at all... 🙂
Do you include superlatives in your yearbook? If you just crinkled your nose and said, "what's that," just keep walking... haha.
As I mention in this video, superlatives and senior favorites can go either of two ways. I'll show you how to do them well by showing you some great examples from a couple of my schools.
I'm interested to know what you think! Are you going to keep them, start them, or stop them? What have your experiences been with superlatives in the past?
Length: 4:45
The Jostens Yearbook Avenue Digital Classroom to the Rescue!
If you’re ever looking for resources to help you learn or teach anything yearbook related, the Digital Classroom is completely packed with exactly what you need.
Length: 7:46
Video 98: What to do while you wait: Apps and Updates
How do you learn about new apps or updates to your phone? Do you research it, figure it out on your own, or rely on others to keep you up to speed?
I do a little of each, but I find that I learn more from my daughters and yearbook staffs than I do otherwise. There are a ton of great apps and phone updates out there and they are surely to help make your yearbook life easier. I bring up a couple in this week's video, but your yearbook staffs are sure to know more. (If you know of any amazing ones, please share them with me!)
Length: 3.57
Video 97: What to do while you wait: Jumpstart Your 2022 Sales
After a really great workshop this weekend, I walked away feeling so grateful for my advisers and their staffs and completely blown away by their creativity. I learned so much too!
This week, we are talking about jumpstarting your 2023 sales. This was inspired by one of my incredible schools that already started selling the 2023 books.
It's not too early to start selling next year's book.
Length: 3.13
Video 96: What to do while you wait: Errors
This week, I wanted to show you a great little info sheet that a school of mine sent out that can humanize you and your staff. It will hopefully also reduce the emails and phone calls you might receive when errors are caught in your yearbook. Take a look!
Length: 6.19
Video 95: What to do while you wait: Photoshop with Phlearn
Now that your book has been submitted, it’s time to start thinking about ways to keep your staff busy (while teaching them valuable life skills) as you wait for your books to arrive.
This week, we are talking about a really cool site that has great instruction for how to use Photoshop. Take a look!
Length: 5.08
Video 93: Distribution Overview
As you're finishing up your final deadlines, and especially for those of you who are done, it is important to take a quick break, then start thinking about distribution.
In this week's video, I will bring up some ideas to keep in mind for a smooth distribution. If you already have a seamless way of distributing books that you would like to share with the group, please let me know so I can pass it along.
Length: 6:11
Video 92: Theme Ideas (for next year's book)
As soon as you are finished submitting your yearbook, you may find that you have a little bit of time on your hands. Throw a party, celebrate a job well done, then start thinking about next year’s book. Remember, the more you can get done this year, the more the pressure will be relieved next year.
Let your present self plan for the future, so your future self can be grateful for your past self.
There are a number of ways to find inspiration for your theme. In this week's video, I will discuss some options (some are better than others). I'll also talk about a theme packet presentation that beat all of the rest at a summer workshop and where they got their inspiration.
Length: 6:36
Video 88: Ahhh... The colophon
You know when you see a yearbook and you’re kindof in love with it and you want to copy it, but you would never really copy it, but you would love to use the fonts or colors or cover applications?
Well, if you said yes, this video is for you. It is all about the colophon.
This week, I’m going to tell you what a colophon is and what to include, then show you some fantastic examples to help get you on the right track.
Here is the link to PDFs of my favorite books so you can see what everyone else is doing: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1JTCCa-pY1TE19TGK5uUnOGrRjVJAAdBQ
Length: 7:27
Video 63: WTDWYD: Summertime!
You did it! Through all the stress, you have shown such an incredible amount of dedication and perseverance. You met the challenges of the year head-on and you created something beautiful. If anyone ever deserved a nice, relaxing, summer break, it is you.
It is refreshing to think that next year will probably be easier. Once you have had a moment to relax, there are things you can do to get a jump start on next year.
Enjoy your last few days or weeks with your yearbook staff, celebrate their success, and end the year on a high note.
You are incredible. Thank you for all you do! Length: 1:55
Video 82: Layout and Design
This week, we are talking about layout and design and I'm using my favorite book from 2021 to help illustrate. Let's talk about eyelines and dominant photos, internal spacing, and exterior margins!
Length: 7:34
Video 81: Safe Sports Photography
I love when I hear really great ideas that I never thought of... especially when they make so much sense.
Not long ago, an adviser/friend of mine told me about a great strategy he employed to keep his photographers safe. Not sure why I never thought of it, but learning and sharing great yearbook-related strategies is one of the many things I love about what I do.
Check out this short video to see how he keeps his photographers safe during game time.
Length: 3:08
Video 80: Slow Cover/Theme Reveal: a Marketing Strategy?
Last week, I mentioned a (possibly controversial) marketing strategy and I promised to go into more depth about it this week.
Do you hide your cover or theme until your yearbooks are distributed on campus for the first time? I always did, but I do wonder if there is a better way to build up the anticipation while increasing your buy rates.
If you're open to it, I have a fun idea that might just do that for you. It'll cost next to nothing and it could very possibly help you increase your presales.
Length: 5:16
Video 61: WTDWYD: Take a Break
Is your yearbook all done? If it is, watch this week's video. If not, keep stressing... you're almost there!! If you already hit the submit button, it is time to slow down. Take a moment to breathe and focus on something that isn't right in front of your face. Calvin and Hobbes will help put everything into perspective. This "What To Do When You're Done" series will help take you from your final submission to distribution. The first step really should be self-care, especially if you have been neglecting yourself for a bit lately. Length: 2:44
Video 58: WTDWYD: Taking Your Book to the Next Level With NSPA and CSPA
With final deadlines right around the corner, this "What To Do When You're Done" series will help take you from your final submission to distribution. This week, we are talking about the National Scholastic Press Association (studentpress.org) and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (cspa.columbia.edu). These two organizations will help you take your book to the next level by providing resources, critiques, and awards. Length: 3:16