HAPPENING NOW >>>>>> INTERACTIVE YEARBOOKS LINKING TO VIDEO & SOCIAL MEDIA

Even if you don't use social media you've noticed it's everywhere. Although we can't keep track of all the new sites popping up we can harness their power to promote all of the POSITIVE things happening in your school.  How? A few years ago QR (Quick Response) codes started popping up in Yearbooks.  They were cool, but way ugly. A fantastic layout interrupted by an ugly square that looked like a bar code.  Embedding video links in actual layout photos are the newest trend. Our office is all over them and it looks like the next big thing. How do you get on board? For every existing or new customer for 2015 we will visit and work with your team to make it happen. Imagine! Rolling a smartphone over the photo of the football team to see game highlights or the band photo to hear the school song performed!

We love Yearbooks but most of all helping schools take the Yearbook to the next level. Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yearbookplanet or give us a ring. Let's get started!

Regards,
Matt & Mary
905.605.1069

Some Sales Professionals Work Ten Months Of The Year, That's Not How We Roll

Recently we attended a Principal and administrators trade show. Our office loves these shows. Where else can we visit with so many like minded people?   People that want to make a difference in schools.  The most interesting conversations though take place at set up and tear down. The types of conversations that make us pause and smile that WE are on the right track.  Here's a summary of one of those conversations and #yearbooksuccess

Competitor: "Can't wait til summer !"

Me: "I go stir crazy after a couple weeks"

Competitor "Not me!  It's why I do this job"

Wow!  Really?   I think his customers probably have noticed.  Don't you?

This is a great career.  Sure, it's challenging working with teenagers but isn't that part of the fun too?  Life is good I just wish more folks felt that way.  It would be better for the industry and our schools.  Cheers to a busy spring !!

Regards,

Matt & Mary

Why Numbers Don't Lie And How The Yearbook Benefits

In about 6 weeks, when the school year is done, I'll log on to the big Herff Jones computer and run a simple report.  Number of books delivered.  Why?  We know the average Yearbook is seen by 6-8 people that don't attend the school. Parents, cousins, friends etc etc. So the calculation is number of books X 8.  It's a big number and that's #yearbooksuccess .  It helps us to focus on why we do what we do.  Why Herff Jones is here and the impact a simple Yearbook can have. We help our customers touch the lives of ten's of thousands of people every year.  Each person that views the Yearbook pours over every picture, every article and in our little way we have made a difference.  Our customers have made a difference and our Yearbook Advisors have defintely made a difference.  Thanks for all you do...we can't wait to see so many Yearbooks deliver in the coming weeks.  Life is good. :)

Matt & Mary

Representing Herff Jones

905.605.1069

School Pride Starts In The Principal's Office

We've all caught ourselves saying "the problem with kids today...", but respect is indeed a two way street. Today I visited a York Region school and what should have been a thirty minute meeting lasted over an hour.  I met the Principal, Vice Principal, and office staff and felt the power of respect.   As the Principal showed me around the school the floors were clean, litter almost non-existant and the office staff seemed upbeat.  The Principal explained to me that "the students here are different", yet I couldn't help think it was the Principal that was different.  He didn't tell me about the challenges facing the school or complain about budget instead he focused on the positive.  Applause cards seemed like a perfect fit for the school.  Applause cards are simple ways of recognizing all the great things happening in our schools.  With motivational messages on one side and blank on the back for personal notes we can help administrators recognize people.  Students, teachers and parents that really make a difference. This is a great career and it just keeps getting better. #yearbooksuccess

Matt Sloan
905.605.1069

Schools are not a commodity....

Schools Are Not A Commodity So Why Do Some Companies Think They Are?

It's that time of year when Mary and I attend a lot of Principal, Board and Teacher conferences.  As such we run into many of the same vendors show after show.  This is one of my favourite times of year.  Lots of action, lots of pages coming in, graduation cap and gown orders being placed and diploma products delivering.  Best of all I have a front row seat to our fellow vendors and competition.  Many look tired and speak excitedly of the year coming to the end.  I don't get it.  If you are in the business of helping people why do you want to take the summer off?  If the daily travel is getting you down why are you in this business?  We are always the first vendor to show up and the last to leave. We often watch the other vendors push their way through the crowd of people they came to meet and tear down their displays thirty minutes before the end of the conference.  Sad really, but drives home the famous Zig Ziglar matra "You can have everything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want".  True back in the 70's when Zig was sharing his thoughts with the world, true now.   This is a great business with great people.  Glad to be here and excited for the next few weeks. #yearbooksuccess

Regards,
Matt & Mary
www.yearbookplanet.com
905.605.1069