First Yearbook Ad

[OrcaBob]

This was a toughie... Fitting all I needed to in an eyecatching 2.5"x4" ad.

As for the copyright stamps, don't worry about them. In a 2.5"Hx4"W ad, the copyright stamps won't be resolvable. Heck, I'm concerned that the text below "Senior Portraits" won't be readable. Same for the "Portraits/Sports/Events" block on the right.

Attachments:

[john101477]

pretty slick there Bob. I hope it pays off for you.

[OrcaBob]

Thanks, John. I'll find out if it pays off when the yearbooks are distributed in May... two weeks before school is out. It's going to be a long wait!

But it'll be a long-lasting ad. Practically every student in the school gets a yearbook and the books don't get looked at once and then get shelved. And the juniors and sophomores will be noticing the ads because they'll be looking for a photographer soon. Some seniors start getting their senior portraits done EARLY in the year, so I may start getting calls for next school-year's portraits this summer.

I was unable to afford anything larger than a 1/8th page ad ($50) because I've got to advertise at other schools, too. I'm competing for that school's 250 seniors with five or six big studios. The big question is, Will a full-page ad steal away enough customers from the big studios?


I took the image in for the yearbook's teacher/advisor to check out. The smaller text will show well in the actual ad. I forgot to put my phone# in the ad, but there's time to send in a revision. Just had to reserve the spot and deliver the check by today.

[jimhobson]

Looks good. I wouldn't worry about the size, it's a catchy ad.
I help sponsor our H.S. football team and the Theater Arts Program for the same price each ($50) as yours. Every game, every performance they hand out programs all year with my Ad in it. My Ads are business card size.
It helped me.

I don't really think the size matters, as long as it catches their eye. It's more important that they see it and I think they will.

Nice job.

[OrcaBob]

A few weeks ago I asked that high school about advertising in their football game programs. That option is already fully booked for the rest of the season. I may be able to get an ad in the basketball programs.

The only available way to advertise with the football team is hanging an 18'x3' vinyl sign on the fence along the track. That costs $300 for the season. I just saw yesterday how that works; the banners face inward toward the field. Banners on the home side of the field are visible only to the players, cheerleaders and the visiting fans. I'd have to make sure my banner was posted on the visiting side so the home crowd would see it, but those spots are already taken.

There aren't many official advertising options with that school. It's a private Catholic school that doesn't allow ads in the student paper and the school is pretty insular in other ways, too. My best bet in the short term is to get more "bird-dogs" among the student body.

At another high school that is more open to advertising, their student newspaper just got axed due to tight budgets. But the school's Audio-Visual club is offering to maintain tabloid (11"x17") ads posted on campus bulletin boards -- up to 30 ads for $2 apiece. Duration is unspecified, but I advertised like this last year there and it was good for as long as the ad stayed up (didn't get ripped down). How to ensure the ad isn't ripped down just to drum up more money for the club? State on the ad that $25 of the profits from each senior portrait package goes back to the AV club and other activities. The club members would have a vested interest in making sure the ads are kept up for viewing.

[NCPhotoTrekker]

I think it looks great Bob. My only concern (really too late for it now I guess) is that you don't have any guys represented. You are isolating yourself from a potential market there. If I were looking at the ad for possibly getting pictures done, I would keep moving right past your ad because of no males. The last thing I would want is to put myself in the position to get photographed looking like a girl. On the other hand, I would apply to be your assistant so I could work with the girls.

Just a thought for future ad work. You are smart to show more women since they are more likely to spend the money, but the guys that want photographs done will likely purchase more than the girls will.

[OrcaBob]

Lack of guys in the ads has been a concern of mine, but the only guy I've photographed for senior portraits has stiffed me on the release.

Most guys don't like posing for photos. Like a parent said yesterday at the soccer game, "The girls love being a model for a few hours, but the boys will be easy -- get 'em in, tell 'em how to pose, take a dozen shots, and they're happy as clams."

I got a two-week extension on submitting the the yearbook ad copy (the deadline was for payment and reserving the spot). I'd love to get a high school boy posing in front of his car under the studio lights. That's an image that could get the guys' attention. I'll see if any of the girls know guys who'd be available for that.

[NCPhotoTrekker]

Oct 2, 2009 15:47:12 GMT -5 OrcaBob said:

I'd love to get a high school boy posing in front of his car under the studio lights. That's an image that could get the guys' attention. I'll see if any of the girls know guys who'd be available for that.

That would be perfect!! This is the classic pose that guys will always like. Its less about them and more about the car. If you try and work it out to where one of your other female models can worth with you on the shoot and pose with the car...you have instant print sales from the car owner. This will help build the portfolio for the female if she ever wants to go into modeling.

Check out ClubRSX.com which has a lot of members out that way and they are always looking for new pictures. Most of the members are high school/college age.