Marketing Strategies

Lakeside High School marketing students stand under one of the many posters aimed at increasing yearbook sales.

A face to face approach proved to be the best marketing strategy to boost yearbook sales. Students in Mr. David Pratt’s marketing class at Lakeside High School were given the challenge of applying what they’ve learned in class to assist the school in selling more yearbooks. As an incentive, if the class sold more yearbooks in the month of December than what was sold last December (162), they would receive less homework assignments in January!

A senior and a sophomore took the lead roles in dividing the task among their classmates. Three groups were formed: flyers, posters, and speaking to classes. Two main points were emphasized by the three groups. First, yearbooks with the name printed on the cover would not be available after December. Secondly, when yearbooks are next sold in March, the price will go up to $45, a $5 increase. So for less money, the student receives more if they buy their yearbook in December!

Posters varied in size, color, and style. One junior created a simple poster; he drew a happy face with the line “You with a yearbook,” and a sad face and the line, “You without a yearbook.” Another student created an elaborate, eye-catching poster with “graffiti” lettering. Flyers were created on the classroom’s computers. By creating different flyers and posters, the marketing students appealed to more people. “Our goal was to plaster them all over the school, so that anywhere you looked, you saw one,” explained one student. They dispersed over 100 flyers and placed over 50 posters throughout Lakeside’s campus.

One marketing student felt that knowing the target market and having a goal helped in marketing the yearbooks. Three students agreed that having everyone in the class pitch to their friends had the best and broadest effect. “We know different people,” commented one teen. “Your friends will probably do it for you,” added another. They found that most students did not know about the name and price difference and bought a yearbook once they did.

Through this learning activity, Mr. Pratt’s students were given a real marketing project. Appealing to all of Lakeside’s students so that everyone buys a yearbook is not an easy task; as of December 12, 75 yearbooks had been sold for the month. These marketing students are discovering that a detailed business plan and continued effort are important factors in increasing sales. One student explained, “It’s not just a one time sales pitch. You have to keep on them.”