When Should You Distribute Your Yearbook: Spring or Fall?
As the end of the school year approaches, schools will have one of two distributions for the yearbook. The two most common options are the Spring distribution or Fall distribution. Each has its pros and cons, and the decision will depend on your school’s preferences, budget, and schedule.
Spring Distribution
One option is to do a spring distribution, which covers the school year from August through March or April, depending on the printer’s turnaround time and production schedule. Any remaining coverage of the school year can be included in a digital or printed supplement that is distributed at a later time.
Spring distribution has its advantages. Firstly, it ensures the timely delivery of yearbooks to students while their memories of the school year are still fresh in their minds. This is especially important for students who are graduating or moving on to a different school. Secondly, it can be more budget-friendly as printing and distribution can be done sooner in the school year. Thirdly, it offers flexibility in including spring events that happen after the book goes to print in a digital or printed supplement.
However, spring distribution also has its drawbacks. It has limited coverage since it only covers the school year until March or April, leaving out significant end-of-year events like graduation. Moreover, spring distribution requires a shorter production window, which can lead to stress for the yearbook staff and the printer. Finally, if a digital or printed supplement is created, it will require additional costs and time to produce and distribute.
Fall Distribution
One strategy for producing a yearbook is to opt for fall distribution. This approach involves covering the entire school year and printing the book over the summer, with distribution taking place at the beginning of the next school year. There are both pros and cons associated with this approach to yearbook production.
One of the biggest advantages of fall distribution is that it allows for comprehensive coverage of the entire school year, including important end-of-year events such as graduation. This ensures that the yearbook captures all of the key moments and memories from the school year in a single volume.
Another benefit of fall distribution is that it provides a longer production window, which can reduce stress for the yearbook staff and the printer. With more time to work on the yearbook, students can take their time creating a high-quality product without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.
Furthermore, fall distribution also allows for more time to focus on other end-of-year tasks, rather than worrying about yearbook distribution. This can be a big relief for students who are juggling a lot of responsibilities during this busy time of year.
However, there are also some downsides to fall distribution. One potential drawback is that students will have to wait until the beginning of the next school year to receive their yearbooks. This can be disappointing for seniors who are graduating, as they may have to wait several months to receive their cherished memento of their high school experience.
Another potential downside of fall distribution is that it can be more expensive, since you’ll need to print and distribute all at once. This can be a strain on the budget for some schools and may require careful planning to ensure that there are enough funds available to cover the cost.
Finally, fall distribution means that students may have forgotten some of the details of the school year by the time they receive their yearbooks. This can make the yearbook feel less relevant or engaging since it may not be as fresh in students’ minds as it would be if it were distributed earlier in the year.
Conclusion
Deciding whether to distribute your yearbook in the spring or fall is a big decision that requires careful consideration. While spring distribution may be more common and budget-friendly, fall distribution allows for comprehensive coverage of the entire school year. Ultimately, the decision will depend on your school’s preferences, budget, and schedule.
Let us know if you distribute Spring or Fall; comment below!