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A yearbook project can often challenge its committee members. Whether it’s a PTA meeting or a second job, there are always other responsibilities that fill up our schedules pretty quickly.

Many yearbook companies are finding ways to use online technologies to allow yearbook committees to work together. Entourage Yearbooks, a company that prides itself in its use of online tools, has figured out how you can benefit:

Learning Together: Webinars

Online meetings and conferences enable yearbook committee members to attend software training sessions together. Besides being able to simultaneously view ways to make your yearbook project better, it is fun to bond over learning and sharing something as a group.

Sharing Information: Personal Website

Rather than assigning one person to manage a yearbook, why not get more people involved? Online tools enable multiple committee members to log in to their school’s account to keep track of deadlines, manage yearbook sales, and upload photographs. Account Administrators can then select these photographs immediately and begin dropping them into their yearbook software.

Never Missing a Moment: Digital Proofs

Certain events like Prom come very late in the year. Since it is difficult to push completion deadlines, events like these are often left out of yearbooks. With tools like digital proofs, you can upload pictures from Prom, submit your pages, and instantly request a set of digital proofs. This can cut weeks from your project timeline.

Saving Money: Customer Login

Online tools can help cut costs of travel and postage, leaving yearbook committees with money in their budget for other projects and events. This can relieve financial stresses and put the committee in a much better mood.

Connecting to your Yearbook Company: Online Consultants

Online tools make for a faster connection to your yearbook company; they allow billers, tech support, and creative and design consultants to be there for you immediately through webinars and online conferencing. You can share your computer screen and talk about your project the second a question arises. You can also access videos with hints and tricks that your yearbook company will most likely update regularly.

“Excellent customer service!! My account manager answered my every question (and there were a lot of them) and bent over backwards to make sure we had a positive experience. We were thrilled with Entourage.” -Waymakers

Selling Yearbooks Online: Online Yearbook Sales

Online Yearbook sales make for a very easy way for students and teachers to purchase yearbooks. This gives an opportunity to build more excitement around the yearbook project while being able to log in and out of their school’s account as they please.

Entourage Yearbooks is continuously finding new ways to bring technology into the yearbook process. Since design, production, and sales are managed online, yearbook committees are not only allowed instant access and support; they are allowed more time and energy to share this very exciting process.

For more information on Online Tools, visit Entourage Online at entourageyearbooks.com.

Resources

Yearbook Programs

Yearbook Price Quotes

Yearbook Budget

A quick Google search for the term ‘yearbook companies’ will turn up hundreds of results including yearbook printers, designers, sellers and more.  In a virtual world full of clutter, how does a school decide which yearbook company has the right stuff for them?

Today’s technology is making the door-to-door yearbook salesman obsolete.   So, to find the right yearbook company, schools often have to do a little research of their own.  Here are a few things to be on the look-out for when determining which company would best fit a school’s needs.

1)   Technology: Yearbook printing technology is not only reducing turnaround times and creating more visually appealing products, but many yearbook publishing companies can use new technologies to save on costs for both the company and the client.  Ask about the printing technology used by the company and learn more about their ability to remotely connect with schools to resolve questions and technical obstacles that may arise.

Yearbook Printing

2)   Printing: Look for a yearbook company that has made the leap to digital print technology. Digital print technology offers some of the highest quality imagery and resolution available in the industry today and the fastest turnaround times. With digital printing, customers can expect turnaround times to be as short as 2-3 weeks.   Digital printing is also perfect for short runs, so schools aren’t forced to order additional books just to get a more competitive price.

3)   Turn Around times: As stated above, digital printing and Internet technology has streamlined the yearbook publishing process to be much more efficient.  Yearbooks can now be printed in as little as 2-3 weeks, which means schools have the opportunity to capture events that happen later in the year like prom.

4)   Yearbook design software: The most savvy yearbook publishing companies are now offering internet-based yearbook design software.  Such programs combine speed, ease of use, and versatile functionality for school yearbook committees. Users benefit from advanced design and layout tools, immediate availability of local images, and the capability to collaborate online with anybody anywhere.

5)   Customer Service: Don’t get frustrated by the big name yearbook companies that make it seem complicated and assign you a customer number.  Work with a company that provides personalized and dedicated customer support teams available by phone, email and remote technology.  These support teams can guide schools through the process and make the experience more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Entourage Yearbooks announced a series of Yearbook planning webinars for school yearbook committees and yearbook advisors.  The informative webinars are happening almost daily throughout July and August and are a great way for students on the yearbook committee to start the year feeling prepared.

The Internet-based webinars feature live demonstrations on a variety of yearbook topics.  Summer webinar topics include organizing yearbooks and staff, picking a yearbook theme, how to use FotoFusion yearbook software, how to use InDesign yearbook software, understanding yearbook design, intermediate design workshops, and basic Photoshop editing.

Yearbook Design Software

FotoFusion is the newest option from Entourage Yearbooks that allows users to work on their project online, from school or home or wherever there is a computer with Internet access.  This software lets users design their yearbook from scratch, or use templates, backgrounds and clip art for further customization.  FotoFusion is a great option for intermediate to advanced computer users to create a stunning yearbook.

InDesign is professional software that lets students experiment with new techniques while learning to design with the same tools professionals use.  For those who may seek a career in graphic design, using InDesign is a great stepping-stone.

Although the yearbook software provided by Entourage Yearbooks is extremely user friendly and easy to use, participating in the Entourage webinars will help students gain greater insight into using and understanding key features these software products offer for designing and planning a yearbook.

View the full schedule of the summer Yearbook webinars

To sign up for a webinar or for more information, please call 1-888-Ybooks1 ext. 86 or email christa@entourageyearbooks.com