How the Chamber of Commerce Helped Revive Our Business Ads Sales

Rolla High School just celebrated its 76th volume of the Growler yearbook, and the local business community has been one of our biggest supporters over those past seven decades. When I accepted the role of yearbook adviser in the fall of 2022, I excitedly collected and displayed books from years past. The display garnered the attention of many passersby, and I often found myself perusing old yearbooks with students and colleagues as they flipped through indexes and pages to locate their parents, grandparents and friends.

Through the lens of a yearbook adviser, I quickly noticed that in each yearbook, there were pages and pages of ads featuring some of the same businesses I patronize today. I also knew during COVID-19, no business ads were sold – the main priority was safety, and then simply publishing a yearbook. As a new adviser, I wasn’t sure where to even start as I tried to figure out how to revive our business ads. Enter Stevie Kearse.

Kearse is a mom to one of my former students and the Executive Director of The Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce (RACC). I remember asking her son, “Do you think your mom would be willing to talk with my yearbook students about selling ads?” He immediately responded with, “Yes, let me get you her email.”

After one quick email conversation, Kearse and another member of the Chamber were scheduled to workshop with my students. One of the missions of the RACC is to enhance the economic environment and quality of life in our community while supporting educational initiatives that bridge the gap between the business community and local schools.

“Supporting the RHS Growler yearbook aligns perfectly with these goals. The yearbook is more than just a collection of memories for students; it represents a significant educational endeavor that involves planning, teamwork, creativity and leadership. By backing this project, the Chamber acknowledges the importance of these educational experiences and their impact on students’ personal and professional development,” Kearse shared with us.

Lesson learned: Make authentic connections with students, their parents and the community.

I reviewed our ad materials and pricing and created flyers beforehand. Kearse and her counterpart joined us for a day of class. The two ladies shared a wealth of knowledge with my students.

SOME OF THE SESSION HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED:

• How to speak professionally and confidently
• How to pitch an ad
• How to pitch an ad of different sizes at a smaller price point
• How to anticipate questions business owners may ask and thoughtfully answer
• How to gracefully respond when a business owner says “no, thank you”

Then, Kearse asked my staff to take turns pitching an ad to her. Her intentional questioning and specific feedback prepared my students to take on one of the practical components of our publication: ad sales. We went from $0 in ad sales the previous two years to $3,395.

The Growler’s partnership with Kearse and the RACC continued throughout the year. She invited my editors to a monthly luncheon where they were treated to a catered meal and given the microphone to promote our book. My editors also had the opportunity to network with the hundreds of local business owners around them. They spoke with local professionals, answered questions and distributed our yearbook ad sales flyers. Shortly after, my editors and staff made a promotional video, and Kearse graciously emailed it to hundreds of RACC businesses.

Rolla is an exceptional community, and I’m proud to serve as an educator here. I am certain other advisers would echo my sentiments about their communities and vocations.

Consequently, I suspect a potentially untapped, yet vital resource is your local Chamber of Commerce. If increasing your business ad sales, developing a relationship with your local community and offering your students real-life experiences they can use in their future are important areas of focus for you, I encourage you to reach out to your Chamber of Commerce to discuss the benefits of a partnership.