Insights From One Adviser's Journey with United Yearbook

We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Ralph Trimmer, a yearbook adviser we're proud to partner with. In our conversation, he shared insights about his experience working with United Yearbook and offered valuable advice for fellow advisers. We've highlighted some key takeaways from the interview below, and for those interested, the full interview is also available to view.

We first asked Ralph about how he discovered United Yearbook and the beginning stages of our partnership.

He was initially introduced to United Yearbook through an outreach email. After reviewing the message, he decided to schedule a Google Meet to explore the possibility of working with a new publisher. During that meeting, we focused on understanding what he was looking for in a publisher and getting a sense of who he is as an adviser and what his school community values in a yearbook.

He described that initial meeting as a turning point.

“I could immediately feel that you weren’t just trying to sell me something—you genuinely cared,” Ralph shared. “That kind of commitment came through even on a video call.”

By the end of the meeting and after reviewing the sample materials we provided, Ralph was confident that he had found the right fit for his school’s yearbook needs.

Why Switch Publishers?

Ralph had been working with a larger publisher, but began to feel like just another client in a long list. His decision to switch wasn’t impulsive—it came after growing frustration with inconsistency and lack of support. These are the steps he took when looking for a new publisher, and the kinds of steps he suggests others advisers to take as well. 

Practical Steps Taken When Choosing a New Publisher:

• Assessed communication style and responsiveness He noticed early on that United Yearbook was quick to respond, personable, and intentional in communication. He did not feel like his publication was dismissed or went uncared for. He knew that the representatives at United Yearbook cared as much about the success of the final product as he did.

  
  

• Requested and reviewed sample materials Seeing the quality and customization options helped him visualize what was possible for his students.

  
  

• Met with representatives face-to-face (virtually) This allowed him to gauge the human side of the partnership—something he feels is often missing with larger companies. During that first video call, we were able to establish a good working relationship and understand his school’s specific needs. Make sure that your publisher meets with and gets to know your school’s unique needs.

  
  

• Compared the flexibility and support structure He appreciated United Yearbook’s ability to be hands-on when needed, or to step back and empower him and his students when they had it under control. Ralph, as a graphic designer, also had the option to choose to use United Yearbook’s software or Adobe products, in which he was most comfortable. He truly appreciated that flexibility and the ability to choose what was best for him and his staff members.

  
  

A Focus on Student Leadership and Organization

Ralph’s background as a graphic design teacher plays a huge role in how he runs his yearbook class. His team is small—just 12 students—but highly intentional.

Encouraging Student Leadership

• Interviews and recruitment: Ralph interviews students to make sure they’re a good fit for the demands of yearbook production. He’s able to scout them out in his graphic design classes and recruits them to his team.

  
  

• Skill-Based Delegation: Students are assigned responsibilities based on their individual strengths—whether it’s writing, layout design, photography, or editing. Ralph also makes it a point to empower students who may be struggling. He described these students as ones who simply need someone to believe in them. What a meaningful and fulfilling mission that is!

  
  

• Autonomy with accountability: He fosters leadership by giving students ownership while holding them to professional standards.

  
  

The Power of a Style Guide

One of Ralph’s most effective tools is a comprehensive style sheet, which he introduces early in the year and is made handy to each of the students throughout the year. This includes:

• Font choices

• Color schemes

• Layout principles

• Caption formats

  
  

The style guide also comes with a checklist of things students need to keep in mind when editing and creating pages, which Ralph says has been “a game changer” in maintaining consistency and quality throughout the book.

We’ve attached Ralph’s style sheet to the podcast description for reference—check it out!

Overcoming Challenges

Like most yearbook advisers, Ralph faces challenges, especially during crunch time.

Key Challenges He’s Tackled:

• Managing a small team: With only 12 students, every absence or missed deadline has an impact. He has 9 seniors who will be leaving the yearbook class when they graduate, which means that he has to be prepared for the next group of students to recruit. He also faces the unique challenge of needing students with driver's licenses to be able to get to off-campus events. 

  
  

• Problem-Solving Together: We discussed the significance of problem-solving and how crucial it is in various situations. Ralph and his students had to think creatively about how to get students to key events, particularly now that many of his older students are graduating. He explained that they came up with the idea of having a designated student travel with the team to the sporting event, ensuring coverage of the event.

  
  

• Meeting Final Deadlines: This year’s final submission deadline came with a few technical and scheduling hiccups, but Ralph didn’t face them alone. When things got hectic, United Yearbook didn’t just step in — we walked alongside him and his staff. We helped troubleshoot issues, stayed calm under pressure, and made sure we crossed the finish line together.

  
  

Why a Smaller Publisher Made All the Difference

Ralph reflected on his experience working with a larger publisher and noted a major difference in consistency and care.

His Main Takeaways:

• Big publishers rely on individual reps “If you get a great one, it works. But when they leave, it all falls apart.” There is not enough consistency with the quality of the representative you will be getting. He had a great representative with his former publisher at one point who truly cared for his publication, but when she left and he was assigned a new representative, it was like a night-and-day difference.

  
  

• Small publishers offer personalized consistency With United Yearbook, Ralph always felt supported—he wasn’t just passed from one person to another. He had a dedicated contact who knew his school, his students, and his style. With a smaller publisher, you’re guaranteed to have that same level of care and consistency across the board.

  
  

Final Advice to Fellow Advisers

Ralph encourages other advisers to take the time to interview their publishers and to truly get an understanding of what is best for your school’s personal needs.

To hear Ralph’s full story and dive deeper into his experience, listen to the full podcast episode by clicking the link here.

We are incredibly grateful to Ralph for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with us and share such valuable insight. His dedication to his students, his passion for design, and his thoughtful approach to advising make him a true leader in the yearbook community.

Copyright © 2025. TSE Worldwide Press. All Rights Reserved.

Contributor: Jessica Carrera, Associate Editor at TSE Worldwide Press and Marketing Coordinator at United Yearbook, holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in writing from Biola University. She aspires to touch the lives of others through her words.