| Find
Their Address
You can contact companies directly, by finding
their address and sending them a copy of your photo(s). For
magazines, the publisher's address is always listed inside,
on the publisher's information page. Sometimes magazines have
submission guidelines posted on their web site. For other
companies, search the Internet for their web site and look
under "contact us".
Talk To The Decision Maker
The more focused you make your pitch, the
more likely you are to get a result. Try calling the main
number of the company and ask for the name of the person in
charge of editing, marketing, advertising, or whatever you're
after.
For advertising, there's probably an ad agency
involved, so you should ask for the name of that company and
call them. Ask to be connected to the person in charge (the
editor, VP of Marketing, etc.). If the receptionist doesn't
know a name, ask for the department and then ask whoever you
get connected to.
Tell the person why you're calling and ask
if they have any advice or know who you should talk to. You
may get shuffled around a bit, but if you can talk directly
to the right person, you'll make your marketing more effective.
Look Good
Mail a professional-looking package. These
days, you can make a high-quality print on your home computer
with an ink-jet printer. Use nice, thick, glossy paper. Only
send one or a few photos -- you're very best work. Don't send
a range of photos and expect the recipient to decide. You
should edit very tightly -- be brutal.
By only submitting your best you keep your
overall quality high and make a greater impact. Enclose a
cover letter with your name, phone number, email address,
and mailing address. You could make a web site featuring more
of your work and reference that.
Angle Your Pitch
Think how the recipient might use your photo,
then market in that direction. For advertisers, try making
a sample ad out of your photo. For magazines, try writing
a short story of the type they might publish. You can use
a word processor program or layout program (such as Microsoft
Publisher) to design something fancy.
Make A Complete Package
If you really want to get your photo into
a magazine, I would suggest attempting to sell a complete
package -- with an article. Magazines are generally looking
for stories rather than photos, so write a good story. Describe
the experience that led to the photo, the trip, the adventure,
why you were there. Read the magazine and see the type and
style of articles they publish. You're more likely to sell
the article with the photos included than just some photos.
Why selling
my photo on-line? | How
to Sell Your Art | How
Can I Sell My Photo As A Postcard? |
How To Sell
Your Photos | Where
To Sell Your Photos | How
To Sell Your Photo To A Magazine |
How
To Put Your Photos On The Web | Photos
You Can't Sell
|
