Going Postal with Direct Mail

Are you thinking about sending out postcards in the New Year?  Have you made your list of people to send to?  How many people are on that list?  100?  1000?  5000?  Here are some things to think about before you even start the design process to help you stay within your budget. 

Size is Everything!

Postcard sizes range from 4x6in to 6.125x11.5in however the standard size for a postcard is 4x6in.  As along as your postcard fits between the smallest and largest size, your postcard will be able to be proceed on the Post Office machines.

One thing to take into consideration when choosing the size of your postcard is that the larger it is the more it will cost to print and to mail. This also goes for odd shaped postcards (square or really thin and long) will cost even more to mail than just large, rectangular postcards.

I would also suggest that if you are designing your own postcard to make sure you find out the size options your printer offers.  I use Sharpdots (LOVE them!) and the smallest size they offer is 4x6in while the largest is 8.5x11in, which would not be considered by the Post Office as a postcard.

Stamp This!

When sending "Standard Mail" your postcard can be any size within “reason”. However, the cost is based on size, shape and weight. A smaller, standard size postcard will cost less.

Standard Mail is only for business use, meaning you can't send personal messages to mom and dad or that cute guy with a beard down at DWR on Filmore Street. The entire piece must be pre-printed (no handwriting), you must mail at least 200 pieces at a time, and it does not offer forwarding and return service.

Then there is "First-Class Mail". Size Restrictions: 
 4.25 inches by 6 inches (0.016 in. thick) Anything beyond that will cost you "letter rate" postage.

The difference between each rate bracket is actually quite a lot.  Check this out!

First-Class Postcard Rate: $0.28

First-Class Letter Rate: $0.44 (57% more expensive)

Odd Shaped Rate: $0.64 (129% more expensive)

Nice to know especially if you are sending out 1000 postcards!

Thickness and Weight do Matter!
If you are ordering postcards from a printer then you most likely you do not need to worry about the thickness of the paper the printer is using. They (most likely) know what they're doing.

If you want to print your own postcards then you need to make sure that you buy the right "weight" of paper.

The Post Office says that paper that is about as thick as an index-card is thick enough. Probably, any paper that is labeled "card stock" will work.

Usually, bulk amounts of paper are sold with the "thickness" labeled as "weight" and will be measured in lbs. (or #). The thing to remember is that you want to buy paper with the right "weight" to be a postcard.

39# paper = about .0072 inches thick per sheet
87# paper = about .015 inches thick

Generally speaking, any paper weight between 40 lbs. and 85 lbs. should be postcard thickness. If you're worried, aim for 60 lb. paper.

You can always check out the USPS website for more information as well.

Back TO IT!

If thinking about size, postage, thickness and weight weren’t enough let’s talk about the BACK of the card! 

Why do you need to think about the back?  Printing or writing any kind of information like your website or email address may end up being covered up by the barcode the Post Office puts on the back of the card.  It would be a bummer if a potential client liked your card but didn’t know how to get in touch with you.

The same goes with where the stamp, mailing address and your information go.  It would be a double bummer if the person you addressed the card to never even received your postcard!

The best way I can help you here is to direct you to this link: Back of Postcard Regulations.  It is a guideline for postcards 4x6in to 6x11in.

Hope this helps!

Danielle Hall

Vote For Me!

 Where do you spend your marketing dollars? Website, emailers, direct mail, photoserve, foundfolios, blackbook, workbook?  The list can go on and on!


One of the things I have been doing to promote myself is to enter as many contests as I possibly can!  They are cheaper than taking an ad out in a source book (is that still something people do?)  and if you win more people see it due to all the hype the contest puts out there to promote it!

And with most contests these days there is an added opportunity to a “People’s Choice” award.  This is usually to win a prize and recognition based on votes from your peers.  You are promoting yourself and creating awareness of the contest.   

If I had not entered a contest I would never have had the opportunity to be featured several times in Photographers Forum and Graphis Photography Annual or be chosen as the winner for APA Something Personal. 

I have recently entered a contest out of New York called 3rd Ward, The Open Call.

Winning the grand prize would mean a 3 month residency in New York, $5,000 grant and a solo show in a NY Gallery at the end of the 3 months. 

That would be so amazing and humbling at the same time.  Can you imagine!

Not only that, but with all expenses paid on flight and a place to stay for 3 months it would position me so that I could also promote myself in New York by showing my portfolio, meet the people I have been in contact with only through email and follow up on the leads who said they would hire me if I lived in New York. 

Winning this could be just the boost my career needs so how could I not enter and promote!?!  I encourage you to do the same!!!

You never know.    

Would you vote for me and help me receive more votes by emailing the link to your friends, posting this on your Facebook, Twitter and/or Linkedin?

You can vote here: 3rd Ward, The Open Call

What contests have you entered and won?  What did that do for you and your career?  Let me know where I can vote for you!

Thank you for reading!

Danielle Hall

Apple Store

January 10th from 7-8pm photographer rep Norman Maslov will be speaking at the Apple Store.  Wanna go with me?

Check details here:
http://blog.apasf.com/?p=2133

Danielle

Getting Ready for 2011

A few things I have been thinking about and getting myself ready for in the new year:  Video. Promo Mailers.  Emailers. New Website.

Video is one that I have been mulling over for quite a while. From what I can tell from the many photo seminars, webinars, websites, blogs, “hear say” and tweets… video is in. 

I cant say that I feel comfortable expanding into this new realm when I am already doing what I can to stay on top of, updated and promoting my photography but this does not seem to be something that is just a trend. 

It feels a bit overwhelming but I am finally feeling its time to fully embrace where the industry is taking me.  Stay tuned for some collaborative photo and video work on my new website! 

Promo and emailers... As you know, most go straight into the recycling bin!  There is no right or wrong answer on how to do it, make it, package it, size it, amount of pictures, text or no text as long as it drives the point home: Standing out to grab the buyers attention.  So where does that leave you? 

I felt a little lost at first.  I mean, really?  Yes, it IS that subjective.  Yes, it IS about timing.  So, I am going to show the best images I have created, with simple design and send it off to a very targeted list of people I am confident would love and need the type of work I do.    

Wish me luck in 2011.  Thank you for your support and all of your feedback.  I love hearing from you!

Danielle Hall

P.S.  Here are a few interesting blogs I have read that have helped me with a few of my questions.  Hope it helps you, too!

http://www.wonderfulmachine.com/blog/
http://blog.apasf.com

http://stocklandmartelblog.com/

http://www.heathermorton.ca/blog/

http://jasminedefoore.com

http://www.aphotoeditor.com/

http://www.photo.net

Thank you WM!

Thank you Wonderful Machine for such a nice update about my portfolio review!  I appreciate all you do.

Xoxo,

Danielle Hall

Fire Alarm!

What would you do in case of a fire?  Well, I had a few minutes to think about that tonight as the fire alarm went off in my building. 

It was about 8:30pm.  Already snug in my PJs relaxing for the night watching Family Guy after dinner.  And there it went.  The loud “BAAAA! BAAAA!” of the fire alarm.  

I grabbed my keys, purse and hard drives and we were out of there! 

How would you react?  What would you grab on your way out?

Thanks for reading!

Danielle Hall 

Portfolio Mistakes

I just read this article from Ellen Boughn about portfolio mistakes.  Hope this helps you when putting your portfolio together!

Real Estate: Use all the space you have when showcasing images. Nothing is more a waste of money than tiny images on a Web portfolio or in the printed book. OK, so the paper is lovely… but we don’t care. We want to SEE each image.

No blurb books please: They are too small and don’t hold up through repeated opening and closing. They have their place but as a commercial portfolio, they don’t cut it.

No plastic sheets. Office Depot is NOT the place to buy supplies to build a printed book… leave the shiny sheets behind. They reflect overhead lighting and make a portfolio look like a high school report.

Keep it clean: No matter the portfolio style du jour, I’ve seen very expensive printed portfolios that are just plain dirty: fingerprints, torn prints and scratched sheets holding the images. All manner of stuff, even dog hairs. And these from working photographers. Respect your portfolio and others will, too.

Overly expensive or elaborate: I’ve seen printed books that need to be carried around on a luggage dolly because they are bound in steel and weigh tons. Your clients want to see the work, not have to wrestle the thing to the ground in order to peek inside.

I recently asked a room of art buyers and photo editors which of them would call in a book from a photographer who either didn’t have a website or had a sloppy one. All agreed there is no way a photographer or the rep would get in the door if the art buyer/photo editor hadn’t been impressed with the website.

Rules Of the Road For Websites

Real Estate, again. Nothing is worse than a tiny photo floating in an island of empty Web space. You have lost me if I have to ask myself, “What is that a photo of?” Oh, and for the love of the great art director in the sky, NO MUSIC.

Tell the truth. Sure, you want to show your most stunning images, but be darn certain when you get a job that you can deliver the same quality that you show on your website. If you create false expectations and blow the first job from a client, you are dead meat forever as far as that client is concerned. I will never forget the photographer with the great photos on the site and a terrible submission from my assignment. I even remember details of the cab ride to his studio and everything about him. My brain was making certain I never forgot a detail so that I would never recommend him to anyone. Notice the word I repeated? I said NEVER three times.

Make the site easy to navigate. OK, everyone tells you this but then why do I so often sit befuddled at my computer trying to figure out how to get back to where I started after leaving the landing page. Or trying to figure out how to see more than one image or, worst, how to stop the darn thing from tossing a hundred images at me within the first 10 seconds that I land on a page? (And I’m a rather geeky person to boot.) Try your website out on your next-door neighbor who is your average computer user. Do your own little usability study.

Hire a professional. You rile against amateurs in your business so why hire the same level of talent to build your site? Get both a graphic designer and a Web designer to work together. Rarely does one person do both well. Or use one of the templates available that you can customize. Make certain that you can make adjustments – like adding new work – yourself.

Learn about SEO or whatever the new Google search is going to require. Set your site up on Google Analytics so that you can monitor the success of your marketing in driving traffic to your site.

Print or iPad?

I love my iPad but I don’t know if I’d want a prospective client wandering around in it. Once someone has one in his/her hands, they tend to do just that. Some of the VII photographers are buying three iPads–one for corporate clients, one for editorial, and one for personal use. I talked about this to several art buyers who were doing portfolio reviews with me at PhotoPlus Expo. All LOVE the iPad. About 10 percent of the books presented at the reviews were solely on an iPad.

Your website is the first port of entry on the road to getting the right jobs from the right clients. Do it really well. Then back it up with printed books that can be rearranged to suit the specific needs of individuals who WILL call it in.


Thanks for stopping by!


Danielle Hall

Change is Happening!

There are a lot of changes happening over here at Danielle Hall Photography! 

Stay tuned to see if the rumors are true!  2011 is going to be different.  I can feel it!

Thanks for looking!

Danielle Hall

To Do for the New Year!

Hi!

I just got done watching a PDN Virtual event.  What a great talk by Allen Murabyasi  from Photoshelter.  In case you are thinking about what to do for the next year I wanted to share with you the “TO DO” list he left us with.  Some things to think about for sure…

1. Are you in the right place doing the right type of work?
2. Create a financial forecast
3. Create a Marketing Plan to support growth within your forecast.
4. Make sure your website is built for your audience and NOT YOU!
5. Use known techniques for driving business and growth. 

Do you have anything to add?  I would love to hear from you!

Danielle Hall

Inner Sense of Security

I am sure I am not the only one who feels the ups and downs of being freelance.  I read this and it resonated with me. Hope it helps you, too!

"It can happen that a week goes by and there's nothing; not one job offer. Then I start thinking that it's all over and that I will never work again!  It's the nature of being self-employed.  Nothing is ever set in stone. No one is ever entirely safe. You're fashionable one week; the week after you're not.

That's why it's so important that we value ourselves and feel an inner sense of security, and not let our job define who we are. Otherwise it becomes impossible to handle the stress. Luckily, a job always seems to come along when I need it."

Danielle Hall