Ask Maven: Mail Promos

Ask Maven is a new column created to answer your questions about anything related to advertising photography. Questions about self-promotion, production, estimates…you name it and Maven can help. Maven has fifteen plus years of experience in the advertising world and for the last six years has been an art buyer at a highly esteemed international ad agency.

Email Maven your questions: maven (at) thefstopmag (dot) com

I came across this amazing promo the other day from Shawn Michienzi, a photographer whose work I have always dug. He sent out a mini magazine of sorts called “Taken” (great name) with cool images, great simple design, and some captioning about each campaign or image he shot. In particular,   I am in love with these  Southern Comfort photos — particularly as I was recently looking for images of ass kicking Americana the past few days. That’s how it works, folks — for direct mail, anyway. I will toss everything in my path if it does not speak to something I am working on or think I may be working on in the future. So yes, it’s a bit like some version of postal Russian Roulette. There’s no real rhyme or reason to it — it’s more luck.  Of course there is the 3 times rule — don’t blow your savings on one promo because you generally need to send your stuff 3 times before there is some sort of recall or response.

But the bottom line is targeting your audience and sending them stuff that will hopefully spark a call to your iPhone and make your dang day. I do love to get things in the mail to look at, but I would say keep the size of them less than indulgent (not a fan of enormous promos, remember most art buyers and creatives don’t have enormous offices, so we have nowhere to put your Ten Commandment sized promotion). And I really love a handwritten note to accompany the piece that has my name and a little piece on why this image of sexy school girls in Paris is being sent my way. The personal touch should not be underestimated — even if you can hand write notes to ten of your most favorite and coveted agency folk, do it.

Another thought I had today was this: you are all extraordinarily lucky to be doing something you LOVE for a living. I would say the majority of you would not prefer office work or some other such drudgery. So take a deep breath, even in these changing and challenging times for our industry, and simply remember why you are here. You really love taking pictures, and you are super lucky to do what you love for a living. Remember that when racking your brain over promos, tough estimates, or crazy art directors. It’s all worth it. Oh, and send me your questions, please. Would love to hear from all of you.

The Maven