Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Do you know how to build a mailing list? and Award


I am going to send out my first mailer in the next month or so, but before I do that I need to create a mailing list.

Back in January during the regional SCBWI conference, speakers emphasized the need to do your homework and be accurate when sending post cards or a package. Include the name of the AD or editor receiving the mailer and personalize the letters.

I wanted to pose a question to my readers that actively market themselves. How do you find current information for publishers? Is there a magic quick way of doing this? Or is this as painful and tedious as I think it might be… finding publishers and going on their web sites to find a number to call. Then calling and asking who’s the AD and the editor. Is this how everyone does it?  How do you do it? How do you compile the info and do you use a specific software to store all the data?

I would love to know!!!! 

I also want to let you know how much I appreciate every bit of info you can provide. Thanks for sharing! 

On a separate note, I wanted to thank Monica and Andrea for this award. I am so honored. They are so talented! Their work was most recently published on the cover of 'Night of the Crabs'. Please check it out when you can.

Here are few rules if you accept the award
Feel free to deliver this award to eight other people
(or as many bloggers you would like) and include the
following text with the award on your site.
" These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends.
They are not interested in self aggrandizement.
Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut,
even more friendship are propagated.
Please give more attention to these writers."

My list is:

I would like to keep going as there are so many artists that I admire and find inspire me, but I feel I must stop for the sake of time.

7 comments:

adrienne trafford said...

thank you so much Edrian!! i'm honored and i feel the very same about you and your blog! - Adrienne

Aja said...

How kind! Thank you Edrian!

Unknown said...

Hi Edrian....that is a lot of work...if you want up to date info you can also pay for it...

there is a site called http://www.agencyaccess.com/

and they basically do all the leg work and have the most up to date contacts....

It is really great!!! or you can also opt for companies to run your campaigns...I have one coming out in the fall....it goes out to 5000 people in the business and there is no way I could do that on my own.....

great post!

Hugs
Diana

Carli said...

thank you Edrian you are so sweet!
about the mailing list I do it the slow way. i use the children's writers and illustrators market and Jacketflap but you still have to double check everything especially with jacketflap. some publishers have thier submission guidelines and who to send stuff to right on their website. Good luck with your billy goats.

Phyllis Harris said...

Wow! Thank you for your very sweet award!Good luck with your first mailing! :o)

Heather said...

Thanks for the award.

I find the personalization a time consuming process. I start with the Children's Writers and Illustrator's Market book which lists aquisition editors and ADs-but I always go to the website to verify the info since personal will change since publication of even the most recent CWIM. (and usually that info is buried in the website it it is there at all!) I also keep a list of editors, agents ect that I have met or heard speak at conferences. (but maintaining that also takes time since they will leave or jump around after I've met them...)
Sometimes I wonder if all this work is really worth it? Will my letter be read by the person I've hunted down so diligently or by an assistant anyway? So with submissions that have a dummy and cover letter I'm much more careful in my research than I am with blanket postcard mailings.

Nicole Merkens said...

Thank you Edrian! you inspire me too!
xo- Nicole