Domain Names Room

By Rohn Engh

No, ---it's not a good idea. Reason? Photobuyers are known to stand over a wastebasket when they answer their mail. Unsolicited CD's most always are dropped into the trash. Photobuyers are not known to look at the CD's of "unknowns."

Don't despair, -it happens in all the creative fields: songwriting, script writing, fiction, music, dance and painting -- all of them.

However, as a photographer, you have an advantage - the following three promotional tools are usually accepted by a photobuyer: postcards, calendars, and posters, in that order.

Postcards: There's no envelope to open, your pitch is on one side and a sample of your photography is on the other side. Standard postcard size will pull just as well as the larger postcard (that costs more to mail.) Some recommended places to find mailing lists of photo editors/art directors: freshlists.com (1 800 322-3985); adbase.com (1 416 960 4240); photosourcefolio.com; (1 877 464 6243).

Magnet: Those small credit card-size notices that have migrated from the fridge to the filing cabinet are an excellent reminder to photobuyers where to find you. Two places to buy them: http://www.vistaprint.com & http://www.4imprint.com.

Calendars: If the photobuyer has wall space (at home or office) they might use it, especially if your specialty area matches their special interest theme. But calendars are expensive to produce. IDEA: Talk a local business (such as a nursery, architect, interior designer, etc.) into paying for the entire calendar production in return for your producing the images.

Posters: Hardly anyone wants to throw away a poster. But would you be throwing away money? It depends, -the quality of your image, the mailing list, the size of the poster. You are competing with the top dogs when you are producing posters, but why not? Just be sure you go with quality all the way.

Rohn Engh, veteran stock photographer and best-selling author of "Sell & ReSell Your Photos" and "sellphotos.com," has helped scores of photographers launch their careers. For access to great information on making money from pictures you like to take, and learn how to sell pictures, and to receive this free report: "8 Steps to Becoming a Published Photographer," visit his website, PhotoSource International or call 800 624-0266.