Success Rate

[indyreds]

I will take some chances, but like to mail to players who have a great history of signing. Pay attention when others get returns that you would like to duplicate. Gary Payton started to sign for guys and I wanted him as well. He signs only 1 card at a time, so why send more than 1? He was not asking for donations, so do not include it. Send a letter not an index card asking for an autograph. Poof, the return is in the mail. Mailing to others like Ernie Banks is more of a long shot, but looking into the TTMM it seems there are a few times a year that you see returns from him. Mail when you have the best chance. The TTMM is why I do so well.

[Blargh]

I based my 61% return on 39 TTM sent and I have only been doing TTM for a few months. I send out a handwritten letter with each request. I always have a paragraph either highlighting the players career, a special moment or a question or two. I send most out based other people's recent successes. I do some long shots and I have a lower percentage on those.

[Shoremuad]

Send a letter not an index card asking for an autograph. Poof, the return is in the mail.

Do you really think that a letter on a piece of paper is better that a letter on an index card? I've heard that the same message on either has the same chances. Why would the medium make a difference?

[cyberer]

It is my personal belief as well that index cards aren't up to snuff. Regardless of the length of the letter, a 20 word letter on a piece of loose leaf looks like it took you longer to make and prepare than a 20 word letter on an index card.

Therefore I always use full sheets of paper not indexes.

[Shoremuad]

It is my personal belief as well that index cards aren't up to snuff. Regardless of the length of the letter, a 20 word letter on a piece of loose leaf looks like it took you longer to make and prepare than a 20 word letter on an index card.

Therefore I always use full sheets of paper not indexes.

Thats actually one of the reasons I use an index card. IT looks fuller and more complete. 20 words on a piece of paper i think just looks empty. Have you noticed a higher rate of returns when you started using loose leafs?

[cyberer]

I sent nothing but index cards up until March of last year. If you read back in my success thread to that time, I was infuriated that out of the ~75 requests I sent to ST I only got like 20 back (including to this day). I switched to letters and have enjoyed a moderate increase in success.

Since I said earlier I am still dissatisfied with my success rate it is obviously not perfect, but I feel it has helped.

[Shoremuad]

I sent nothing but index cards up until March of last year. If you read back in my success thread to that time, I was infuriated that out of the ~75 requests I sent to ST I only got like 20 back (including to this day). I switched to letters and have enjoyed a moderate increase in success.

Since I said earlier I am still dissatisfied with my success rate it is obviously not perfect, but I feel it has helped.

OK I'm convinced I'll start using letters and hopefull you're right.

[stlcardinalsfan]

i always use letters,and throw in a blank index if they want to sign it but i never ask them to sign it.

ive gotten almost everything back ive sent out

i got stan musial auto on a ball for 2$ because i wrote a sincre letter to him right after the allstar game they held in st.louis.

[MSUspartans]

I have a 68% success rate as of today.

[mattingly4232]

I sent out about 80 photos etc. last year and got about 40 back. I used mostly the TTM list and got a lot back thanks to that, so thanks contributors!