Are you wondering how to get autographs through the mail? Well, this is the place to look for hints and tips. Follow some or all of these rules and you'll be reeling in autographs from the left and right.
Self Addressed Stamped Envelopes
Letter Length
Stationary
Handwritten or Typed?
Manners
What to Send
Return Address
Sending to Other Countries
Questionnaires
Research
Celebrities
Fees
Address Format
1. A Self Addressed Stamped Envelope is an envelope with your address as the main address and a stamp in the upper right hand corner. In the world of autograph collecting through the mail, it is imperative that you send a SASE with each of your requests. Not only will a SASE be a great help to the person you are sending to-they don't have to waste their money on stamps or time on writing out envelopes-but it also is a help to you-you will probably get your autograph back faster if you send a SASE.
Dear Mr. Smith,
Hello! My name is Alex, and I think you are a great player. I think it's awesome how you scored 5 runs in a game in 1996. That must have been a very exciting experience for you.
I have enclosed a sports card with this letter-would you please autograph it for me? I know you probably have a very busy schedule, so if you cannot sign, I completely understand.
Thanks!
Sincerely yours,
Alex Doe
In place of the italicized parts of the sample letter, put your own information.
If you write to retired players, I would suggest adding more information. They probably have a lot more time to read the letters they receive. A letter to a retired player should be between one half of a page to a page in length.
5. Always use the customary please and thank you. Don't write a letter like:
Dear So-and-so,
Sign this card.
John Doe
You don't want to come across as forceful, rude, or otherwise disrespectful in your letters.
Examples of What You Could Send
7. Always put a return address on the envelope addressed to the person you're writing to. A return address is that little address up in the corner of an envelope. If you don't, and the player you were sending to was traded or retired, you may never see your card again, because it can't be returned to you. Some suggest putting one on the return envelope as well.
9. A questionnaire is a series of questions that you send to a celebrity or athlete to be answered. Sending these is a great idea, because it makes the player feel like you are really interested in their career. Personally, I have had a lot more success sending questionnaires to retired athletes.
12. Often times, an athlete (most often a retired athlete) will request that you send them a certain amount of money for an autograph. When this happens, you have multiple choices-pay the fee to get the player's autograph, search the Internet to see if you can find an autograph of the athlete at a cheaper price than the fee, or not pay the fee at all. It is entirely your choice as to what you want to do. Sometimes it depends on how much you really want the autograph and sometimes it depends on if you are in a financial situation that would allow you to have enough money to pay the fee.
On occasion, an athlete will hold your cards "hostage"-that is, he will hang onto your cards until you send an amount of money he requests. With this situation, there are multiple things you can do. You can send him the money he requests to get your cards back, you can write him a letter requesting he send your cards back unsigned without sending a fee, or you can let him keep the cards, because they weren't worth much anyway. Again, the choice is up to you. As with the other situation, sometimes it depends on how much you really want the autograph, while sometimes it depends on if you can afford it.
