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Unless you have something to announce, the postcard you send is pretty much useless. Blanket statements don’t work. I know, because I’ve sent my share of the equivalent of a mailed napkin. If you have credits yet nothing recent that’s newsworthy, then you have to make news; any news. Create a niche or mini-site and promote that on the front of your postcard. I did this recently, in August, when I created HorrorVO.com and you’d better believe I sent postcards for that. Of course, a new high-profile or name booking is best, but anything will do if you already have credits.

The front of the card is the hook, but the bait is credits. Therefore, the back is the most important part of the sale, because it’s the close. Bonnie Gillespie’s “Self-Management for Actors” has great examples of postcards and I encourage you to take a look. It shows you how to use the back as a short and effective resume.

Without credits, the message you’re sending is just “I do voice-overs.” With credits, the message you’re sending is “I’m doing voice-overs.” I’d rather be sending the latter. I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “Nobody wants to eat at a restaurant with an empty parking lot.” Do what you can to get those “cars” in; whatever you can; anyway you can!

With all of the technology that’s available, some people have lost faith in postcards. But if you follow the advice of using them as a hook and bait as I’ve described, they can still be very effective. I got my first agent with this approach. And, just last week, I spoke to someone who signed with my agent in NYC as a result of a postcard as well. I haven’t seen his postcard, but I can guarantee that he listed his credits. So get working on those first before you do postcard mailings.

Now for the lazy part; addressing, stamping, and mailing the cards. The difference between doing it yourself and hiring a company like VistaPrint to do it for you is only about $24. But the savings in time is much greater. Download this free excerpt and see for yourself. The excerpt is from the bonus report I wrote called “Outsource Your Voice-Over Business: How to Start Doing Less to Achieve More in VO” that comes with my eBook “Meditation for Voice-Over.”

In keeping with the Lazy approach, I’m sharing my oversized postcard template with you. Just sign up for The Daily Lazy email newsletter below, and I’ll send you a special link right away where you can download my Photoshop oversized postcard template. The same one I use for my postcard campaigns. If you need any help with using it, just send me an email. So, go ahead and sign up below and I’ll shoot that right over.

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On Monday, I’ll show you how to hire a personal assistant for about $1 to $2 a week, to screen all of your emails – including auditions, quotes, and even spam – full time; while still putting through emergency requests – like bookings - from your clients and potential buyers straight to your phone. Now that’s both Lazy and cheap!

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