Happy Birthday, Diana!
My wife has been a wonderful friend to me. On her birthday, she gives gifts.
Therefore, I want to follow her sterling example. Here are three tips to help anyone wanting to stand out in your correspondence with a current or former player:
1. Choose a strong question. WHY works. HOW is a close second. Let them explain a moment in baseball history to you. WHAT was your greatest thrill? Don’t expect an entire sentence to answer that one, let alone a paragraph.
2. Quote them. You’re sure to get a “the answer should be in my latest book…” Well, if you’ve read the book and wonder why they feel that way, ASK! Collectors have said that they’ve seen Dave Winfield sign in person, choosing to first autograph copies of his books before signing any cards or baseballs.
3. Learn from greeting cards! Here’s my ultimate secret. Never pass up those stray greeting card envelopes at Hallmark or stationery stores. The envelopes and the cards never match, so the store sells a pile of colorful envelopes for as little as a penny apiece. When did you ever get a bill or bad news from one of those cheery envelopes with the Hallmark logo on the back? That happy memory might make a player open your letter first.
Are there any “extra touches” you use to help increase your response rate?