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problems with VV

Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:29 pm
by mosshead1
I am pretty sure this isnt the place to post this,But.. I have never had a VV success!! I have sent SASE,pics and letters to Heart (Nokia LA live!),Mariah Carey (Fox theatre in Atlanta Even emailed them,Got a response they said they would pass on),Miley Cyrus X2 Philips arena in Atlanta and England),Belinda Carlisle(England on the set of Hairspray),and Kelly Clarkson Columbus,GA civic center).All with no success,Never even got an RTS Just nothing!! You guys let me know what I am doing wrong!! i send a nice letter with pics and SASE all they have to do is sign and stuff!!

Re: problems with VV

Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:51 pm
by noodlez
How many days/weeks before the actual concert did you send your requests?

Re: problems with VV

Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:11 pm
by countrygal23
i no! I have done other VV and nothing back. i did it like 4-5 days before the concerts!

Re: problems with VV

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:15 am
by smackedsillyxxx
should send it 10 days before the concert

Re: problems with VV

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:31 pm
by jrott
smackedsillyxxx wrote:should send it 10 days before the concert
Thats a long time you are asking the venue to hold the mail. Best bet is IMO is having the venue recieve your mail no more then 4 days prior to the show.

I also have not had much success VV although I did get Heart, Oasis and Smokie Robinson this way. I only send VV when I feel I have no other avenue to get the artist. The failure to reward does not seem to be in your favor so its always my last resort.

Someone wrote a great post about VV (this post should have been pined) Really good insight
http://www.fanmail.biz/mboard/viewtopic ... 4&t=158538

Re: problems with VV

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:31 pm
by annie985
Hi mosshead1,

It all depends on the artist and if the venue passes along fanmail. Sometimes artists won't sign all the items at the venue, sometimes they wait until the end of their tour, and sometimes they just don't sign. I know it seems easy to just "sign and stuff," but remember they get tons of letters just like yours all the time. I've worked at venues and saw that fanmail has been handed off to the tour manager, but after that it's out of the venues hands. So, yes, some venues do pass along fanmail but it doesn't always guarantee you'll get a response. Patience is very important in collecting autographs. If you send out a request, most likely you're not going to get a response in a week or two. It can take months, maybe even years for some collectors to get responses. I've had to wait 8 - 12 months to get responses before. A good rule of thumb is to just send something out and forget about it.

As for what you're doing wrong...if you're addressing the envelope properly, sending in plenty of time to the venue (and making sure the venue passes along fanmail) and including a properly stamped SASE or IRC's, then you're doing everything right.

Hope that helps!

~Annie :)

Re: problems with VV

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:02 am
by notcarlysimon
i agree with the send it off and forget it, dont wait for them to come back, theyre a shot in the dark and if it happens a pleasant surprise :D

Re: problems with VV

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 5:29 am
by mosshead1
Thanks for all the feedback!! I think perhaps I sent the stuff off WAY too far in advance.I think I sent the Mariah Carey SASE 3 weeks early!! I know too early right?? But the Belinda Carlisle SASE I sent to a stage show for "Hairspray" in the UK..And I saw a couple of successes on here already!! Just frustrated I suppose..You are all right though mail it and forget it!!

Re: problems with VV

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:40 pm
by bbgood39
Hmm... that's weird! I sent to David Archuleta once, two weeks before the show, and I still got a response.

Re: problems with VV

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:35 am
by osiris
mosshead1 wrote:Thanks for all the feedback!! I think perhaps I sent the stuff off WAY too far in advance.I think I sent the Mariah Carey SASE 3 weeks early!! I know too early right?? But the Belinda Carlisle SASE I sent to a stage show for "Hairspray" in the UK..And I saw a couple of successes on here already!! Just frustrated I suppose..You are all right though mail it and forget it!!
With the UK mail, what are you using for payment on your SASE?