Getting autographs by mail, or ttm as it’s commonly called, is something I’ve done for over 20 years and I’ve decided to share some of my tips for success.
I realize that many collectors who wish to use this method of searching for autographs may not know exactly where to start. while there is no right or wrong way to get ttm autographs, there are certain things that can make it easier for both you and the athlete or celebrity whose signature you are requesting.
here is my list of ttm tips for success:
step 1: choose your player
Choosing the player you’d like to send an autograph request to might be the most important step in the entire process. This type of collecting is supposed to be fun and the goal is to have a high success rate. however, the best advice I can give to anyone sending ttm requests is to aim low to avoid disappointment. I try to send guys like matt williams, ron gant, donald driver or tim salmon. . . guys who aren’t being bombarded with fan mail and can actually take the time to read some of it.
Although I occasionally send a request to mike trout or ben roethlisberger, I don’t think they’ll return the fulfilled request. that way, if they do, I’ll be even more surprised. if i had to patiently wait everyday for a high profile ttm autograph to show up in my mailbox i would most likely get frustrated.
A great way to check how an athlete is doing to see if they are responding to your autograph requests is to check other collectors’ websites. there are many other collectors that send ttm requests and many of them keep track of their successes and failures so others don’t waste your time and money.
In my experience, the higher the player profile, the less likely they are to sign ttm. although this is often the case, it is not always applied. Stars like Trout, LeBron James, Tom Brady, Tiger Woods and others at their level of status are often considered “one in a million” when it comes to signing TTM. however, there are instances where these athletes will pick up a marker pen and sign some autographs. weird? Yes. has passed? yes.
step 2: where and when to send ttm autograph requests
active players:
As a general rule, you want to send ttm requests to active players during the season and to the team’s management. For example, if you were sending an autograph request to Kurt Suzuki of the Washington Nationals, you would send the envelope like this:
kurt suzuki c/o washington nationals 1500 s capitol street se washington, dc 20003
However, if you were to send the request to kurt suzuki in the off-season, he would send it to his home address, although some players simply won’t sign for items sent to their homes. others don’t care. but I rarely send fan mail to an active player out of season. think of it like getting a phone call from work when you’re not working at home.
as far as active players go, i feel like i’ve had more success with nfl players than any other sport. I’ve always assumed that they might have more free time since they have one game a week compared to MLB, NBA or NHL where they have five to seven games a week. I’m not sure if this is the exact reason, but it seems plausible.
retired players:
Sending requests to retired athletes has been the most enjoyable aspect of collecting ttm autographs for me, as they usually take the time to sign everything you include (depending on the player) and sometimes even write notes . In most cases, you can send these requests to the athlete’s home address, but those addresses are not always easy to find. I’ve personally found that joining certain ttm autograph-focused facebook groups can be a great resource for directions.
step 3: the written request
this step is where my advice may differ from the next person you ask and so on. many believe that each request must be handwritten and essentially “chat” with the player whose signature is requested. In my experience, I usually just ask for an autograph and don’t actually handwrite each request. Typically I’ll use microsoftword to write a simple request that looks something like this:
Could you sign my attached card?
thank you jason martin
Yes, that’s all I’m asking. and since I used microsoftword, I can print multiple copies at once, fold them neatly, and put them in envelopes like an assembly line.
Sometimes, in addition to my name, I sign the note. remember, simple courtesy goes a long way.
step 4: the necessary materials
for each ttm request you send, you will need the following elements:
about #10
This is the envelope that will be addressed to the player and will have their return address on it. make sure your return address is there (in case you’ve moved, swapped, etc) and also make sure to include a stamp. In most cases, if you’re sending one or two cards to sign for, you’ll only need a first-class stamp to cover the postage. also, make sure you are using peel & seal envelopes obviously it’s up to you what kind of envelope you decide, but the peel & stamps are much faster to use.
about #6 3/4
This is the envelope that will be used to mail your cards to you and should be smaller than the outer envelope to fit snugly inside the #10 envelope without bending or creasing. this envelope must have your address in both address locations (yes, the “to” and “from”). By doing so, if you did not include enough postage, it will be mailed to you and you will only need to pay the required additional postage to the USPS to receive the envelope. and again, use the peel & seals. As for how many stamps to use, if you’re sending one or two cards to be signed and returned, you’ll only need a first-class stamp to cover the postage. just be sure to use a forever stamp (more on this below).
cards to sign
this, again, is your choice. many collectors will use trading cards because the player’s name and likeness are there. the preferred option of many is to use cards such as topps heritage or allen & ginter because they have a matte finish which should prevent the autograph from smudging. sign shiny cards (such as topps or topps chrome) with a marker pen, in some cases, it will smear when the player places the card in the return envelope. Another option that many people use is the cards or sketches. Index cards are extremely cheap, and you can usually get 100 or more for less than $1. My only suggestion is to use blank, unlined index cards.
drawing cards are another option, although they are usually quite expensive compared to index cards.
stamps
Use forever stamps whenever possible. I can’t stress this enough. some players sign requests faster than others. I have had applications returned after a year or more. Plus, you’ll want to be prepared for a USPS rate increase and by using a stamp forever, you never have to worry about that as it will always be equal to the current value of the first class stamp.
penny sleeves
This is a matter of preference. In my opinion, penny sleeves will provide little protection and increase the chance of autograph staining. personally I only include the card that I want to be signed. no penny sleeves no top loaders. the less the player has to play with, the better. however, if you’re shipping something worth more than a couple of bucks, you may want to use a top shipper. that perception of value is up to you.
address tags
Although you don’t need to print address labels, it will make the process faster instead of typing your address a million times. you can also use a pre-printed stamp. just use something to save yourself some time!
the actual request
everyone has a different approach to how they write their requests. some write half-page letters. some, including me, keep it short and sweet. find the method that works best for you and go with it. again, my only suggestion is to do something that is fast and efficient.
I also suggest sending players early in their careers. Some of my best success stories, including landing ben roethlisberger and joe mauer, happened when the players were rookies or still in the minor leagues.
And finally, don’t mark return envelopes with anything other than your address. this will add an extra element of surprise when you open the pack, since you didn’t leave any indication of which player it is.