Matt Nager
Who printed it?
This promo was printed through Modern Postcard.
Who designed it?
I did the heavy lifting on the layout, design, and production of the booklet. Of course, I went through several layouts and asked for impressions from friends and colleagues before landing on the final piece.
Tell me about the images?
Throughout the past couple of years, I have been working to build up my advertising portfolio to supplement my editorial work. A big goal has been to produce several test shoots each year with an emphasis on higher production and a more refined look. This project came together after a meeting with a producer and all around great guy Jonathan Biebl and his production company Go Atticus ( https://www.goatticus.com/) based out of LA. I knew I wanted to go to move beyond Colorado in scope and LA offered a larger pool of models to work with. After throwing around concepts and locations we settled on shooting in Venice to create an athletic piece that I could target a very specific list of sports brands and companies. I wanted to keep true to my style while mixing action, fashion, and portraiture. We got a great crew together and had a fantastic shoot.
How many did you make?
I made 250 promos. I sent out 200 and kept 50 for in-person meetings.
How many times a year do you send out promos?
I usually send 1-2 booklets a year and 4-5 single postcards as part of my larger marketing strategy.
Do you think printed promos are effective for marketing your work?
I’ve found marketing to be a tough game that requires persistence and a broad approach over a range of mediums. I still send emailers, but focus more on printed promos, individual postcards, group portfolio reviews, all in an attempt to get as many in-person meetings as possible. It’s difficult to pinpoint any single method as the best approach, but I love the process of developing, shooting and making a printed piece, so there is a personal enjoyment that comes from making a printed piece. Certainly, larger promos get more attention than an email and I usually get a handful of responses from each booklet I mail out. I’d say a goal of the printed promo is more to get a foot in the door for in-person meetings that expecting work directly.