Submitting to Modeling Agencies- how to do it

A lot of girls ask me about finding agencies and submitting to them, here is some insight from a question I recently got from a chick on Myspace asking "
I submitted to an agency a couple of months ago. Then, I went to their open call not long after. I didn't get any response from them.I've submitted to many agencies and magazines,ad agencies, etc. And only received 1 response of interest.
So, I'm sure that I need to get better photos for my comp, but won't have the money for a few months. (just got laid off)In the meantime, I don't want to sit by and do nothing. The same agency is having another open call next month and I was wondering if you thought it would be smart to go again (I want to)when I know that my Comp could be better??

My reply:
So sure you could go to the open call, but honestly a print model or shorter model should not waste time with too many open calls. So maybe this agency is different but usually in the print modeling world you mail your photo to the agency and it could take a few submissions. They call you only if they are interested, they do not waste their time, might souind cut throat but that is how it works. Your photos look decent enough to start for sure. Nice smile and energy. Maybe try another agency or keep submitting. Maybe try more shots that look like ads with handbags, or beauty products?

Keep trying, the reason you don't see many short models is because it is a hard thing. doesn't mean you shouldn't try, but also hit up other agencies, and try to look in a local magazine or newspaper, product companies, think bigger, be inventive and strive, maybe chicago has a local magazine you could check out?

Look inside the magazine, try to notice who is the photographer for the editorial shots, not fashion but in general. And maybe try to shoot something with that photographer, reach out. You need to show you can model something so approach aspiring brands, handbags, jewelry, etc, lifestyle brands, not fashion, and try to model for them. Any experience with a growing brand would be good to show an agency. I had three tearsheets from magazines on my own which helped me get an agency.

So hustle and don't expect getting the agency to be simple, and happen just from one submission. You might need to make a few more with different photos and also some experience DOES help and impress an agent.