Scott and Mark are bang on with what they say.

i'd like to add a bit.

Sending something with the record something MAD really helps, i've put in two rubber gloves and a small tube of lubricant before now - that got their attention good n proper.

Something rthat hasnt been mentioned is the distros. Look at the back of the records you would like to target and note the distro. Get in touch with the distro, i.e get to know someone personally and ask them who they think might be interested in your music. Like they said - 3 or 4 tracks make a better offering and mean you are not just someone who wrote ONE tune and is just chancing their arm, its better from a commercial perspective to hook up with an artist who is actually an artist rather than a flash in the pan, i.e someone they think they can work with.

Persistance is your watch-word, a smile upon your lips and polite firmness. Name dropping helps as well (daft i know, but it gives a frame of reference) Play it to someone on here who might be able to help, get them to give a recommend and take that forward "I played this to XXXXX and they liked it but said it wasnt what they were looking for right now and said you might be interested"