Postage up, PDF opt-in for newsletters?

Well US readers, it now costs 41 cents to mail a one-ounce first-class letter. In a small envelope. If you use a large envelope (“flats”) — bigger than 6.125″ by 11.5″ and no more than 0.25″ thick — that first ounce is now 80 cents. Bigger? Up to 12″ by 15″ and 0.75″ thick and you’re in package territory: $1.13.

I think the days of getting a promotional pen mailed to you are over. And, like Europeans, we may see more documents sent single-fold long ways. #14 envelopes would be helpful. (Some at Staples.)

As Chris Walton (Philocrites) pointed out, this is going to get expensive.

That said, these days, I would rather get almost all of my mail as email or as a PDF. (For periodicals, a link to download the PDF please.)

I’m looking for case studies here. Is there any church or church-related agency you know that relies heavily on PDF newsletters? I know the Linux/open-source world does it well.

By Scott Wells

Scott Wells, 46, is a Universalist Christian minister doing Universalist theology and church administration hacks in Washington, D.C.

1 comment

  1. Both the church where I am a member and the one where I work send out .pdf newsletters. The first, a fairly young and tech-friendly congregation, makes just a handful of print copies to have available for guests and folks who don’t do email. The second prints a paper copy for nearly everyone and mails out any that are not picked up within the week. I won’t be surprised if this is revisited with the new postal rates.

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