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Please see an update on this post here.************************************************
As easy as it is for us to focus on social media, email, etc., direct mail is still important for making your case and soliciting gifts. That being said, news that postal rates will increase again require proper budgetary planning. Some of the pertinent details:
- Non-profit rates will increase, some significantly. The variance depends on many of the United States Postal Service criteria (sorting, weight, destination network distribution center / destination sectional center facility / automated area distribution center status, etc.), but my initial review of the proposal shows increases from small amounts to upwards of 9%.
- For the overall changes, USPS states an average increase of 5.6%.
- The standard Forever Stamp will increase by two cents to $0.46.
- Mailers with reply envelopes/cards and significant enough quantities (like many annual giving appeals) can weigh up 1.2 ounces without additional postage (other mailings see additional fees after surpassing 1.0 ounces).
- Periodicals (magazines/newspapers) increase by an average of 8%.
- While these rates still need approval, early indications are that these will be approved and implemented in January 2011.
- There is a group of representatives from industries who do a significant portion of business via mail that is lobbying against the increase. We shall see if they have any luck.
- For a file containing the newly proposed prices, click here.
I will let you know as I learn more,
DTM
P.S. The new forever stamp design, for the philatelists out there:
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