While personal communication has switched almost completely to email and social media, businesses send letters. One of the most cost-effective ways of doing this is with DocuPost. This is an online service that is more affordable than traditional mailing, doing away with a corporate mailroom and even saving you a walk to the mailbox.
Letter Writing, Evolved
Before the internet, promotional material, bills, communications from lawyers and accountants and all other mail was issued by pen, then typewriter, and more recently by computer.
But when you think about it, writing a letter on a computer and then printing it out to mail by hand is pretty old-school. While email has replaced letter writing, not only does it lack a tangible experience, it is also forgettable.
As a business owner, if you send an email, it can be ignored, or accidentally deleted, or simply end up in a spam folder. But sending a letter or some other mailing will attract greater attention.
Letters hitting the doormat make a noise. Opening a branded envelope is an experience beyond the anonymity of a mouse click.
With DocuPost, you can merge letters with the best aspects of electronic mail: easy distribution, issued from your own computer, routed via DocuPost, and hand-delivered by the mailman.
Don’t Want to Write Letters? DocuPost Has Other Features
Forget writing letters. What about postcards, messages from holiday resorts that you want to send to your friends at work? Or checks, a method of payment that seems to be increasingly squeezed in favor of online payments?
Both of these are also available through DocuPost, making this a one-stop-shop for much-missed methods of written communication and payment.
Everything happens online, so you can still write a letter on your keyboard, upload it, then send. Or you can write it with a pen, then upload the PDF of the document and post that instead.
Need to write a stern letter of complaint? While email is a good option for that, it might get lost under a barrage of similar communiqués. But a printed and delivered complaint letter will have far more impact.
Note that DocuPost is only available for sending letters, postcards, and checks within the USA. At this stage it isn’t possible to use the service outside the USA, or to send post to overseas territories.
How Much Does It Cost to Send a Letter Through DocuPost?
DocuPost’s pricing structure makes sending a letter more affordable than it has been for years.
Letters at standard class (taking 5-20 days) cost just 55c, while first class mail (3-10 days) is 75c. Additional black & white pages are 20c each, while color pages are 30c each. More than five pages will add a $2 extra postage fee.
Postcards cost just 85c, meanwhile.
For sending a check (you’ll need a premium DocuPost account for this), the charge is $2 per check, and 50c for each attachment that accompanies it.
There is also the option to certify mail for $7, or get a return receipt for $10.
To pay for DocuPost letters, you’ll need to set up an account first. This requires funding with a credit card, requiring a minimum deposit of just $10.
Meanwhile, a DocuPost Premium account is $9.95 a month. This is ideal for anyone wishing to mail regularly, and lets you replace the DocuPost branding included on mail outs with a custom logo. DocuPost Premium is particularly suited to businesses looking for an affordable postal distribution.
Expand the Possibilities of DocuPost With an API
If you’ve already spotted some business possibilities with DocuPost, you should know that an API can be accessed, The DocuPost API can be used to “programmatically send letters via U.S. mail” which basically means you can process letters in bulk and send them through the API. Postcards can also be sent in this way.
Aside from understanding how APIs work and how the DocuPost API can be leveraged, your DocuPost account will need to be adequately funded in order to make the most of the API.
You can learn more about this in the DocuPost Developer API help documents.
Meanwhile, DocuPost supports integrations from HubSpot CRM, QuickBooks Online, and Google Docs. With more promised to be added later, these integrations let you merge data that you already hold elsewhere with DocuPost. The possibilities here might enable you to upload and send mail outs, manage invoices, for example.
Here’s How to Easily Send a Letter Online With DocuPost
Signing in to DocuPost for the first time will reveal a Dashboard, from where letters, postcards, and checks can be created.
To get started writing and sending a letter with DocuPost (assuming you have already clicked Add funds to pay for postage), click New letter.
Here, you have the option to upload a document (PDF only, 10MB maximum), or compose a letter using the DocuPost text editor. A PDF document might be anything from an export of a previously typed letter to a photo of a written message, saved as a PDF. Whatever the case, use the Click to upload PDF button.
If you prefer to compose the letter (or copy and paste from a text document on your PC), the text editor has all the features you might expect. So, you can change font, emphasis, justification, add bullets, and even include images in your letter.
With the letter composed or uploaded, input the recipient name and address. Single or multiple addresses can be added here, with the option to save them to your DocuPost address book (accessible from the sidebar). Similarly, add the sender details. Note that there are document options you can use, such as the choice to print in color, or issue the letter as a double-sided document.
Next, choose the mail service (standard or first class) and any certified options, before clicking Send letter. Your letter is now on its way to the recipient(s)!
Postcards Are Easy to Send, Too
To create and send a postcard, click the corresponding link on the DocuPost sidebar. This will display a similar interface to the letter writing screen, but with a selection of postcard templates ready to choose from.
With the recipient and sender street or postal addresses added, you can enter a message on the postcard. This can be in standard type (sans-serif or Times) or in a handwritten font. A custom image can be included instead of the message.
If none of the preselected postcard templates suit, meanwhile, you can upload your own image. This is a great, affordable way of creating unique postcards for friends and family with DocuPost!
When you’re ready, click Send postcard to pay for your missive to be distributed.
Sending a Check With DocuPost
Checks are a little more complicated. While the basic procedure for adding a sender and recipient remain the same, you will need to add a bank account. This must also be verified before checks can be sent.
Memo notes can be added to the bank account, and check numbers assigned. With the details added, and the account verified, the check can be dispatched.
Of course, it is vital that the bank account has sufficient funds when sending a check.
Start Writing Letters With DocuPost
Whether you’ve written letters before, are new to letter writing, or just want a new way to distribute your latest angry letter to the local newspaper, DocuPost has everything you need to cut out that trip to the mailbox. No more buying stamps, either – fund your account and pay DocuPost to distribute your letters physically across the USA.
Easy to use, with an intuitive letter-writing system, DocuPost lets you effortlessly get back into writing letters the old way, but with a few new tricks. You’ll wonder why you stuck with email and social networks for so long!
