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Subject: Fwd: Publishing a family newsletter.
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 10:38:18 EST


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Newsletter information

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Subject: Publishing a family newsletter.
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 14:33:21 EST
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Folks,

I publish two family newsletters, one named "Harris Hunters" for the Harris
family
and "The Dean Road" newsletter of the House of Boyd Society. The newsletter
takes its name from the name of the road (Dean Road) that runs northward from
the burgh of Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, Scotland to the Boyd family castle.

The first issue of Harris Hunters was mailed in January, 1995. Since I had
been searching my Harrises since about 1982 I had about 100 Harris addresses,
some of which were my Harrises and some addresses I took from queries (Harris)
I found in various genealogical newsletters. Then I advertised in G. Helper
and other newsletters. You must advertise to gain membership. Since January,
1995 I have signed up 375 members of HH with about 300+ being active members.

The internet definitely has taken some members from me. I have a surname list
for Harris (free) at Rootsweb which usually has 500+ members. Many people
think they don't need a "mailed" newsletter if they are on the internet. I
think they are wrong.
In my case only about 25-30% of my members have Email. That means about 200
of the members never see the on-line queries. And, accordingly, about 100 of
them never see the newsletter queries. If you are really serious about
finding your roots a family surname newsletter AND a Rootsweb ssurname list is
the very best possible way because everyone is searching the same surname.

Profit from a family newsletter? Some. But I wouldn't say it is a lucrative
venture. I charge $15.00 per year. Postage is high, usually 55 cents to mail a
newsletter and
then you have to hold it to 16 pages. Over 16 and you must pay 77 cents. I
tried bulk rate and it is a lot cheaper-- about 28 cents per newsletter. But
other problems arise
with bulk rate. Firstly, the post office employees hate to see you come in. (I
had lots of problems with my post office.) Everything has to be cut and tied
or they won't accept them. Secondly -- bulk rate mail is not forwarded OR
returned to you. You lose members because they move, don't tell you, and the
newsletter is discarded by the
post office. I tried mailing the newsletter without an envelope but many were
damaged and I had to send too many replacements.

Printing is not cheap anymore. I have mine printed at Office Depot who charge
.15 cents a page. When you are mailing 300-350 newsletters with 14-16 pages it
runs
quite high. But there is some profit-enough to buy paper, copier ink,
enevelope resource materials, etc. You will need your own computer, copier,
printer, electric
stapler, address labels, etc.

Then plan on one weekend to (after you have them printed) put on stamps, affix
address labels, affix return address labels, fold newsletters, stuff in
envelope, seal envelope, take to post office. Better hope your wife or husband
will help you on this weekend. Especially if you have 300-350 to do. With out
my dear wife Jerri it would certainly be a lot harder.

I know I didn't hit on everything but if anyone has specific questions, I'll
try to answer.

I love genealogy so I have fun doing it and I like to help other people with
theirs.

I have found many cousins and many fine stories with the newsletters.

Richard G. Boyd

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