Sending Invites via Pws or Snail Mail?

[chefsteph07]

Now that postage is going to be going up AGAIN this spring, I am seriously considering NOT mailing invites for my hosts...I am thinking of still doing them for the host, but maybe sending them out myself via my PWS or evite or something like that...
Does anyone do their invitations stricly online? I was thinking of asking instead of addresses, email addresses and phone number..those w/o a computer I will still mail for them...what do you all think? I still want to do this as a service to my hosts, but the postage is really getting ridiculous to send out 40-50 invites and less than half show..I do think it's beginning to be a waste of money for me.

 

[mpkegley]

Only problem with you sending out the invites from PWS is that the email comes from you and not the host. Most guests will not open the email from you and they will probably go to the junk folder.

 

[wadesgirl]

You cannot guarantee that people check their email or that it's not going to a spam folder. I know there are the same issues with mailing invites but I would be a little leary of totally just emailing invites.

 

[pamperedlinda]

I don't trust evites!

 

[DebbieJ]

I send invites for my hosts but make them pay me for postage.But more than that I stress that they CALL EACH PERSON and PERSONALLY INVITE them. When they do that, attendance and sales are higher. Then if we do mail anything it's just a reminder.

 

[chefsteph07]

Only problem with you sending out the invites from PWS is that the email comes from you and not the host. Most guests will not open the email from you and they will probably go to the junk folder.

I think if I go into the host's account and send them that way w/ their host ID number it will come from them...

 

[chefsteph07]

I send invites for my hosts but make them pay me for postage.

But more than that I stress that they CALL EACH PERSON and PERSONALLY INVITE them. When they do that, attendance and sales are higher. Then if we do mail anything it's just a reminder.

That's also a good idea..I may do that...I do tell the hosts to call each person, and that my invites should not be the first time they are hearing of the host having the party- that my invite should be their reminder..it has worked pretty well, but I"m just trying to get around paying for all this postage..I spent a pretty penny at holiday time and although you can write it off, it's left a little dent from time to time...

 

[stephanieboyd]

We have to use only evites overseas. I don't see too much issue with it. We are not allowed to use the post office for business type mailings (for profit) because the post office is free for local mail. Usually the hosts are seeing or talking to the guests anyway, so we know when they don't get an invite and tell them to check their junk mail.

Maybe try it for a few shows just to see how the turnout and RSVP's change?

 

[mellissacooks4you]

I offer my hosts two choices, either I will mail the invites for them or I will bring the ingredients for one recipe if they take care of the invitations. I also tell them that if they have e-mail addresses for their guests they can send an invitation through my website, I tell them I would do it for them but explain the problem with most going straight to the junk mail. Most of my hosts choose the free ingredients (which I prefer, the cost is about the same and I can have everything pre-measured and there are no surprises!), and few know enough e-mail address to go to the bother. I had too many hosts upset that their guests weren't getting the invites when I sent e-invites myself. :chef:

 

[PCMelissa]

I use evite a lot for personal usage. The thing that is nice is that you can see who opens them. Invitations, Free eCards and Party Planning Ideas from Evite I suppose if you see someone has not opened it, then you could alert the host to call them. The evites were going directly to my MIL's spam box for the longest time and shse was not getting them. So be careful with that. I am new, and I still have not decided which method I am going to use. For now, both mailing and probably an evite follow up.