StampFans enables easy snail mail to your fans

I’m a revenue streams nerd. I love looking at creative products that fill a gap for artisan businesses. I’ve come across a gem that I think many of my readers will be interested in. In our upcoming summer edition, I also have an interview with the founder as well as a case study with an artisan that is using the platform in her business.

I’ve noticed something interesting usually happens when people ask me about the magazine. I will share how often it is published, and do my little elevator speech about the magazine. I never get through this speech, as I get interrupted and asked “Digital only, right?” And then I watch for the shock when I say, no, we also do print in the US. The entire conversation changes. There is something that many people find magical about print.

It is true that mainstream print has had a tremendous decline. But niche print is alive and well. When I first talked with print companies about printing this magazine a few years ago, print companies shared the same message. A niche publication in Michigan recently shared their success growing their print subscription base.

I recently came across a concept I found interesting. What if as an artisan you could send mail to your biggest fans (i.e. subscribers)? For many people, the idea of getting something other than a bill or junk mail is an exciting prospect. From a practical perspective, it can feel like a lot of logistics. What if there was an easy way to manage it?

StampFans has created a snail mail publishing platform for creators. They also provide an incredibly simple way to get started. Essentially the platform gives you an easy way to manage subscriptions (including the mailing addresses) with your biggest fans.

The best part? The platform uses consumption pricing. So you only pay if you have subscribers. You don’t have to commit a lot of money to get it set up which is perfect for businesses trying to start new revenue streams without a lot of money to invest.

Each month you create a piece of content that you want sent to your subscribers. This gets uploaded to StampFans, who then takes over and prints and mails it to your subscribers. Voila! No more needing to manage mailing addresses or have envelopes or stamps on hand. This solution is available in the US, UK, and Canada.

The three main categories of products on Stampfans are Letters, Postcards, and Booklets. Here are some descriptions directly from Stampfans about what can be sent for each of them.

Okay, so how much can you include in that letter?

“StampFans letters are printed on white, 8.5x11 inch paper (70# stock). They print two-sided, full-color, and full-bleed (you can include your design right up to the edge of the page). Letters are "z-folded" and delivered in a #10 window envelope.”

How big are the postcards, and how heavy is the cardstock?

“StampFans postcards are printed on 6x9 inch cardstock (111#). They print full-color, two-sided, and full-bleed (you can include your design right up to the edge of the page). Postcards are coated with UV varnish (gloss) to help colors pop!

Postcards are great for sharing art, photography, and anything you want subscribers to display in their homes.”

Booklets are particularly interesting, as they could even be used for printing small zines.

“StampFans booklets are printed on white paper (70# stock). They are 5.5 inches wide and 8.5-inches tall and saddle-stitched. Pages print two-sided, full-color, and full-bleed (you can include your design right up to the edge of the page). The envelope is 6x9 inch.

Booklets are great for sharing short-stories, serialized novels, or long-form reporting.”

The company is still very early on its journey. I will be sharing the story about the creation of the platform and a case study with an artisan using the platform in our upcoming summer magazine!