A price-change letter tells customers what their price will be, when it changes and why, and what they can do if they have questions. Sending it by post gives customers a clear written notice they can keep.
Overview
Price increases are uncomfortable to announce, and vague letters make it worse. State the old price, the new price and the date in the first paragraph. Customers who have to search for the number assume the news is worse than it is.
Explain the reason briefly and honestly, such as higher supplier or labour costs, and say what stays the same or improves. Then tell readers what they can do: who to contact, whether they can switch plan, and how much notice your terms require.
Check your contracts and any sector rules before writing. Many agreements specify a notice period or a method of notice, and some regulated sectors have specific requirements. When the letter is a formal notice, a flat C4 mailing can help it look like one.
When to use it
How to start, step by step
- Confirm notice requirements. Check your contracts and any regulations for notice periods and the required content.
- Lead with the facts. Old price, new price, effective date, in the first paragraph.
- Explain and reassure. One or two sentences on why, and what customers continue to get.
- Give options and contacts. Tell customers how to ask questions, change plans or cancel under your terms.
- Personalise and post in time. Merge each customer’s actual prices and allow for postal delivery times, which are not guaranteed.
Which format to choose
| Use | Format | Why | From, per item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formal price notice | Letter — A4 | Letter format suits formal notice; add C4 to post it flat. | £1.90 |
| Notice plus new price list on the back | Letter — A4 | Choose double-sided printing for the full table. | £1.90 |
| Brief reminder before the change | Postcard — A6 | Low-cost follow-up close to the date. | £2.15 |
Prices come from the live AutoLetters price list. They include printing and UK postage, are the same at any quantity, and have no VAT added because AutoLetters is not VAT registered.
Worked example
Illustrative scenario, not a customer case study. A window-cleaning round notifies 1,200 regular customers that its prices change from 1 March. Each letter shows the customer’s current and new price, merged from the customer list.
1,200 × Letter — A4 at £1.90 each = £2,280.00, printed and posted.
Response depends on your list, offer and timing, so we do not quote response rates. Measure your own with a unique code or web address.
Mistakes to avoid
- Burying the new price below paragraphs of explanation.
- Missing the notice period in your terms.
- Mail-merge errors that show the wrong price; check the print file.
- Posting too close to the effective date.
Preparing artwork that prints correctly
Every format has a trim size, a bleed area and a safe zone. Extend background colours and images into the bleed so no white edge appears after cutting, and keep text, logos and QR codes inside the safe zone. Use images at 300 DPI at printed size, and leave the address area clear, because the printer adds the recipient's address there. Each product page lists the exact supplier measurements, and Lenny checks uploaded artwork against them before you approve it.
Building a list you can use
You can send to a list you already hold or to an audience of UK addresses built around a postcode. If you use your own list, include only people you have a lawful basis to contact by post, remove anyone who has asked not to hear from you, and keep a record of where the data came from. The Information Commissioner's Office publishes guidance on direct marketing under UK GDPR. Check that every address is complete and current: incomplete addresses cost money and do not arrive.
Measuring the result
Decide how you will count responses before you send. A unique discount code, a short web address, a dedicated phone number or a simple “how did you hear about us?” question all work. Divide the campaign cost by the number of responses to get a cost per response, then compare it with your other marketing. Where you can, hold back a small group from the mailing, so you can see how many of them would have responded anyway.
How AutoLetters handles it
Lenny, the AutoLetters AI campaign specialist, helps you choose a format, drafts the wording and artwork to the printer's exact measurements, and helps build the audience: either UK addresses around a postcode or a list you already hold. You review a print-accurate preview, then approve the exact print file. Nothing is printed or posted until you approve it.
AutoLetters sends addressed mail to UK addresses only and does not offer unaddressed door drops. Postal delivery timings are not guaranteed.
Questions
Can each letter show the customer’s own prices?
Yes. Fields from your customer list can be merged into each letter, and you review the print file before approving.
Does posting a letter prove it was delivered?
No. AutoLetters posts your letters but postal delivery timings are not guaranteed and delivery is not confirmed, so follow your own terms on how notice is given.
Plan your campaign with Lenny
Describe what you want to promote and who should receive it. Planning is free and needs no account.
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