It’s official: postage rates are going up again. It’s a process that seems to have accelerated in recent years. Perhaps the Postal Service didn’t get the memo about all the advertisers migrating to alternative forms of marketing.

Starting next month first class postage will hit 42 cents, postcards 27 cents, each up one cent. Standard class mailers will see modest increases, in most cases under a penny.

If you’ve got a mailing coming up, and would like to beat the deadline, make sure your project is ready to mail by May 12. Direct mail is still and important marketing tool, despite all efforts to the contrary.