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Downsizing Your Newsletter File

Not every one to whom you send your newsletter has a fast (broadband dsl or cable) connection on which to receive your e-mailed newsletter.

Keep that in mind to "share the burdens" of others as our Lord commands us to do.

If, therefore, your newsletter file exceeds 300 kb in size, you will need to consider taking some steps to make your file smaller. Here are some ways to publish a smaller file (150 kb - 250 kb) and be appreciated by your subscribers:

• Open the Newsletter Document in the program you used to create it (i.e. word or desktop publishing program).

   

  If you have a lot of graphics (causes large files):

   

  • Consider which could be deleted and not included. If some can, do so.

   

  • Make smaller those you must keep.

   

  Open up the graphic or image in a graphics/images software program such as Adobe Photoshop Elements or other program.

   

  Find the "re-sampling" or "save for web" option and reduce the resolution. (Reducing the dimensions of the graphic/image once you have imported it into your publishing program does not reduce its size. "Re-sampling" does.)

  Save the graphic/image with a new file name.

  Import this smaller file into your newsletter document.

 

If your graphic/image is actually a graphic (not a picture of something) such as logo, consider saving that graphic in a vector-based rather than raster/pixel-based file. Now in English: Save the graphic as an illustration rather than as an image.

 

Use the conversion abilities of your graphics/image software

 

Save the file as a GIF file and use the options to reduce the number of subtle colors in it.

 

Or, if this is an option, save it as a black & white/grayscale graphic. (Color always increases the size of files.)

 

Import this smaller file into your newsletter document.

 

• Save the document with the newly edited graphics/images.
• Convert to PDF. You should find a smaller file as a result.

 

• Options in Your PDF Conversion Program
  • If you area converting using the File > Print > PDF Printer steps, before clicking on Print, open the "Advanced" or "Options" choice button that is to the right of the chosen Printer window.

   

  • Look for an option that allows you to reduce the quality from print to either "smallest file size" (Acrobat's full program offers this) or "smaller resolution" or "Preferences" for a choice that will result in a smaller file. Look for such phrases as "reduce resolution," "optimize for screen," and similar words.

   

  • Apply the new settings.

   

  • Click on Print.

   

Explore the options your PDF conversion program has - even if you must read the manual.

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