sending out snail mail queries 1st?

I'd just pick the agents you like best, and query them regardless of snail/e-mail. Obviously snail-mail isn't going to be the fastest response (it's going to be at least a few days) but I've often had snail-mail queries answered faster than some e-queries.

Miriel said:

I'd just pick the agents you like best, and query them regardless of snail/e-mail. Obviously snail-mail isn't going to be the fastest response (it's going to be at least a few days) but I've often had snail-mail queries answered faster than some e-queries.

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Exactly!

I query in batches. I'll pick my top ten candidates for a work and query them all, sending the queries in whatever format the agency prefers. As was mentioned, snail mail queries don't always get the slowest response. If I don't get at least one positive response from the first batch, I'll send out ten more to my second picks.

I'm the same as others--often I get a faster response from the snail mail. I've also found that the requests I've gotten (bar one) have come via email even though the original query was sent snail mail.

I send in batches, generally email first, and then I go and find a nice chunk of people who require snail mail and make a bunch of packets at once. Snail mail takes a lot more time to do, printing, personalizing, writing out each envelope, etc. I find it's easier to just do them all at once. Then a couple of months later I'd go through the process again and send to another batch. Email is easier, but don't neglect the snail mail.

Miriel said:

I'd just pick the agents you like best, and query them regardless of snail/e-mail. Obviously snail-mail isn't going to be the fastest response (it's going to be at least a few days) but I've often had snail-mail queries answered faster than some e-queries.

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This.
You're overthinking it.
Query the agents that are succesful in your genre. The way they prefer to receive queries doesn't come into it.