I dedicate this column to the ongoing monumental change and transformation of the NRA. The NRA has experienced an impressive history of success over the last 154 years. However, success is temporary, and to keep making a significant impact on our liberties, WE MUST CHANGE! We must listen to our members, adjust our messaging, ensure excellence in all programs and services, and stay focused on our core mission!
I’d like to focus a little on membership in this column. A few columns back, I asked, “Why did you join NRA?” Your emails have contained many personal stories, but never once, “I joined because of a gift incentive.” The majority of members joined the NRA because of an interest in guns, hunting, competition, training, defending themselves and their families, and many other reasons. However, the main reason for joining was to protect our God-given right to keep and bear arms under the Second Amendment.
In previous columns, I asked the question, “How are we doing?” Several members commented that we need to invest in youth and women’s programs. Other members’ comments were highly critical of our Membership Division, which included harsh critiques of excessive mailings, disconnected content, lack of listening, being ignored and poor member services.
Following your comments, the officers have assigned the Membership Committee to review our membership marketing and communications and to provide recommendations for improving and expanding membership. Your emails highlighted the urgency of this matter. The committee is energized, brainstorming, embracing change and generating many excellent suggestions for future action.
Board Meeting Updates
I am excited to share that the September Board of Directors meeting was highly productive, with several Directors describing them as some of the best in decades. Per your requests, the Board passed the following resolution:
“NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the NRA Legislative Policy Committee strongly recommends to the NRA Board of Directors that National Right to Carry legislation be established as the Association’s top legislative priority; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NRA utilize all available advocacy, lobbying, grassroots mobilization, and communications resources to press Congressional leadership to advance National Right to Carry legislation this session, without delay, whether or not final passage is immediately feasible; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NRA commit to holding Members of Congress publicly accountable through the legislative process, thereby providing our Association and membership with a clear record to use in guiding voter engagement, contributions, and activism in the critical midterm elections ahead.”
Major Changes Coming to Membership Marketing
The Board is listening closely to your emails and conversations and working to create change, and nothing—including membership marketing—is off the table. How many are sick and tired of all the mailings, emails and phone calls? Jim H. wrote, “I am really tired of your ‘off the charts’ mailings throughout the years. Not just a letter. NO … a heavy, thick, overdone, expensive, multi-page pleading for me to re-up.” Jim, your Board leadership hears you.
You’ve asked why the NRA sends so many fundraising mailings and email solicitations. The simple answer is that they generate extra funds for our programs. Yes, the income from these communications exceeds the cost of mailing, and it’s hard to stop what’s proven to be a reliable source of revenue in the past.
I’m pleased to report that we did not renew our three-decade-old marketing company’s contract. NRA is establishing an in-house Marketing Division to centrally manage all member marketing and communications. What a long-overdue idea! Now, communications will be coordinated across all divisions of the Association. This will also introduce new and innovative concepts to our communications. To facilitate the transition, NRA is partnering with a leading outside marketing firm.
Please bear with us as we go through this major transition. It will take some time to develop systems and processes to improve communications. Our goal is to enhance membership renewal notices and coordinated fundraising so we don’t pester you every month. During this transition, we will still need to conduct fundraising, so we appreciate your patience.
Final Thoughts
NRA is undergoing much-needed change. We all know what happened to many of the battleships of the past—they were either sunk or turned into museum pieces. If NRA wants to remain relevant and strong in the future, we must become more forward-thinking, agile, and responsive to the needs of our members and the gun-owning community at large.
While we are pushing ahead at warp speed, real change doesn’t happen overnight. Some changes will be immediately apparent, while others will come more gradually. And yes, we might hit a few bumps along the way. But with your input and support, we will adapt, improve and keep moving forward. Please continue to send your ideas to [email protected] or NRAPresident.com.
Merry Christmas,
Bill Bachenberg, President
