I am the NRA

[ZLP]

Guns are so bad, all they do is kill people

[red-beard]

Sarcasm is supposed to be in green font

[jyl]

I've largely given up on getting off junk mail and junk email lists. I simply throw out piles of junk mail every week, and let my spam filters handle the junk email. I'm sure the NRA sells its member lists but so confirming it wouldn't be any surprise.

[Rick Lee]

Jyl, take comfort in knowing the NRA makes a TON of money on renting and selling its lists. Their lists are some of the most valuable in the direct mail/conservative cause business because their memebrs are active, informed, vote religiously and write checks. Though I must say, I have not gotten any direct mail from others seeking money in years.

I used to write some of these fundraising letters for conservative groups and always put my name on the list with my middle initial as X, so I could see where it went and also keep the letters for my sample book. Sure was flattering to see letters come from other groups that had totally plagiarized my letters. I even have a newspaper clipping somewhere from the NY Post, in which Bill Clinton mentioned how hurtful some of Giuliani's fundraising letters (before he dropped out of the Senate race due to prostate cancer) were to him and his wife. I wrote most of those letters and wear Clinton's comments as a badge of great honor.

[legion]

Originally Posted by ZLP

Guns are so bad, all they do is kill people

Umm....drugs are bad, umkay?

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by ZLP

Guns are so bad, all they do is kill people

You should have stopped after kill.

And yes, that is what they are designed for.

[ljowdy]

Originally Posted by ZLP

Guns are so bad, all they do is kill people

Think about it, do guns kill people??? No, people kill people

Guns are used by people to kill people but, so are vehicles, knives, rocks, spears, arrows etc etc etc

[berettafan]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Just got my membership stuff, decided against the magazine, rather they spent the money on more important stuff

Which you will soon find is paying call centers to ask you for even more money.

[legion]

You know, I just realized that most of the direct mail from the NRA stopped when I became a life member...

[berettafan]

for a time....

[jyl]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Jyl, take comfort in knowing the NRA makes a TON of money on renting and selling its lists. Their lists are some of the most valuable in the direct mail/conservative cause business because their memebrs are active, informed, vote religiously and write checks. Though I must say, I have not gotten any direct mail from others seeking money in years.

I used to write some of these fundraising letters for conservative groups and always put my name on the list with my middle initial as X, so I could see where it went and also keep the letters for my sample book. Sure was flattering to see letters come from other groups that had totally plagiarized my letters. I even have a newspaper clipping somewhere from the NY Post, in which Bill Clinton mentioned how hurtful some of Giuliani's fundraising letters (before he dropped out of the Senate race due to prostate cancer) were to him and his wife. I wrote most of those letters and wear Clinton's comments as a badge of great honor.

Oddly enough, I don't actually get much junk email from conservative organizations, despite being in the NRA.

Do the senders cross-reference numerous lists so that they know, for example, that so-and-so is an NRA member but also a registered Democrat and ACLU member, so don't waste the postage on him? Or perhaps they need to see you show up as a member of more than just one conservative organization, before spending postage on you? Interested in the methods used.

[Rick Lee]

I'm sure cross-referencing has gotten more sophisticated since I was in the biz. But no, your also being on a liberal group's list does not get you excluded from being mailed when found on a conservative list. My guess is the NRA and ACLU share a lot of donors. Main point being that you have responded to direct mail requests in the past by writing a check. That's the most valuable thing to either group. I don't know if the business has just died down or if I don't get anymore requests since becoming an NRA Life Member and not being involved in direct mail anymore.

BTW, prospecting via direct mail is not supposed to pay for itself. The goal is not to raise enough money to even cover the cost of the mailing. The goal is to develop a list of folks who will respond with checks, who can then be tapped again a few times per year. And then that list can be sold and rented to other like-minded orgs.

[dhoward]

Originally Posted by 125shifter

What's the deal with all the wine info I receive after I joined the NRA?

They're trying to attract a higher class of gun nut.

[tabs]

When the little kids come over put an NRA magazine in their little hands and tell them to take it home to show Mommy...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Thinking about heading to PHX for the convention - Rick, do you know anything else about it (I haven't bothered yet to go digging on their web site) - fees, speakers, stuff to do, etc? I figure I ain't doing much else these days, maybe it'll be worth heading out there and participating in an event to help preserve what's left of our Constitutional rights. At least it's a worthwhile endeavor and use of my time.

[Rick Lee]

No admission fee for NRA members. I asked for a replacement card and they told me if I don' receive it in time, I can bring my magazine address label as proof of membership. You're welcome to my couch.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Let me do some digging on the event - I might take you up on that (plus it's an excuse to get on the motorcycle for a nice long ride to clear the head).

[red-beard]

What are the dates?

[Rick Lee]

all you need to know

http://www.nraam.org/schedule/

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Cool - thanks for that.