Called NRA Today


retiredman

New member
I had to call them.

They are sending renewal notices once a month, and mine doesn't expire until next year.

So I asked how much money, and interest are you getting by having people renew and there is no expiration date on the renewal form?

They refused to answer! They only said we will remove your name from the renewal notices, however it will take 8 weeks to stop them.

Now is that a slow computer! or what.

It makes me angry when businesses try to con you out of your cash.

So far this is the only thing I don't like about their polices.

Just venting!
 

Every magazine we receive does the same thing. Just toss the notice in the trash. Closer it gets to the expiration date, the better deal they give you.
 
I joined a month ago, no membership notification. I receive mail from them selling my name and address, and get all kinds of emails, asking me to join up for something. I emailed them about not getting my membership many days ago, no return email. At this point I am not happy with joining, I guess I'll have to try giving them a call.
NOTE
I just received an email, I will get my membership 4-7 weeks from when I sent it in, not real fast.
 
NRA & Direct Mail

You have to realize direct mail is a science. Rather than jump to conclusions about getting jacked for money or them wasting money by sending so much mail, you have to realize they actually know what they are doing and its for a reason. The NRA actually has one of the best and most efficient direct mail operations of any organization.

The NRA's direct mail program is not about you as an individual. It's about the average rate of return, dollars per return, membership retention, prospecting for new donors and maximizing people with a donor history.

If they receive 1 check for $100 if finances scores of additional contacts. A rate of return of 2-3% is considered industry average. If you don't want to contribute, don't. You're not costing the NRA money, they're not wasting it - it's all about capturing 2-5% of those mailed every time they send something.

As far as membership goes, it takes 3-4 contacts on average to get a member to respond. So start six months out, if it takes four contacts that's now 2 months before the membership lapse. It takes 4-8 weeks to get through the system that has 3.5 million members, and before you know it it's ON TIME -- all because they started six months or more in advance.

They are not loosing money by sending so much mail - quite the opposite. Early and frequent contact builds membership and attracts donations. Rather than rant against the NRA, recognize there is a method to the madness and it works.
 
I was a long time member of both the NRA - ILA and I sent extra donations when I could, but when I needed their help I quickly learned that the only time they knew my name was when it came to begging for donations. After I was snubbed by them I sent my resignation and membership card to them with a letter that said " I refuse to support an organization that will not support me."
Ask yourself, Why did you join the NRA? If you expect them to help you with any future legal problems; Forget It, but if you enjoy the constant solicitations of funds then you are going to love them.
 
I have mixed emotions about the NRA.
Putting the solicitations aside, about the only thing I personally get out of it is a fairly interesting magazine once a month and $2500 worth of gun insurance. I consider their store to be very high-priced, and really don't want to advertise their logo, (or any gun logo, T-shirt, etc) especially when I'm carrying.
Now, they say the magazine will be online only, next year (I am old and like to "feel" that glossy paper and look at pages without using a keyhole called the computer screen). And I have never had to deal with the gun insurance part so don't know what kind of hassle that might be.
Maybe the NRA-ILA is doing something, but I get no real info on that other than snippets of news.
$25 for renewal may not seem like much, but for a retired guy living only on my retirement, $25 here and $25 there mounts up. And I'll also say I belong to GOA and they don't seem to be too much either.
Both of them remind me of AARP - if any of them really serve a purpose as an advocate, it escapes me.
 
Just saw a video of the ceo of the nra praising Harry Reid on his fight for gun rights. Yea right. Look at his record. Don't support the nra
 
Called and also wrote... to no avail... Yet!

Ok,
I'm a new guy to the NRA got a phone solicitation and stated I NEVER take phone solicitations... send me some material to look over and decide.
Got the literature, membership card, stickers and an invoice for $50.00.
However, on the application there was the option of No Magazines and membership for $10.00... so I opted for the $10.00.
Now, I have joined but on my account records it still reads that I owe $50.... Called, and the lady claims it was removed and I owe NOTHING.
But the $50 is still on my account and no mention of the $10.00.
To top it off, I received from an NRA site an offer with a magazine for $25.00 as a discounted membership.
I wrote and stated I would take the offer send them the $15.00 balance with my original $10.00 (It has been only 3 weeks old) select a magazine and call it a day.
No response as of yet.....
I like the NRA for the classes and information but this kinda of dealing on membership give it a bad image...
 
Yes, the renewals also piss me off. Got one a few days ago boldly marked "Check Enclosed". It was a check for $400 to cash when you gave them a couple of thousand for a lifetime membership. BS. I truly hate these direct marketing schemes.

Renewal statements started essentially when I joined, no information on expiration anywhere I can find. AARP just as bad. Magazines all used to have the last date of the subscription on the mailing labels so you knew how long you had. Many have simply stopped doing that.

Always want me to buy something or donate. A phone call from any organization is completely unacceptable. Especially the BS they start with that implies this is a service to you to call and want something from you. Like we are calling because we are concerned about your well being because you have not renewed your membership (which probably has at least a year to go).

And the NRA seems to believe that sending unrequested products and sending a bill with it is OK. USPS says - unsolicited goods are yours. No obligation to pay or return. And the the NRA repeatedly sends notices to pay or renew. Hopefully (or not) they are clever enough to try that more than once/person who simply will not play their game. It was a DVD with some relatively significant price. But cost of goods is probably less than $0.25 + bulk rate, non-profit postage. There ROI/unit is huge. So basically it is like what AOL did for so long. Send you a disk every few months with a free offer and hope the small percentage takes the offer.

People in marketing seem to feel that no line is uncrossable and anything can be done in the name of the marketing god.
 
Yes, the renewals also piss me off. Got one a few days ago boldly marked "Check Enclosed".  It was a check for $400 to cash when you gave them a couple of thousand for a lifetime membership. BS. I truly hate these direct marketing schemes. <br><br>Renewal statements started essentially when I joined, no information on expiration anywhere I can find. AARP just as bad.<br><br>Always want me to buy something or donate. A phone call from any organization is completely unacceptable. Especially the BS they start with that implies this is a service to you to call and want something from you. Like we are calling because we are concerned about your well being because you have not renewed your membership (which probably has at least a year to go).<br><br>And the NRA seems to believe that sending unrequested products and sending a bill with it is OK. USPS says - unsolicited goods are yours.  No obligation to pay or return. And the the NRA repeatedly sends notices to pay or renew. Hopefully (or not) they are clever enough to try that more than once/person who simply will not play their game. It was a DVD with some relatively significant price. But cost of goods is probably less than $0.25 + bulk rate, non-profit postage. There ROI/unit is huge. So basically it is like what AOL did for so long.  Send you a disk every few months with a free offer and hope the small percentage takes the offer.<br><br>People in marketing seem to feel that no line is uncrossable and anything can be done in the name of the marketing god.<br><br><br>
 
While the NRA does have it's share of large "Bureaucracy" problems (like any other), it IS the largest gun "lobby" available to us at this time.

That the NRA tends to look at the big picture rather than the "problems" of the individual member, it comes with the terrain of large advocacy groups.

Ya pays your money and takes what you can get. I'd rather they be there than not. SOMEONE has to have a big enough "voice" to counter the anti-2nd Ammendment types, who, strangely enough, get all the "press" they want.

There ain't no such thing as perfection and no such thing as a free lunch.

GG
 
lol they do get crazy with the notices, and spam-like emails and advertisements. The most anoying thing was when they recently sent me a hangun DVD and a bill for it, and asked that i kindly send it back if i didnt want it, but that i could not be charged either way because i did not order or request it, so i kept it and never replied, i feel like that was a shady move on them to send a movie and a bill for it randomly.
 
While the NRA does have it's share of large "Bureaucracy" problems (like any other), it IS the largest gun "lobby" available to us at this time.

That the NRA tends to look at the big picture rather than the "problems" of the individual member, it comes with the terrain of large advocacy groups.

Ya pays your money and takes what you can get. I'd rather they be there than not. SOMEONE has to have a big enough "voice" to counter the anti-2nd Ammendment types, who, strangely enough, get all the "press" they want.

There ain't no such thing as perfection and no such thing as a free lunch.

GG


I agree... NRA= 2nd amendment rights, period. I emailed last year requesting an explanation about Harry Reid and their support. The NRA doesn't care about any other issues except 2nd amendment stuff. If a Senator supports a large pro-NRA project like Reid did in Nevada, they don't care if he supports gay rights or is pro-abortion. They don't look at the big picture the way we do when choosing a candidate that aligns with our sensibilities rather it's either black or white with them--- pro-2nd amendment or not. Its that simple.
 

New Threads

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
49,542
Messages
611,255
Members
74,961
Latest member
Shodan
Back
Top