I have a new found respect for GOAL after last weekend

[buketduder]

Some gun owners just don't care..you might be able to do a better PR but I think word of mouth from someone they know is the best...

We just started an Org here in CT 1 year ago and are getting lots of members..its free if you would like to join and can do so online! Also if you know anyone in CT let them know! Thanks!

Dick Heller Joined Recently!

http://ccdl.us/

 

[seanc]

Most people i know think they're whack jobs. do we really want to be seen in the same light?

I think I understand what you were trying to say, but i'm not sure i agree with using the same types of advertising they stoop to. It doesn't affect me too much when actors/actresses tell me i shouldn't eat meat because dogs have feelings.... they just taste too good to give up!

Agreed PETA is way over the top. However, a similar-ish (toned down) strategy is probably in order.

 

[Viking Kitten]

I had the same experience when I volunteered at the Topsfield Fair last year - many people just walked by. Several knew who GOAL was and I even found some supporting members from New Hampshire!

So - do we get together as a group (or sets of smaller groups) and clean up a stretch of highway (NO ORANGE JUMPSUITS), "sponsor an island" at a busy traffic intersection to get the name out there?

 

[swampy]

The Springfield show attracts a lot of people from CT and even NY so at least some of the people there had reason not to be interested. Those shows seem to be more geared towards fishing than hunting and there is definitely little of interest for target shooters. I haven't been to Springfield in years but I imagine the crowd and dealers are similar to Worcester except fo the greater size. One issue I notice of myself during a show like that is that after about half a dozen isles (this happens at gun shows too) I turn into a zombie. I'm sick of the idiots there hawking replacement windows and faux vacations giveaways etc. A serious approach to getting people's attention is to offer something special to them. Comfortable chairs to sit in, a quiet area to relax and take a short break from the crowd, freebies such as pens with GOAL information on them, a GOAL bag to carry handouts (and if they were one of those reusable cloth shopping bags with the GOAL info on it then the exposure would be weekly), a free target with info about GOAL on the back side, etc. People at these shows get tense and dazed by the crowd and the noise. Getting in people's faces to hawk something that they aren't seeking out in the first place is confrontational. Its like having religion peddled door to door in your neighborhood. You pull down the shades and pretend your not home or you claim to worship the devil or other rude quip. Getting people to relax and drop their guard is the first and most important step to succeed in that type of environment. The better the freebie the longer the memory too.

As some of you may know, I spent last Saturday working the GOAL table at a Sportsman's show in Springfield. Overall I had a great time for the 6 hours I was there. I talked to a LOT of great and supportive people and I was pretty happy with convincing a few guys, and one lady, that they needed to join up as well.

What I found troubling though was the complete lack of interest of most of the people that walked by the booth. I spent a lot of time by the isle saying hi to people and asking them if they were a member of GOAL yet. I received a lot of "No" for an answer. I'd then ask them if they'd like to become a member of GOAL. Again, I'd get a lot of "No" answers. Ok, so lack of interest. I guess I get that. I also got a bunch of people saying how they joined the NRA, so they don't see the need to join GOAL. I'd try to explain why GOAL was important, but again, no interest. The most troubling though was the people that would look at me and say "who"? When I answered I'd get responses like "I never heard of you". Wow.

I have a good idea now of the frustration that people at GOAL must go through every day. For them, it must be an uphill climb all the time. I have a new respect for them. They fight the good fight with minimal support and a population of people who either don't care or don't know who you are and don't have any interest in knowing. It's amazing they get done what they do operating in this climate.

NES members excluded of course!

 

[RichM]

We have found a good way to introduce GOAL during Basic Pistol classes: we open the Outdoor Message to the page that lists all the gun-related legislation currently pending on Beacon Hill, and we talk about the importance of having an organization that digs through all of that stuff (or some other adjective.. ) to let us know which ones to support or oppose. We always see jaws drop when they see that entire page of (mostly) lousy legislation proposed to further restrict our gun ownership.

... I have no way of knowing if these classes have borne any fruit by gaining new members, but it's a start.

We also use the FID/LTC sheets and law summaries to start explaining the law, and those handouts give each student something to go home with that has the GOAL name on it...

 

[Titan]

Most people i know think they're whack jobs. do we really want to be seen in the same light?

I think I understand what you were trying to say, but i'm not sure i agree with using the same types of advertising they stoop to. It doesn't affect me too much when actors/actresses tell me i shouldn't eat meat because dogs have feelings.... they just taste too good to give up!

Understood.

I offered them up as an extreme example, but there's a lot to be said about finding creative ways to expand an organization's 'brand awareness'. The creativity gets even more interesting when funds are hard to come by, but it doesn't become any less important.

 

[Fixxah]

I told the woman from the NRA who called me yesterday that I know that GOAL does more for my money than the NRA. I said that as a resident of MA. the only thing the NRA wants is my money, I have blocked them from my PC many times and they keep trying. She couldn't tell me one thing that her organization has done to help the gun owners of this state. When I sent in my check there was a note stapled to it saying not to contact me via e-mail, snail mail (except for renewal), or phone and they pester me by all three.

I hope my GOAL membership hasn't run out yet but either way, my hard earned money is going to Northborough. The NRA can pound sand until I see results HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

 

[JoeT]

I can only speak for myself. . .

I've been shooting for about 20 years, and up until I joined here, I thought that GOAL was the NRA.

And even then, waited a little while to join because
1. i don't agree with a lot of what the NRA does, and "assumed" that they shared philosophies
2. I didn't want to be called every night for more money, and
3. i didn't want to buy a second mailbox for all the crap that gets sent.

 

[flintoid]

I was in the same boat as JoeT. Same fears, same ignorance.

I'm a member now, but it was after I read about GOAL on this forum that I decided it was a good thing.

 

[Viking Kitten]

I can only speak for myself. . .


3. i didn't want to buy a second mailbox for all the crap that gets sent.

Here you're speaking for me too, JoeT. I am sick and tired of the endless stuff the NRA sends me - I don't care how much of a break they get on postage and printing it burns a lot of money. The last item I opened and returned with "STOP SENDING ME THIS CRAP" written across it in bright pink marker.

 

[maxdogk911]

When I was there on Sunday with Mrs Magnum it was worse when someone came up and actually complained about goal. A lot of ignorant people out there. Kim does a great job.

 

[Martlet]

To be completely frank, nothing in the OM has ever really captured my attention. If GOAL offered the option to opt out of receiving it, I'd gladly do so.

Same here.

 

[Scrivener]

Those complaining about excess mail from the NRA can go to the website and get removed from the mailing list.

As has been posted here before.

As in, the past month.

 

[SecondAmdFirst]

Those complaining about excess mail from the NRA can go to the website and get removed from the mailing list.

As has been posted here before.

As in, the past month.

I have to agree Scriv. this is been posted at MANY times. On a side note, you can remove yourself from any excessive mailing with a simple phone call.

 

[Martlet]

.

 

[eisenhow]

Those complaining about excess mail from the NRA can go to the website and get removed from the mailing list.

As has been posted here before.

As in, the past month.

Have you actually tried to do it recently? The last time you posted this I searched and searched and all I found was an e-mail address that you had to contact. I did so but I didn't get any confirmation.

 

[Titan]

One thing for sure is that marking up solicitations and sending them back, or writing things on a payment is very unlikely to have any impact.

Very few organizations have someone opening their mail (and throwing away inbound envelopes) who are also empowered to change your account characteristics (like getting or not getting mailings).

 

[Scrivener]

Have you actually tried to do it recently? The last time you posted this I searched and searched and all I found was an e-mail address that you had to contact. I did so but I didn't get any confirmation.

You "searched?" I doubt it.

Thirty seconds on GOOGLE got me THIS:

https://www.nramemberservices.org/faq.asp

Or, of course, one could go directly to the NRA site and hit "FAQS."

 

[JoeT]

Those complaining about excess mail from the NRA can go to the website and get removed from the mailing list.

As has been posted here before.

As in, the past month.

Scriv, again I can only speak for myself. . .

I've "opted-out" of mailings at least 4 times this year. Right now on my desk is about an inch of mail that came in in February from the NRA and GOAL, and I only get one piece a month from GOAL. And just last night (at 6:18pm) I got a call looking for money

 

[JoeT]

make that 5 times, I just did it again. . .

 

[eisenhow]

You "searched?" I doubt it.

Thirty seconds on GOOGLE got me THIS:

https://www.nramemberservices.org/faq.asp

Or, of course, one could go directly to the NRA site and hit "FAQS."

Sending an e-mail is exactly what I did . I would expect the NRA to have a checkbox or something to opt out once you log into their website. Perhaps instead of telling people "go to the website and get removed from the mailing list." you should tell people to send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 800-NRA-3888

I knew we had this same discussion two months ago... (the search function truly does suck)

 

[Scrivener]

Scriv, again I can only speak for myself. . .

I've "opted-out" of mailings at least 4 times this year. Right now on my desk is about an inch of mail that came in in February from the NRA and GOAL, and I only get one piece a month from GOAL. And just last night (at 6:18pm) I got a call looking for money

I got the same call - VERY briefly.

However, I get VERY little mail from the NRA and what I do get is from the Heritage Foundation, which is not part of the general NRA mailing. "Opting out" worked well for me.

 

[Scrivener]

I knew we had this same discussion two months ago... (the search function truly does suck)

Indeed, it does - very frustrating.