NORTHEAST REGION
CT, IN, MA, ME, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT
Kara Kelly - 703-267-3714 - kkelly@nrahq.org

Now is a definitive time in our national history. While the dynamics in Congress have changed, the desire to restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners remains at the core of their mission. While tactics may have changed, their commitment to the gun ban agenda has not wavered.

You are a vital asset with the unique opportunity to give people in your area a voice in Washington by promoting the importance of their involvement with the NRA. With your dedication you can help the entire NRA nation in protecting our constitutional rights by serving as a spokesperson for the people of this great nation. Citizens can have an impact not only in Washington but also in their community by helping the NRA defend the Second Amendment. Every voice counts. Be sure to direct your attention and others alike to the NRA-ILA for up to date information.

The challenge we now face is continuing to build a stronger NRA. Ensuring our members and those who support the Second Amendment are fully engaged in the battle to defeat the threats we will face is vital to overcoming this challenge. I encourage and challenge each of you to think outside the box and be creative with promotion and membership drive ideas. Now more than ever we need to attract new members as well as reinforce and instill our ideals into our current members.

In an effort to create awareness, I highly encourage you each to attend new venues. When the warm weather shows up, take advantage of the opportunity. Recruiters have had success at carnivals, motorcycle rallies, community events and even rodeos. As long as you’ve got a crowd and a voice, you can recruit. Let your voice and the voices of your communities be heard. Together, WE STAND UNITED as the National Rifle Association.

SOUTHEAST REGION
AL, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV
Hayden Gilmer - 703-267-3772 - hgilmer@nrahq.org

The first three months of 2015 have been incredible for the Southeast. We are witnessing a spike in memberships across the board, meaning your hard work and dedication is paying off. With proposed gun and ammo bans, people are interested in what we have to offer and this bodes well for membership. Make sure you stay update with NRA-ILA to help provide the most recent and accurate information to members.

Gun Show attendance has been rising and revisiting some events that weren’t successful in the past could turn into great recruiting opportunities. It is also extremely important to check your local area for new events as well. Thinking outside the normal gun shows will also help improve the demographic of people you are exposed to. Retail stores such as Cabela’s are usually very accommodating and are great places to recruit.

I have noticed common mistakes in applications that can easily be fixed to ensure the fastest possible processing. It’s our busy time of the year and with the increased application flow to the recruiting department, it’s more important than ever to have complete applications. The most common mistake we receive on applications is incomplete credit card information. Please note that we must have all 16 digits (15 for American Express) as well as the expiration date on the application. When an incomplete card number is sent in it then becomes our responsibility to contact the member to fix the mistake. The success rate for recovering these card numbers is very low.

Once again thank you for your effort so far in 2015 and if there is anything I can do to assist in recruiting please let me know.

CENTRAL REGION
AR, IA, IL, MN, MO, OK, TX, WI
Kevin Conklin - 703-267-3776 - kconklin@nrahq.org

Congratulations on coming out of the gate strong this year. Central Region recruiters are already 24% ahead of 2014. You haven’t let awful winter weather stifle the determination and sacrifice required to grow your organization. On behalf of the NRA I want to thank all of you for a fantastic start to 2015.

Now is not the time for rest; we are the torchbearers. This is our fight to win and we must meet this challenge head on before the anti-gunners gain any more ground. Continue to look for new events. With gas prices plummeting, consider expanding your travel radius. An extra 50 miles might add a few events. Make sure every gun store, outdoor store and show promoter know we are ready to sign people up at any opportunity they can afford us as we are willing to put in the time and effort if we are given the chance.

Make sure members are properly and completely filling out each application. Even when we are overcome with multiple members signing up, we must verify all information is legible and all payment information is complete. Check their card after they’ve filled out the payment information or write the credit card account number and expiration date yourself. When an application is returned the recruiting department must call and attempt to collect payment for the membership you already worked hard to sell. Unfortunately, these calls have a very low success rate. Stop losing out on sales already made and confirm each member’s application and payment information while they are at your table.

We are a team and we cannot succeed without communication. Please feel free to contact me for help with new events or with any questions you might have and I will reach out to you when I need the same.

WESTERN REGION
AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY
Jeremy Gill - 703-267-3784 - jgill@nrahq.org

With 2015 well under way, we are back in full swing. There are a few housekeeping items that I must bring to the forefront. These simple tips will help ensure members receive their memberships in a timely matter after joining or renewing with you and it will ensure you get full credit for members recruited.

As simple as it sounds, make sure the applications are being filled out properly. There are required fields and if we do not have all of them filled out properly we cannot process the application. Obviously we need a name and a complete address to mail the member their credentials. A date of birth is required if it is an age specific member type (i.e., jr membership or distinguished life). Always be sure to check payment type; if they use a credit card, we need all 16 digits from the card (unless it is an American Express then 15) as well as the expiration date. Take an extra few seconds to ensure the form is filled out properly as this will go a long way in ensuring everything goes as smoothly as possible.

Please be sure to visit NRAILA.ORG on a regular basis to stay up to date on the latest issues. In addition to hot button issues such as Obama’s ammo grab, you can also find state specific issues important to members in your area. Knowing NRA’s stance on these vital issues will give you instant credibility to a potential member.