Beginning in 2009, the National Rifle Association’s Friends of NRA banquets program has allowed the public to purchase its tickets online. With a growing number of banquet attendees becoming more technologically savvy and the ever-increasing amount of services available online, Friends of NRA decided it was the right time to implement the feature.
Projecting only $10,000 in online ticket sales for the first year as people became accustomed to the new system, as of September 15, 2009, just over $100,000 in sales had been made. Friends of NRA is hopeful that as the website expands and more becomes available through it, online ticket purchases will increase further. Having become a vital component to the success of the program in just its first year, the huge success of online ticket sales can be attributed to the Friends of NRA field representatives who are continually pushing for sales through their volunteers, email blasts, and the program’s website.
“It’s exciting to see our program make this step with technology,” said Kyle Weaver, Managing Director of Field Operations. “These types of improvements make all aspects of Friends of NRA more efficient and help our volunteers in their grassroots work. We look forward to introducing more of these changes in the near future.”
Friends of NRA is a grassroots fund-raising program that fosters community involvement, raises money, and gives 100% of the net proceeds to qualified local, state, and national programs. Working with the NRA’s field staff, thousands of volunteers nationwide participate in the program by organizing committees and planning events in their communities.
