in memoriam - Fleet Reserve Association

(Enclosure 2)
NES-11
3 November 2006
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE SECRETARY MEMORANDUM NUMBER 3-07
From: National Executive Secretary
To: Branch Secretaries
Subj: Status Report on Key Issues
MEMBERSHIP INITIATIVES
My memorandum of 17April 2006 addressed various FRA membership issues and detailed the NHQ low/no
cost staff action plan with regard to non-renewing members. Since then, the following initiatives have been implemented:
1. The call program to non-renewing members has been established with NHQ staff calling MALs
who’ve terminated since January 2006. In the past two months, for example, NHQ staff completed
829 calls and at least 46 of these have rejoined and paid their dues. Staff are now working on calling
members prior to termination, giving one more opportunity to pay dues prior to losing the
member. Information on implementing this program at the Branch level was briefed during the
May NBOD meeting, in July AJuicy News,@ at National Convention and in the upcoming issue of
Naval Affairs (FRA Today). This is also being briefed (with phone lists provided from NHQ) by
NP Jerry Sweeney during Branch visits and will be expanded to Regional Presidents for reference
in their Branch visits.
2. To encourage members to renew, those who have an outstanding balance will see a APay Your
Dues@ link on each page of the site. This is in the final stages of testing, and will be live within the
week. Currently members with a balance see this link only on the MY FRA page. Prospective
members will see a link suggesting they AConvert to Full Membership.@
3. Naval Affairs (now FRA Today) address block has been enlarged to enable the inclusion of an inkjet
message for the members. Members in good standing are thanked for their membership or a
special message is listed (ie, reminder of convention in September), members who owe dues are
reminded to pay, and those whose membership is about to expire are informed that this is their last
issue if they don=t pay.
4. A survey via e-mail to non-renewing members was developed B however with only a small number
of available e-mail addressees and low data gathering potential B it was incorporated into the call
program script per #1 above.
5. Several initiatives directly related to our legislative advocacy program and the importance of participating
in the process via messages to members of Congress have expanded awareness of the
Making Waves electronic message program via the Action Center on FRA=s web site. To date,
88,900 messages have been disseminated resulting in approximately 4,000 additional messages to
Members of Congress on key legislative issues.
6. A postcard with a unique design is used for third dues renewal notices effective in June 2006 resulting
in a 1% increase in the response rate at 3 the previous cost.
As reported, our serious cash flow situation required the suspension of our membership marketing plan earlier
this year and on 18 October 2006, FO Paul Rigby, DMD Bob Washington, DMC Eileen Murphy, DADM Alicia
Landis, and DLP John Davis and I met to formulate a low cost/maximum impact plan for restarting our membership
marketing efforts during the remainder of FY 2006 (or between now and mid-December). We agreed that allocating
$40,000 to this is plan is achievable since delegates to the 79th National Convention authorized the with drawl of