Everyone agrees face-to-face ticket selling is still the best method of selling tickets for a Friends of NRA banquet. After all, Friends of NRA banquets are meant to be a community affair and nothing says “community” like one-on-one interaction with the people who are putting on the events. But even so, times are changing and the convenience technology provides us with on a daily basis has been instrumental in helping not only the world grow, but the Friends of NRA program as well.

Some may imagine NRA headquarters is wired with all the latest technology— flat screen monitors, the most-up-to-date software, the works. But as a non-profit organization, NRA likes to focus their time and money in ways that better serve their supporters. Sometimes technology can provide the best of both worlds, serving supports while increasing efficiency. That’s why when the National Manager of Volunteer Fund-Raising and the Friends of NRA Program, John daSilva, began researching in-house system capabilities while developing Friends of NRA state web pages, he was constantly considering how to use new web-based technologies to reach more potential attendees.

“Now, we are doing just that with on-line ticket sales on each Friends of NRA state web page,” said daSilva. “Each week I speak with volunteers and staff who share with me how this technology enabled them to get new attendees at our Friends of NRA events simply by searching the web and sending the "Buy Now" link to friends and family via email. It's a simple, easy, and cost effective way to reach an audience.”

Some committees were hesitant though about using online ticket sales when they first arrived on the scene. After all, with new endeavors comes complications and some feared they would lose that personal-feel to their banquets. But daSilva was confident they would work for events rather than against them, and soon committees were reaping the benefits.

“We don’t allow ticket sales to let us lose that community aspect,” said Mike Webb, the NRA Field Representative for Tennessee. “Ticket sales just offered us another avenue for getting tickets to the people, especially in larger towns and cities where our committee members may not be able to reach each individual personally. It helps us out in rural areas as well. People don’t have to drive into town to pick up their tickets, instead they can just buy online and print them right at home.”

Online tickets has helped draw in new attendees as well. In fact, Central Florida Friends of NRA leads the online ticket sales record with 141 tickets sold online and Trip Lancaster, an NRA Field Representative for Florida, estimated that 65-70% of the tickets sold online were purchased by brand new attendees, which helped double their event size over last year.

“I had confidence it would work. However, ‘seeing it is believing it’,” said daSilva. “We projected $10,000 in sales via the web for the first year and I'm glad to report the projection was only a fraction of what we've been able to accomplish with the new technology. To date we've sold almost 3,000 tickets and $100,000 worth in just the 9 months since we began.”

The ever-growing popularity has made online ticket sales a worthy endeavor, but without the support of Friends of NRA committees behind it, the program wouldn’t be as successful as it is today. “When headquarters told me we were going to start offering online ticket sales, I went to my committees and told them it was up to us how well they sold online,” said Webb. “When we came across someone who wasn’t able to purchase tickets at that moment, it was great to be able to direct them to the website. Everyone of my committees just really supported it and its helped us expand how and who we sell tickets to.”

In the future, daSilva hopes to offer additional options online when purchasing tickets, such as creating a shopping cart feature, offering sponsorships, and other pre-event opportunities. As for online ticket sales, he anticipates the system could process two or three times as many online ticket purchases in the future. “We hope more folks will continue to buy tickets on-line,” daSilva said. “This method saves our volunteers and the program time, money, and resources. Simply put, we reach more people and are more efficient.”

To purchase tickets for a Friends of NRA event online, click on your state using this interactive map and find an event near you!