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"Reason magazine--which is known as 'the largest and most
influential libertarian publication in the world today'-needs to
raise an additional $300,000 per issue to pay its bills. . . That's
on top of the money we earn from subscriptions, advertising, and
other commercial activities." (Matt Welch - Reason Magazine
fundraising letter, 2013, copy attached.)<br>
<br>
I've been asked the ROI on LP News. Rather than write about it
several times, I thought I'd share a few thoughts with the board all
at once, and then forward this email to the people who ask me about
it again over the next few months.<br>
<br>
LP News is a newsletter. It's #1 goal isn't to raise money directly,
although it does raise some money directly. As a newsletter, it
informs the readership about our activities. It sometimes inspires,
sometimes educates and trains, and sometimes bores people I'm sure.
I usually throw Reason Magazine in the trash without reading it, but
I do think it's great for a libertarian publication and I hope they
keep it up. <br>
<br>
LP News acts as an advertisement to our subscribers to show what the
national, state, and local candidates and affiliates are doing so
that when those same subscribers receive fundraising letters, they
are more likely to donate in response to fundraising requests.<br>
<br>
Some people have very strongly urged us to increase production of LP
News to a monthly publication. Others have very strongly urged us to
discontinue it altogether. Others have urged electronic only. I
personally prefer 4 to 6 issues per year. But if the LNC ever or LNC
members ever mandate 12 or 0 and I'm still here, I'll comply.<br>
<br>
LP News is posted online at our website LP.org. If you don't know
where, that proves a point about the likelihood of people reading
the online version. I want it in print too because I want to put in
your mailbox right in front of you from time to time. <br>
<br>
Wikipedia definition: "Return on investment (ROI) is the benefit to
an investor resulting from an investment of some resource."<br>
<br>
In trying to calculate a financial number of ROI for LP News, two
Libertarians could argue extensively over what items should be
included as investments, and what should be included as returns. <br>
<br>
For those interested in trying to calculate ROI using whatever
numbers might be available, you might find some numbers in the LNC
meeting archives for that: <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.lp.org/leadership/lnc-meeting-archives">http://www.lp.org/leadership/lnc-meeting-archives</a><br>
<br>
I'm not interested in trying the calculation myself, because I don't
think any reports have enough data to make an accurate calculation,
and I think even more detailed reports would probably only provide
more precise misinformation. The LNC adopted a membership plan that
required publishing major donors' photos in LP News, presumably to
recognize them, thank them, encourage them to donate again, and
encourage others to follow suit. What is that worth and how do we
measure it? The upcoming LP News has a convention registration form
in it, which saves us the postage of an extra convention mailing.
Should the money coming in from that be counted as a return to LP
News, or to the convention? I suppose in the long run, the sum
financial ROI of all our non-profit's activities, which are highly
co-dependent, are close to zero, as we spend most of what we raise,
rather than build up a large pot of money, but one of our economists
or accounting gurus might be able to state that more correctly.<br>
<br>
Some people have said LP News is a print medium, which is becoming
obsolete, and we should end it and go all electronic. Well, I'm for
raising funds using multiple channels. The LP is mostly white males,
but we should still reach out to women and minorities. Less than
half our revenue currently comes from online sources, although it
has been growing steadily as a percentage of the total. <br>
<br>
The experts in the political industry continue using a combination
of print and online fundraising techniques and newsletters. There's
a reason for that. There's a reason the grocery store and department
stores still put newsprint flyers in your mailbox, and Chinese
restaurants put door hangers on your doorknob. <br>
<br>
While I am in favor of continuing LP News at 4 to 6 print issues per
year, at least for a while, I'm more interested in what people think
of Liberty Pledge News. Liberty Pledge News is a monthly print
publication that gets mailed to our monthly pledgers. If you're not
familiar with Liberty Pledge News and would like to sample it for a
few months, please sign up for a monthly pledge of $10 or more here,
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.lp.org/contribute">https://www.lp.org/contribute</a>, or as part of a membership here:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.lp.org/membership">https://www.lp.org/membership</a>.<br>
<br>
Sample Liberty Pledge News with a monthly contribution today: <br>
<br>
<div align="center"><b><big><big><a
href="https://www.lp.org/contribute"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.lp.org/contribute">https://www.lp.org/contribute</a></a><br>
<a href="https://www.lp.org/membership">https://www.lp.org/membership</a></big></big></b><br>
</div>
<br>
and help me decide - keep it, or kill it!<br>
<br>
If every LNC member and officers signs up for a $15 per month
monthly pledge, M Carling has offered to donate ten times that
amount, or $150 per month.<br>
<br>
Yours in <a href="https://www.lp.org/membership">Liberty Pledge
News</a>, <br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Wes Benedict, Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee, Inc.
1444 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314
(202) 333-0008 ext. 232, <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:wes.benedict@lp.org">wes.benedict@lp.org</a>
facebook.com/libertarians @LPNational
Join the Libertarian Party at: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://lp.org/membership">http://lp.org/membership</a></pre>
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