Q&A
Budgetary constraints and challenges in email outreach to veterans
1:05:14
ยท
171 sec
Council Member Holden and DVS representatives discuss budgetary constraints for email outreach to veterans and the challenges in establishing relationships through email communication.
- DVS lacks sufficient budget for comprehensive email outreach to all veterans in their database
- Discussion on the effectiveness of email communication for veteran outreach
- Challenges in establishing relationships with veterans who may not have self-identified
- Current newsletter subscription of about 25,000 veterans with a 25% open rate
Robert Holden
1:05:14
to get That's an accomplishment.
1:05:16
But if we could do do you have the budget to do emails to a 140,000?
Jason Loughran
1:05:21
We could always do more with more.
James Hendon
1:05:23
And it's not just about the emails No.
Robert Holden
1:05:24
I'm I'm asking you this is a very specific question.
1:05:26
Do you have the budget to email, 50, you know, 51 let's say, about these 51 veteran resource, sessions in each council member's office, can you help Because that that goes a long way.
1:05:42
We can have somebody sitting there, a veteran resource person from DVS, sit there the whole day, and if nobody's showing up, it's a waste of our resources.
1:05:49
So to to publicize that to the 140,000, we would get a lot of pea a lot of veterans.
1:05:56
It stands to reason.
1:05:57
Right.
Jason Loughran
1:05:58
Well But
Robert Holden
1:05:58
do you have the budget for that?
Jason Loughran
1:06:00
Be before Yes or no?
Robert Holden
1:06:02
Yes or no?
Jason Loughran
1:06:02
Well, I wanted to talk about something else.
1:06:04
No.
1:06:04
Don't no.
1:06:05
Go ahead.
James Hendon
1:06:05
We don't have the budget to touch
Robert Holden
1:06:06
these people.
1:06:06
That's all I want.
1:06:07
Relationship to
James Hendon
1:06:07
to call out.
1:06:08
But I just think it's beyond email.
1:06:09
It's really about and mind you, you've got so folks, 3 out of 4, who did not self identify.
1:06:14
So you're reaching out to many people who now we who have been in the shadows by design, so it's about luring them out.
1:06:20
And so it's a complicated thing.
1:06:21
We don't have the money to really establish a relationship like that with as many people as possible.
Robert Holden
1:06:27
Sad that we can't even let's forget about the US mail.
1:06:30
We can't even mail, notices, but we can't even email.
James Hendon
1:06:36
No.
1:06:37
It's not about the email though, mister chair.
1:06:38
It's about whatever will be most effective for that particular veteran.
Robert Holden
1:06:42
Well, email I just The email works.
1:06:44
It's it's it's established.
1:06:46
It's for decades.
1:06:47
We've had it.
James Hendon
1:06:47
What I'm saying is not everyone it's almost like, only
Robert Holden
1:06:50
I know.
1:06:50
I know.
1:06:50
But if a 140,000, let's say half of them are working or they check their email.
1:06:58
That that goes a long way into reaching out not only to self identify, but what's available to each veteran that that down the block, they live down the block from the council office, that they can go and get their answer get some answers and get some programs and get some, you know, communicate with the, d the VA, help them, you know, maneuver.
1:07:19
So that this we're not talking we're talking about a few $100 it would cost you to do that.
James Hendon
1:07:24
So we have Mailchimp.
1:07:26
It's a question of how do you do something when someone opts into receiving that email so we're not in a position where it goes directly to junk or spam.
1:07:32
And so that's why it's it's bigger than email.
1:07:34
To me, it's I know
Robert Holden
1:07:35
that's what that but but my question is, how many have you verified that they're willing they opted in for email, from your office, let's say.
1:07:45
Do you have a number
James Hendon
1:07:46
on that?
1:07:47
I just speak to the for our not everyone opt in to receive our newsletter.
1:07:50
For instance, we have roughly 10,000 newsletter subscribers.
1:07:52
Oh, you do do 25,000.
1:07:54
So but it you know, and all about 25% open that on a given week.
1:07:57
It's just what I'm saying is to get at the what undergirds what you're saying, speaking deeper than email, it takes a large amount of resources to really establish that relationship, mister chair.
Jason Loughran
1:08:06
Yeah.