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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, November 20, 1979
Page 5
about one percent which equates to about five dollars per response.
Comparisons of the two different size brochures tested showed that the
smaller, less expensive Reader's Digest size insert pulled just as well
as the larger Plain Truth size brochure. This smaller brochure is about
half the cost of the larger one so we now have the information available
for a final decision to be made regarding expansion of the program across
the United States.
One last piece of good news is that our latest Plain Truth reader renewal
package is being returned at a rate of 47%. This means that 47% of those
readers want to keep the Plain Truth corning into their lives. This
compares with a traditional average for the Plain Truth of only 37%.
This figure of 47% may sound low, but the national average for a free
magazine is only 20 to 30%. A free maqazine generally renews at a rate
less than one which you have to pay for, which comes in at around 45% to
50%. We therefore feel encouraged by such a good response.
--Roger G. Lippross
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Netherlands
We had one of the best Feasts ever with a total registered attendance of
318. Our first and last Holy Day offerings showed a 36.5% increase over
last year. The Dutch brethren enjoyed very much having Mr. and Mrs. Piet
Michielsen from Calgary, Canada here.
On October 31 we had our campaign in the city of Zwolle. Twenty-seven
thousand Plain Truth readers were invited and 65 people attended the
lecture of which 30 were first time contacts. Twenty people out of the
30 indicated that they would be interested in followup lectures which
are scheduled for November 21 and December 12.
We are continuing our regional newspaper advertising campaign. We have
a lower than expected initial response but we also believe that we do
attract a better type of reader. One thing it also does is stimulate
renewals from these areas. New requests for subscriptions for October
totaled 432, and new requests for the Correspondence Course equaled 41.
Requests for new visits for October totaled seven.
-The income for October has a month-to-month increase of 18.1%. September
was an exceptionally good month with a 117.07% increase over the same
month last year.
We are looking forward to the regional ministerial conference in England
on November 26 and 27 and the visit to the Netherlands by Mr. Leslie
McCullough on December 13-16.
Philippines
Another Feast of Tabernacles is over
again the "best ever." At all feast
here are the figures: Baguio, 1200;
Don Carlos, 581 and Davao, 370. The
of 33.7%.
and by all accounts it was once
sites we had record attendances and
Naga City, 306; Mambucal, 311;
overall total was 2,768--an increase