The end is near

Photo: Herbalizer, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photo: Herbalizer, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

The number left to reach our fundraiser goal is down from six digits to five, and the number of days left to do it is down from two digits to one. The end is near. Thanks to all of you who have taken us this far down the road.

I spent yesterday going far down the road myself–on the way to Boston for a family visit. I had a chance to listen to the new “quiet drive” or “warp drive”–whatever you want to call this new take on radio fundraiser that doesn’t interrupt programming–the way a regular listener might experience it. As I heard a variety of messages over the course of the three hours I was range of NCPR transmitters, I was struck by a couple things.

First–this was a way better listening experience, not really distinguishable from regular programming–sort of like if we had bought up most of our own underwriting spots.

But the second thing that struck me was that our mindset hasn’t really gotten fully to that new place yet, where we remind you that this is the time to give, remind you why you listen to and value the station, and remind you why your participation matters–and that’s it. We still sound a little tentative. “And if we reach our goal by April 13, we won’t have to go to…”

Of course we’re going to get there. You’re a reliable bunch of folks. You know the deal. But what we are not saying is that April 13 is a totally arbitrary date. We could end this today, or tomorrow. And when we reach our goal of $250,000 we stop the giving messages right then. I cancel the emails already scheduled to go out. We start running the thank-you messages instead of please messages.

There aren’t any extra drawings to find out about later, no advantage to waiting. We have no surprises to pull out of the hat later to entice your support. There’s the drawing Monday for the Yoga 3 convertible laptop (what I call the Swiss Army laptop), and the drawing the Monday after that for $2,500 in airfare anywhere, but waiting will not increase your chance to win one iota.

The end is near–as near as you want it to be. Let’s stick a fork in it.

End this thing with your gift right now to NCPR.

If we could not only “do this thing,” but do it a week early–heads would explode in stations all across the country. Messy, but sweet.

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