preaching to the choir

My friend and colleague Thaler shares this great exchange between Toby and Sam on West Wing: Sam asks Toby, “…I’m saying you have me preaching to the choir…. Why?”

Toby replies, “‘Cause that’s how you get them to sing.”

We non-profiteers spend a gazillion dollars and a gazillion hours trying to reach the opposition, the disinterested, the indifferent and the distracted.  We spend just as much energy on list member number 425,000, who hasn’t opened your email in four months, as we spend on list member 995, who opens everything, takes action and tells friends.

That’s kinda nuts.

Katya Andresen says it better — go read what she has to say.