3 Words That Fundraisers Should Avoid Using

Proverbs 18:21 in the Bible tell us that "life and death are in the power of the tongue." Life and death? That sounds rather dramatic! But while most of what comes out of our mouths wouldn't rise to the level of a "life or death" issue, the principle of that scripture is true in almost every context - including the fundraising profession.

Here are three words/phrases that fundraisers may want to avoid using.

1. “Gift.” It's better to thank donors for their partnership. However we may choose to use the phrase “gift of partnership.” (More on this phrase below).
2. At SAT-7, we make every effort to avoid using the word “need” to describe the problem our organization is working to impact. Rather, let's use the word “opportunity." It’s a positive word and offers motivation to donors who want to accomplish something through our organization.
3. SAT-7 donors in the U.S. are not referred to as “donors.” Instead, we use the term “partner” (or ministry partner) because it creates a tight bond between the donor and the organization and lifts him/her to a position of influence.