“I know X is a lot of money, but would you consider making a donation of that size?”

This is a phrase I recommend you NEVER say in fundraising. 🤐

One of my biggest 5-Minute Fundraising tips is to NEVER COMMENT ON THE AMOUNT OF AN ASK.

I get it: It’s a natural impulse to undercut your Ask with commentary. Asking for money is scary/vulnerable for almost all of us. BUT tacking on additional phrasing has an unintended, yet possibly detrimental, effect on your fundraising conversation. Here’s the deal- No matter how well you know someone (or how much donor research you’ve obtained), YOU WILL NEVER KNOW HOW THIS COMMUNITY MEMBER RELATES TO MONEY (and everyone’s relationship to money changes, not just over time, but sometimes day to day).

Example:

The community member may be enthused by your conversation and thinking they’d like to make a $5,000 gift. But if YOU pad your Ask by saying “I know that $1,000 is a lot of money…”, you may be not only undercutting what they’re willing to give, but also losing some respect in the process. Instead, SIMPLY STATE THE AMOUNT FOR WHICH YOU’RE ASKING & LET THE COMMUNITY MEMBER PROCESS THAT ASK IN WHATEVER WAY IS RIGHT FOR THEM “I know X is a lot of money, but… ” is just one of the phrases I explore in my FREE guide, “8 Phrases NOT to Use in Fundraising.”

DOWNLOAD IT HERE: https://lnkd.in/ebazkRe6

How are YOU responding to my suggestion to NOT comment on the amount of an Ask?