Ep. 74 | What NOT to Say When Fundraising for Your Ministry (And What to Say Instead)
You’re mid-conversation.
Trying to explain what you do.
And then… you feel it slipping.
You start rambling.
You lose your train of thought.
You can see it in their face—they’re trying to follow, but they don’t really get it.
And afterward you think:
“I just don’t know what to say.”
So you assume you need better words.
But here’s the truth:
It’s not that you don’t have the right words.
It’s that you’re using them in the wrong way.
1. Stop Leading With “We”
This is one of the biggest mistakes—and almost everyone does it.
“We do this…”
“We serve these people…”
“We’ve helped this many…”
It sounds normal. It sounds right.
But it quietly pushes your donor out of the story.
Because now it’s all about you.
And when everything is about you, your donor becomes an observer.
They’re watching your work… not stepping into it.
2. Start Talking About Them
If you want your message to connect, shift the focus.
Not away from your work—
but toward their role in it.
Instead of:
“We helped 50 kids this year.”
You say:
“Because of you, 50 kids have a safe place to sleep tonight.”
That one shift does a lot:
It pulls them into the story
It gives them ownership
It makes their contribution feel real
And that’s what keeps people engaged.
Not more information.
Not more stats.
But knowing: this matters, and I’m part of the solution.
3. Stop Rambling—Lead Them Somewhere
Even if you fix your wording, this is where most people still lose donors.
You start strong… but then:
you go in circles
you add too much detail
or you never actually ask
And here’s the part most ministry leaders avoid:
People don’t give unless you ask.
Not clearly asking is one of the biggest silent killers in fundraising.
Your donor shouldn’t have to guess:
what the need is
how they can help
when to take action
You have to lead them.
Clearly.
Step by step.
This Is Why It Feels So Hard
You’re not just trying to “say the right thing.”
You’re trying to:
explain your ministry
make it make sense
connect emotionally
and invite someone into it
That’s a lot.
And without a structure, it will always feel like guessing.
What Changes Everything
When you have a clear structure to follow, you stop asking:
“What should I say?”
Because you already know:
where to start
how to guide them
and when to ask
And suddenly, fundraising doesn’t feel so heavy.
It feels clear.
If You’re Tired of Guessing…
This is exactly what I help ministry leaders build.
A clear, simple story framework you can use across:
conversations
emails
newsletters
social posts
So you’re not starting from scratch every time.
👉 Learn more about coaching here:
You don’t need more words.
You need a clear way to use the ones you already have.
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