The case of the forbidden word

In my indecently long career of working with nonprofits, I've had a ton of clients who work with kids. That's good, because helping kids is just the right thing to do. And, in most cases, you can get a lot of people aligned with you in the cause; it's great fundraising.

A few of my kid-serving clients, however, had a problem.

They were not allowed to say they worked with kids.

They worked with children.

The difference, in their minds, was that the word kids is slangy, unofficial, not quite professional. And children: dignified, proper, formal.

So they had a blanket prohibition against the word kids. And, in most cases, a long list of other words they deemed less than professional.

Professionalism and dignity are fine things. But they are badly misplaced (and misunderstood) if they cause you to abandon a colloquial term for a formal one.

Of course, the colloquial word isn't always the right one for a given situation -- intestines is probably a more appropriate word than guts (assuming you're talking about the literal body part) most of the time. And there are many situations where child or children really is the better word.

Kids are children you know personally. That's usually how I'd like donors to think about the kids I'm asking them to help.

When you eliminate a words from your permissible vocabulary, it's like removing one tool from a builder's toolbox. Yeah, he can work around it -- but wouldn't you rather he had all the tools to work with and motivate people to give?

I guess what I'm saying is this: Leave the writing to writers.

Technorati Tags: copywriting, words

Comments

[Lynne]

If it doesn't touch my heart it's not going to touch my pocket. And I never ever say to my kids "where are you youth going tonight" so when you want my money chat to me like I'm your friend because I believe that's your intention? Or not? Just want my money? Pass me by - your letter will go right where it belongs. In the bin. Touch my soul, I'm an individual with kids, family, friends, animals, death, joy, happiness, sadness ..... I want to relate to your cause not to your language. Odd thing is the person who works for a corporate, trust or foundation also happens to be an indivudual.... maybe it's time you touch the soul of the individual behind the cheque book. There is a place and a time for official progress reports, logframes, guidelines and proposals without a doubt. But you are talking to individuals. With souls. With kids.

[Janice]

My organization used to always say "youth" - never children, never kids! (Not sure who came up with that rule or why.) But nobody ever says "my youth." They say "my kids" or "my children" or "my girls/boys." At least in the U.S., can't speak to how people refer to their kids in other countries. So since I've been here, I've rewritten lots of things to say kids or chidren, etc.

But it's not about one specific word over another. The point is to use words that the donor would identify with or use--to speak their language, not ours. So if the people we're working with find "kid" to be offensive, then let's be sensitive to that as well, like Linda mentioned.

[Sunlightisthebestdisinfectant]

Kids are baby goats, not children.

Aside from that, I must say that I tire of all the permutations of obvious categories.

[Jessica Shortall]

Like any business, a non-profit has a brand to protect and build upon. It’s common practice for companies to create guidelines around their brands that include dos and don’ts for language. Non-profits shouldn’t be any different. If the organization can justify the prohibition of certain words and phrases in the context of brand strength, doing so makes a lot of sense, and fundraisers should find creative ways to work within that and to use language that builds the brand rather than damaging it. If the prohibition is arbitrary and can't be defended from a brand perspective, then go to the mat and defend your reasons for using that language.

[Deborah Zanke]

Just found your blog, Jeff and have added it to my feed reader. Good stuff.

It is very important to choose the right words. It's all about context and audience, as some of the comments above point out. The wrong words can colour an issue or cause in a way we don't intend. A good writer knows this and proceeds accordingly.

[Mary Guinane McNamara]

I vote for using the right word from the donor's perspective. What rings true in their hearts is what will open their wallets!

[Linda Jackson]

Interesting dilemma - Optimist International's vision/mission statement is "with hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in kids." When our International President was elected and served from Jamaica, he insisted on the word children because in his country, the use of the word kids was disrespectful.

Although the organization did not ultimately feel the need to change their wording, I find that I most often use children in my writing now. It hasn't changed the tone and it is universally acceptable. After all, if our clubs are sending assistance to Jamaica, or perhaps another country where I am not aware of their vernacular, I want to be sure that the assistance not only reaches the intendend audience, but that the community knows that we respect those whom we serve.

[Gabriele Bryant]

Leave the writing to the writers - thanks you, Jeff! I've been saying the same thing to NPO, whenever political correctness goes before fundraising writing effectiveness...