If you feel like every campaign demands twice the output in half the time, you’re not alone. That’s why so many fundraisers and marketers are turning to AI.
But AI only works when you use it responsibly. When applied well, it becomes a force multiplier – especially for smaller teams trying to compete with the big guys.
So, here’s how you can get real value from AI (without sounding like a robot 🤖).
1. Good prompting
This is the thing that will make or break your AI output. If you want AI to give you gold, you need to start with a proper brief – just like you’d provide a copywriter or designer. Include your audience, objective, tone, brand personality and the type of creative you want.
Use prompts that ask AI to:
- Stress-test your message
- Rewrite for clarity
- Explore angles you haven’t thought of
- Identify gaps or contradictions
- Respond in the style of Richard Branson or Jane Goodall
Clear prompts don’t just get better results, they save endless rounds of revisions and keep your campaign aligned from the start.
2. Test, don’t guess
AI can churn out ideas fast, but speed means nothing if the output doesn’t resonate with your audience.
So, use AI to:
- Explore emotional hooks
- Simplify complicated messages
- Check readability
- Draft or refine personas
- Flip your copy from “brand-focused” to “donor-centric”
Remember: AI is a tool, not an oracle. Always run its suggestions through the filter of your data, your experience and your knowledge of your audience.
3. Part of the team
If you’re a small team, each wearing ten hats, AI can give back precious hours. It’s not about replacing people (AI can never do that – especially in fundraising). It’s just the extra set of hands you need, quietly multiplying your bandwidth so you can stay focused on strategy, quality and creativity.
Let it:
- Draft first versions of content
- Summarise research
- Generate channel variations
- Outline campaign plans
- Automate repetitive admin tasks
4. Competitive edge
Now, anyone can pump out more content. The advantage comes from using AI intentionally, ethically and with human oversight. When you combine clear prompts, audience insight and smart workflows, you get content that lands (with less stress).
So, why not try using AI wisely and see how a small team can suddenly feel a whole lot bigger (and better resourced).