Hi Reader,

Sarah used to do everything herself.

She wrote grant proposals, thank-you emails, Instagram posts, and campaign updates. It took a ton of time, but she was confident that it sounded like her.

So, when she discovered how AI could assist her, her initial attempts at using the tool were unsuccessful.

Flat. Generic. Robotic.

AI won’t save me time if I have to rewrite everything, she thought.

She conducted research and realized that she wasn’t providing her AI tool with clear instructions.

She shared her role, the tone she was after, and the format required. She was able to break big tasks into steps. Immediately, the writing started to sound like her.

Sarah saw the magic and now uses AI to write drafts quickly, allowing her to get back to what she loves: meeting with donors one-on-one.

Now her emails are sent consistently, reports go out on time, and donors feel more connected than ever.

In today’s edition of the Social Profit Stack, I’m sharing a simple guide on how to write prompts that sound like you and represent your organization.

AI Needs Guardrails

When you tell AI who you are, who you’re speaking to, and how you want to sound, the tool stops guessing.

It’s what makes your drafts feel human.

To initiate the brand-new prompt conversation, Sarah copied one of her best thank-you letters into her prompt to show the style she liked.

That magic came to life when she saw her tone in the copy. She learned how it could help her manage her role better if her writing projects took half the time.

Now it was time to stop wasting her effort on more edits.

If you’ve been thinking that all the hype that AI delivers is generic, aim to give it another try and take control of what AI writes for you. Start by following these six steps:

Step 1: Share a Sample of Your Writing

AI does its best work when it knows exactly how you like to sound.

One of the easiest ways to help is to paste in a short sample of your writing, like a thank-you email or newsletter you’re proud of.

This gives AI a reference for word choice, sentence length, and tone.

Example Prompt: You are a fundraising coordinator for a small arts nonprofit. Your task is to write a warm thank-you letter for a $500 donor. Please use the same style and voice as this sample text:

[Paste your writing sample here.]

Keep it under 150 words and include one sentence about how their gift helps local youth.

The more precise you are with a style sample, the better the final draft will feel like you wrote it yourself.

Step 2: Share Who You Are and What You Plan to Do

Tell AI who you are and exactly what you need.

Include your title, the organization, and the specific task you want completed. Sharing this information helps your AI tool understand your perspective, allowing it to write in a way that mimics your style.

Example: You are a fundraising coordinator for a small arts nonprofit. Your goal is to write a thank-you letter to a donor who just gave $500.

By sharing your role and the goals of your copy, you provide AI with the necessary guardrails.

Step 3: Share Specific Information About Your Audience

Who is the reader? What do they care about?

Include details like their age, giving history, or what motivates them.

That way, AI can match the style and message to what matters most to them.

Add this prompt to the conversation you started from number one.

Example: Please create a donor update for those who enjoy real-life impact stories. Keep it warm and easy to read.

Adding audience details makes your message feel personal and relevant.

Step 4: Say What Format You Want

Be clear about how you want the information delivered.

A paragraph, bullet points, or a table? State it up front.

You can also guide the tone, from formal to friendly to playful.

Example: Give me three bullet points for our donor report. Use a hopeful, simple tone.

Defining the format helps avoid confusion and reduces the number of edits you’ll need.

Step 5: Break Big Tasks into Steps

Complex requests can overwhelm AI and lead to messy results.

Instead, break the work into simple steps and build piece by piece. You’ll have more control, and each step is easier to check.

Example:

1. List 5 key data points from last year’s campaign.

2. Write a paragraph using those numbers to describe our results.

3. Turn that paragraph into a story for a major donor.

This step-by-step approach makes the final draft much stronger.

Step 6: Review, Then Improve

AI’s first try is rarely perfect.

Always review the draft. Then give clear follow-up prompts to tweak it:

• Shorten the copy

• Change the reading level

• Adjust the tone

• Add a clear ask

Example: Please shorten this to 100 words, make it more personal, and include a call to action.

Keep guiding it using questions until it feels like something you’d send.

AI as Your Writing Assistant

AI will never replace you, but it can help you write more efficiently. When you give it clear instructions, it can be the best assistant possible.

Just like Sarah learned, you don’t have to choose between saving time and sounding like yourself.

With good instructions, AI becomes your writing partner. It helps you create more impact with less effort.

What’s your biggest challenge using AI for writing? Hit reply and let me know. I read every response.

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Link 💜

Want help creating a better writing style for your team? This Grammarly blueprint shows you how to create your style guide and set it up using style rules so your team writes with accuracy and alignment everywhere they work.

This app helps improve your writing. Use less passive voice always use active voice. It can also check your grammar. HemingwayApp will look over your shoulder.

Leaning toward Canadian stats, the Envrionics & CanadaHelps 2025 Giving Report shares insights and giving trends that are challenging the sector and shows where the struggles may be hiding. (download required)

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