Ep 319 | Step by Step Campaign Messaging Creation using AI with Russell Van Broklen

Are you spending weeks creating fundraising campaigns that could be done in hours? In this episode, I sit down with Russell Van Broecklen, a New York State Senate-funded dyslexia researcher and founder of dyslexiaclasses.com, to explore how artificial intelligence can revolutionize your campaign development process. We discuss practical strategies for using AI tools to create compelling, authentic messaging that connects with your donors and community.

Finding Your Campaign's Universal Theme - Identifying the core message that drives your entire campaign - Using AI to refine broad concepts into focused, actionable themes - Avoiding jargon-heavy language that disconnects you from your audience - Creating messaging that resonates emotionally with supporters

The Step-by-Step AI Campaign Creation Process Discover how to leverage multiple AI platforms effectively: - Starting with ChatGPT Thinking to develop your foundational concepts - Moving to Claude Opus for superior writing quality - Using specific prompts to guide AI through multiple revision cycles - Implementing a quality control system that ensures publication-ready content

Avoiding Common AI Pitfalls We address critical considerations for maintaining authenticity: - Why rushing through the process leads to generic "AI slop" - How to balance efficiency with quality in your campaign materials - The importance of human oversight in the creative process - When to involve team members versus maintaining singular vision

Building Better Campaigns Through Data and Iteration Learn strategies for continuous improvement: - Using results from previous campaigns to inform future messaging - Incorporating feedback loops to refine your approach - Balancing team input with focused decision-making - Measuring success and adapting your strategy accordingly

Whether you're a small team handling multiple responsibilities or looking to streamline your campaign creation process, this conversation offers practical insights to help you create more effective fundraising materials in less time.

Want to skip ahead? Here are some key takeaways: - 08:45 The Universal Theme Methodology Learn how to identify and refine the core message that will drive your entire campaign strategy. - 15:22 Platform-Specific AI Strategies Discover why different AI tools excel at different tasks and how to use them strategically. - 23:10 The Revision Process That Works Understand the specific prompts and quality checks that ensure your content is ready for publication. - 31:40 Balancing Team Input with Vision Explore how to incorporate stakeholder feedback while maintaining message consistency and focus.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn how AI can help you create more compelling campaigns while freeing up time for other critical nonprofit activities. Tune in for strategies that could transform your approach to fundraising communications.

Russell Van Brocklen is a New York State Senate–funded dyslexia researcher and the founder of **DyslexiaClasses.com**, where he has spent over a decade helping students transform from hesitant writers into confident communicators.

His groundbreaking approach, *The Writing Method*, was developed by combining the brain research from *Overcoming Dyslexia* by Dr. Sally Shaywitz with the practical classroom strategies from *Strategies for Struggling Writers* by James Collins. This blend of neuroscience and pedagogy became the foundation for his research, later owned by the **SUNY Research Foundation**.

Russell's students—many diagnosed with dyslexia or other language-based learning differences—have achieved remarkable progress, often improving their writing by **seven to eight grade levels in a single academic year**.

He has presented his work at the **Everyone Reading Conference in Manhattan** (2006, 2014–2019) and the **Learning Disability Association of New Jersey Conference** (2018), sharing his mission to m