How Better Copywriting Inspires Donors to Take Action

Tom Iselin
Aug 12, 2018
4 min read

Updated: Dec 12, 2025

When writing donors, your copy should be compelling and inspiring. If it's not, they will toss it in the trash can and you will not get a donation or the response you hoped for. This video is the start of a series that will help you write better copy that will get donors to take action!

How Better Copywriting Inspires Donors to Take Action

High-quality copywriting is one of the most overlooked tools in nonprofit fundraising. Yet it’s often the single biggest difference between a donor leaning in—or tossing your appeal into the trash.

If you want donors to feel inspired, engaged, and motivated to give, you have to look closely at how you’re writing to them. Not what you’re saying—but how you’re saying it.

Let’s break down what’s getting in the way and what you can do to immediately improve your nonprofit copy.

The Problem with Most Nonprofit Copy

When I review appeal letters, gala invitations, and nonprofit websites, I see the same issue over and over again:

Dense blocks of text
Few (or no) headers
Boring subheads
No pull quotes
Long, heavy paragraphs

The result? Copy that feels overwhelming and uninviting.

Donors don’t read it. They skim it. Or worse, they don’t engage at all.

If your copy looks like a wall of words, donors will instinctively shut down.

Why Density Kills Engagement

Dense copy is hard work for the reader. And donors didn’t sign up to work—they signed up to feel something.

When copy is visually heavy:

Readers can’t quickly find meaning
Key messages get lost
Emotion disappears
Motivation drops

Even if your mission is powerful, dense copy hides it.

Who Is Your Copy Really About?

One of the most important questions you can ask yourself is this:

Is your copy about you—or about the donor?

Many nonprofit messages unintentionally focus on:

“We do this”
“We need funding”
“Our programs”
“Our impact”

This approach can come across as self-centered—even if that’s not your intention.

High-performing copy flips the focus.

Donor-centered copy:

Thanks the donor
Pulls them into the story
Creates joy, meaning, and connection
Helps them see their role in the impact

When donors feel seen, they feel motivated.

How to Make Your Copy More Compelling

If you want donors to actually read what you write, start here.

Break Up the Density

Shorten paragraphs
Use white space generously
Mix long and short sentences

Use Headers and Subheads

Guide the reader through the story
Make the copy scannable
Highlight what matters most

Add Pull Quotes

Pull quotes instantly humanize your message. Consider quotes from:

A beneficiary
A program participant
A volunteer
A donor
A staff member

A single, well-placed quote can re-engage a reader who might otherwise stop reading.

Make It More Creative

Vary sentence length
Use emotion, not just information
Tell stories instead of listing facts

What to Analyze in Your Next Piece of Copy

Take one appeal letter, email, or webpage and ask yourself:

Is this visually easy to read?
Can I break this into smaller sections?
Are there natural places for headers?
Can I replace long sentences with shorter ones?
Where could a pull quote add energy?

Small changes here can lead to major improvements in engagement.

Key Takeaways

Dense copy pushes donors away
Donor-centered language pulls them in
Short paragraphs improve readability
Headers and subheads improve SEO and clarity
Pull quotes add emotion and credibility

Better copy isn’t about being clever—it’s about being inviting.

Summary

How Better Copywriting Inspires Donors to Take Action . . .

If you want donors to read your letters, emails, and web pages, you have to stop writing walls of text and start creating an experience.

Break up the density.Center the donor.Tell human stories.Use structure to guide the reader.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll dig deeper into how to write copy that donors actually want to read—and respond to.

Until then, keep doing the important work you’re doing. The world needs more people like you making it better.

Tom Iselin

Rated One of America’s Best Board Retreat

and Strategic Planning Facilitators

About the Author

Tom Iselin is recognized as one of America’s leading authorities on high-performance nonprofits. He has built nine sector-leading nonprofits and two software companies, written six books, sits on multiple boards, and has been rated one of America’s Best Board Retreat and Strategic Planning Facilitators. His work on nonprofit strategy, board leadership, and culture has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek.

Tom is the president of First Things First, a firm specializing in board retreats, strategic planning services, fundraising strategy, and executive coaching for nonprofit CEOs.

Board Retreats & Strategic Planning

If you’re looking for a board retreat facilitator or strategic planning facilitator who has been in the trenches and understands real-world nonprofit challenges, Tom can help your board gain clarity, build alignment, and create an actionable plan that improves performance and impact. His sessions propel organizations to the next level of performance and impact . . . and they're fun!

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