Today’s topic is: Six things you do that are a dead giveaway you're a robot.

Let’s back up for a second.

Why does this even matter? Who cares if you sound like a robot?

Robots are smart. Efficient. They think fast.

What’s the problem?

The problem is — people connect with people.

It’s that simple.

Call it a soul, a spark, whatever you want — when you’re interacting with another person, there’s something that happens. Something that creates connection.

Sometimes the result of that connection is undesirable.

Let's say you are mad at someone. You will be madder if you confront that person face-to-face.

Emotions between two people are amplified by the presence.

So, if you sound like a robot when you thank a donor, or make an ask, or send an update — they’re going to listen less. And care less.

And give less. Or not at all.

Because they don't feel you are there.

So that's why it's important!

Here’s what we do — without realizing it — that make us sound like a robot.

Six simple giveaways. And once you see them, you’ll start noticing them everywhere.

1. Too smooth, too perfect

GPT loves symmetry. It loves wrapping things in perfect grammar. Each idea tucked in, neat little bow. Sounds nice. But real people don’t talk like that.

We ramble. We interrupt ourselves. We finish before we start. We start before we finish.

So when your writing sounds like a polished presenter with rehearsed lines — people check out. Because it doesn’t sound like a person.

Fix? It has to sound like you’re talking out loud. If it’s too perfect, it’s not human.

2. My personal pet peeve: “Not only X, but also Y”

I hate this one. Hate it with a passion.

I’ve told GPT to stop doing it. It doesn’t listen.

This structure — “Not only this, but also that” — it’s lazy. You’ve seen it:
“Not only did it nourish their bodies, but it also fed their souls.”
Please.

It shows up in almost every AI draft I’ve seen. And I take it out every single time.

Fix? Break the structure. Say one thing. Then say the next thing.

3. No opinion

AI wants to be fair. Reasonable. Balanced. But people don’t connect to balanced. They connect to conviction.

Sometimes you just have to say, “That’s ridiculous.” Or “This is urgent.” Or “These kids need help — period.”

And GPT won’t say that. It’ll soften it. Make room for every side. But that’s not what people need. That’s not what your audience wants.

They’re looking for you — not for “a position.”

Have a spine. Have an opinion.

4. Overblown impact

“This moment changed my life forever.”
No it didn’t.

It helped. It mattered. But did it really change your life forever?

Look, we’ve all written appreciation stories like that. I’ve written dozens. And I get it — we want to show the impact.

But when everything is life-changing and transformational and historic… it doesn’t feel true.

Fix? Just say what happened. And let that be enough. It mattered — that’s good enough.

5. The Disney wrap-up

GPT loves the grand ending:
“Let’s embrace the power of generosity. Because in the end, it’s all about connection.”

No it’s not.

Sometimes, things just end. Not every story wraps up with a moral. Not every email needs a happy bow.

Real life keeps going. And real people don’t always land the plane perfectly.

So don’t try to tie it up just for the sake of the wrap-up. It usually feels fake.

6. I said there were 6. I actually only have 5.

Sorry. But here's a summary.

You lean on your instincts to nagivate your world.

You walk into a restaurant and immediately know if you want to stay. You browse a website and can tell in seconds if it feels right or sketchy. You stop at a gas station and already know what the bathroom’s gonna be like — before you even get out of the car.

That’s instinct. And it’s how we all navigate the world.

Donors do the same thing. They make up their mind before they read your case for support. Could be the design. Could be your form. Could be the envelope, or your voice, or how you dress when you show up.

They decide yes or no before you even make your pitch.

So what do you do?

You do your best to keep it real. Make it feel like you. No polish. No filters. No robot energy.

Because people don’t need a pitch. They need a person.

Thanks for sticking with me through this. And if you’re using GPT — which I do, by the way — just watch out for these things.

Fix them. Push back on the parts that feel fake. Keep your voice in the mix.

Because when it’s you, people connect.