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Prompt AI more effectively

90% of bad AI output is a bad prompt. Here's how to fix that.

AI isn't magic — it's a very good pattern matcher. The clearer and more specific your prompt, the better the output. Think of it like briefing a smart colleague who just joined and knows nothing about your context yet.

5 PRINCIPLES THAT CHANGE EVERYTHING

Give it a role

Weak: Write me a proposal

Strong: You are an experienced freelance consultant. Write a project proposal for a 3-week website redesign.

AI performs better when it has a clear identity and context to work from.

Specify the format

Weak: Summarise this meeting

Strong: Summarise this meeting in 5 bullet points. Each bullet should be one sentence and start with an action verb.

Without format instructions, AI guesses — and often guesses wrong for your needs.

Show, don't just tell

Weak: Write in a casual tone

Strong: Write in a casual tone — like this example: 'Hey, just checking in on where things are at with the project. No rush, but want to make sure we're on track.'

Examples cut through ambiguity instantly. One good example beats 10 adjectives.

Set the constraints

Weak: Write a LinkedIn post about my business

Strong: Write a LinkedIn post about my business. Max 150 words. No hashtags. End with a question to drive comments.

Constraints aren't limiting — they're directing. AI needs guardrails to produce usable output.

Iterate, don't restart

Weak: Starting a whole new chat when the output isn't right

Strong: Keep going in the same thread: 'Make it shorter' / 'Make it more formal' / 'Add a specific example from retail'

AI remembers the full conversation. Build on what it gave you rather than starting from zero.

COMMON MISTAKES

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One-word prompts

Fix: Add context: who you are, what it's for, who will read it

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Asking for everything at once

Fix: Break complex tasks into steps — ask for an outline first, then expand

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Ignoring bad output

Fix: Tell it what's wrong: 'Too formal', 'Too long', 'Missing X'

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No audience specified

Fix: Say who this is for: 'a non-technical manager', 'a cold prospect', 'my team'

ASK SHIFT

→Why does AI keep giving me vague answers?→Write a prompt for summarising a long document →How do I give AI the right context?→What's the difference between a good and bad prompt?→Help me rewrite this prompt to get a better result