Most people write prompts like they're typing a search query—a few words and hope for the best. Good prompts are more like briefing a smart colleague: you give context, specify what you need, and explain what "done" looks like. The difference in output quality is dramatic.
A Well-Structured Prompt
1
Act as a senior marketing strategist.
2
I'm launching a B2B SaaS product for HR teams and need to identify our positioning.
3
Our main competitors are Workday and BambooHR. We're smaller but faster to implement.
4
Give me 3 positioning options, each with a one-line tagline and the key message for our homepage.
5
Format as a table so I can compare them side by side.
6
Keep the tone confident but not aggressive—we're the nimble alternative, not the disruptor.
1
Role / Persona
Sets the expertise level and perspective. "Senior strategist" gets different output than "intern."
2
Context / Background
What's the situation? Why do you need this? Gives AI the "why" behind your request.
3
Relevant Details
Specific information that shapes the answer. Constraints, competitors, requirements.
4
The Actual Ask
What do you want? Be specific about deliverables. "3 options" beats "some ideas."
5
Output Format
How should the answer be structured? Table, bullets, paragraphs, code block?
6
Tone / Constraints
How should it sound? What to avoid? Sets guardrails for style and approach.
Be Specific, Not Vague
Replace general requests with concrete details.
❌ "Write something about marketing"
✓ "Write 3 LinkedIn posts about B2B cold email"
Give Context
Explain who you are and why you need this.
❌ "Summarize this article"
✓ "Summarize for a CEO who has 2 minutes"
Define the Output
Tell AI what format and length you want.
❌ "Give me feedback on this"
✓ "Give me 5 bullet points of specific critique"
Show, Don't Just Tell
Provide examples of what good looks like.
❌ "Make it sound professional"
✓ "Match the tone of this example: [paste]"
Iterate, Don't Restart
Build on responses instead of starting over.
❌ [New chat] "Try again from scratch"
✓ "Good start. Make point 2 more concise"
Invite Questions
Let AI ask for clarification when needed.
❌ "Just do your best with what I gave you"
✓ "Ask me questions if you need more info"
✗
Being too brief — One-line prompts get generic answers. Fix: Add context and constraints.
✗
Asking for everything at once — Complex requests get muddled responses. Fix: Break into steps.
✗
Not specifying format — You get walls of text when you wanted bullets. Fix: State the format explicitly.
✗
Assuming AI knows your situation — It doesn't have your context. Fix: Provide background every time.
✗
Accepting the first response — First drafts are starting points. Fix: Iterate with feedback.
✗
Using jargon without explaining — AI may interpret terms differently. Fix: Define key terms.
1 Act as a [ROLE—e.g., senior analyst, experienced coach, technical writer].
2 I'm working on [SITUATION/BACKGROUND—what's the context?].
3 Key details: [CONSTRAINTS, REQUIREMENTS, SPECIFICS that matter].
4 I need you to [SPECIFIC DELIVERABLE—what exactly do you want?].
5 Format: [HOW should it be structured—table, bullets, paragraphs?].
6 Tone: [HOW should it sound? What to avoid?].
Context
Why do you need this?
Details
What specifics matter?
Ask
What exactly do you want?
Format
How should it look?
Tone
How should it sound?