Looking to use an AI chatbot like ChatGPT to streamline specific tasks but not getting the answers you want?

You probably just need to write a better prompt.

Luckily, it’s easy.

Here’s a beginner’s guide on how to write an effective prompt to get your desired output. 

Provide context: Give the chatbot an idea of what you are hoping to achieve.

Provide examples, historical data, or last year’s sales numbers if relevant so it has enough contextual information to work with.

Ask the chatbot to roleplay: One easy way to get a more detailed answer is to ask ChatGPT to take on a role. 

Tell ChatGPT to play the role of a marketing expert with fifteen years of experience in a specific niche and you will garner way more details that way.

Give clear guidelines: Set expectations when it comes to their response. Provide them with an estimated word count or format.

Here’s an example of a clear and unclear prompt:

Unclear prompt: Write me a few social media captions about my holiday sale.

Clear prompt: Write me three Instagram captions that excite followers about my holiday sale. The sale will feature items that are up to 50% off. Each caption should be 20 words max.

The clear prompt above specifies the desired word count and provides more details about the sale they are promoting, giving ChatGPT more overall direction.

For more complex requests... break up your prompts into separate steps.

For example, ask ChatGPT to read through your document first and then summarise it before helping you find some standout quotes to reference in your article.

The takeaway?

Be specific about your ask, provide context, and set clear guidelines. Don’t be vague about your request.

The more detailed your prompt is, chances are you’ll get your desired answer.

Sometimes, you won’t get the response you wanted, so ask follow-up questions or provide feedback to get more precise results.

You’ll be an effective prompter in no time!