Get better results with effective AI prompts
One of the easiest ways to get started with AI is by using a large language model (LLM) such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude. These tools are simple to access and respond to your instructions in natural language, which means anyone can start using AI without technical expertise.
The key is knowing how to write a strong prompt. A prompt is the input you give to an AI model to get a specific output. In other words, a prompt is how you tell AI what to do, what context to consider, and how to present the result. Learning how to write clear, detailed prompts helps you get more useful, consistent results.
The anatomy of an effective prompt
Picture this: you’ve just hired a new marketing assistant and asked them to draft an email. If you don’t give them enough direction, like who the audience is, what tone to use, or what the goal is, the result probably won’t be what you had in mind.
The same is true for AI. A good prompt gives clear direction and enough context to deliver the result you want. Browse the dropdowns below to learn the key elements of an effective prompt and how to structure your own.
A clear objective
Start by defining what you want the AI to do. Be as specific as possible about the task, whether it’s generating ideas, writing an email, or summarizing data.
A clear objective helps the AI understand your goal and stay focused on producing useful results.
For example:
- “Write a promotional email for existing customers announcing a new product launch, with the goal of driving clicks to the website.”
- “Summarize last week’s campaign performance and highlight the top 3 insights a marketing manager should act on.”
Helpful context
Provide background information that helps the AI understand the situation. This might include your role, audience, brand voice, or relevant data points.
For example:
- “You are a marketing manager at a skincare brand.”
- “The audience is young millennials living in the city.”
In some tools, like ChatGPT, you can also configure this kind of context as a project or custom instruction that applies to all your prompts.
Output format
Explain how you want the response to be structured. This could include format (bullet points, paragraphs, tables), tone, or length.
For example:
- “Write this as a 3-bullet summary.”
- “Create a two-paragraph email with a friendly tone.”
You can also include examples of good and bad outputs to show the AI exactly what success looks like.
Constraints (Optional)
Constraints help narrow the scope of the AI’s response so it stays focused and accurate. You can set limits on what information the model should use, how long the output should be, or what it should avoid. Clear constraints reduce the chance of the AI drifting off-topic or adding unnecessary details.
For example:
- “Answer using only the content I’ve supplied. Do not add information from the web.”
- “Keep the response under 100 words.”
Pro tips:
- Ask AI to improve your prompt: If you’re not getting the result you want, ask your AI tool how to make your prompt clearer or more specific. Most models can suggest adjustments that lead to better outputs.
- Use iterative prompting: Think of prompting as a back-and-forth conversation. Start with a draft, review the response, then refine your prompt to get closer to what you need. Each round helps the AI model understand your intent more accurately.
Put your skills into practice
Now that you understand what makes an effective prompt, let’s see it in action. In this exercise, you’ll step into the role of a marketing manager at BeanTown Coffee, our fictional coffee brand, and write a promotional email for a new seasonal blend called “Maple Pecan”.
In the gallery below, you’ll find 2 prompts: one poorly written and one that follows best practices. Open an LLM of your choice (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude) and paste in each prompt, starting with the bad example.
Compare the outputs and reflect on the following questions:
- What differences did you notice between the outputs of the 2 prompts?
- How did adding context change the tone, accuracy, or relevance of the AI’s response?
- Which parts of the good prompt (objective, context, output format, constraints) made the biggest difference in the final output?
- What would you change or refine in the good prompt to make the output even stronger?
The bad
Copy and paste this into the LLM of your choice:
Write an email about Beantown Coffee’s new product. Make it compelling.
The good
Copy and paste this prompt into the LLM of your choice. Be sure to download the “BeanTown Coffee Brand Profile” and include it as a reference when you run it.
Objective
Write a promotional email announcing BeanTown Coffee’s new seasonal blend: Maple Pecan. The goal is to excite existing customers about the launch and drive online orders through the brand’s e-commerce site. The email should focus on explaining the flavor profile and reinforce the brand’s reputation for quality.
Context
You are the marketing manager at BeanTown Coffee, a Boston-born specialty coffee brand known for its friendly, energetic tone, and strong community roots. The brand combines neighborhood café warmth with global reach and celebrates small-batch craftsmanship, sustainability, and ethical sourcing.
The audience for this email includes young professionals and coffee enthusiasts aged 20–45 who value quality, authenticity, and discovery.
Output format
Write a promotional email with:
- A short, catchy subject line (under 50 characters)
- A playful heading introducing the seasonal blend (under 50 characters)
- A short email body that highlights key flavor notes and what makes it unique (under 100 words)
- A call-to-action button that invites readers to order online
- Keep the tone friendly, playful, and true to BeanTown Coffee’s brand personality
Constraints
Only refer to the attached “BeanTown Coffee Brand Profile” for information on BeanTown’s brand voice.
Now it’s your turn! Using what you’ve learned, write your first prompt for a real marketing task. Keep it simple, experiment, and remember: the more you practice prompting, the better your results will get.