AI Prompting: Speak to AI like a Professional.
You know prompting is an important skill to learn but, you're not exactly sure why some prompts generate outputs that are super generic while others give you precisely what you're looking for? It's because your prompts could be missing some core components…
The 6 Core Components for any Prompt
Modern AI prompting is about crafting structured, context-rich instructions that consistently produce high-quality outputs. Here's the 6 core components to help craft masterful prompts.
Task
Mandatory
Context
Important
Exemplars
Important
Persona
Nice to Have
Format
Nice to Have
Tone
Nice to Have
Simple Prompt Example
I'm a Business Owner, give me a 3-month marketing program.
Core Component Order of Importance
Know that there's an order of importance to these six core prompt components.
Task
Mandatory Context Important Exemplars Important
Persona
Nice to Have Format Nice to Have Tone Nice to Have
1. Task
Start with an Action Verb
The rule of thumb is to always begin your task sentence with a clear, dynamic action verb.
Common Action Verbs
Examples include:
generate, give, write, analyzeArticulate Your End Goal
Clearly communicate the specific outcome you want to achieve.
Single Task Prompt Example
Generate a three month marketing strategy.
Complex Three-Step Task Prompt Example
Analyze hundreds of user feedback summerizing the top three takeaways and categorizing the feedback based on the team responsible for following up.
2. Context
1
User's Background
What's the user's background?
2
Success Definition
What does success look like?
3
Environmental Context
What environment are they in?
Prompt Example
I'm a marketing agency owner, and need to increase sales by 25% for my new AI Prompt Training Course. I only have 2 hours a week to dedicate, give me a three month instagram content strategy to follow along.
3. Exemplars
Fancy way of saying examples. Basically all the research on large language models LLMs have shown that including examples within the prompt drastically improves the quality of the output.
Bad Output
I help businesses grow with referrals.
This is a poorly written bullet point from my BNI profile:
🛑 “I help businesses grow with referrals.”
This doesn’t tell the reader how I do it or the impact it has.
Good Output
Instead, we can ask ChatGPT to rewrite it using this best practice structure:
📌 “I accomplished X by the measure Y, which resulted in Z.”
I helped a local accountant increase referral revenue by 35% in 6 months by introducing them to five strategic partners in my BNI chapter, leading to $75,000 in new business.
Bad Example
Write me a 60-second pitch for my business.
Here’s a more advanced example for public speaking prep in BNI. Imagine you’re preparing for your BNI 60-second pitch and want to improve your impact. Instead of just saying:
🛑 “Write me a 60-second pitch for my business.”
Good Example
You can add an example structure like this:
Write me a 60-second BNI pitch using the PAS framework (Problem, Agitate, Solution). The pitch should include a clear problem my ideal client faces, a relatable pain point, and end with how my services solve that problem.
4. Persona
The Persona component is about telling ChatGPT who it should act as for a specific task.
Pro tip: Think of someone you wish you had instant access to.
Bad Example
Give me tips to get more referrals in BNI.
If you’re a BNI business owner looking for better networking strategies, you don’t want just a generic AI response—you want insights from someone who actually knows BNI inside and out.
Good Example
Enhance the response by specifying a persona:
You are a BNI Executive Director with 15+ years of experience mentoring business owners on maximizing BNI referrals. Based on this expertise, outline 5 advanced strategies to generate more Tier 1 and Tier 2 referrals in my chapter.
💡 Pro Tip: You can name real experts (if they’re well-known). For example:
✅ “Explain referral strategies as if you were Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI.”
5. Format
The Format component is about controlling how the response is structured.
Pro tip: Visualize exactly how you want the end result to look.
Bad Example
Example: You want a follow-up email template after a BNI one-to-one meeting. Instead of just saying:
Give me tips to get more referrals in BNI.
Good Example
You can control the structure by specifying a format:
Write a professional follow-up email after my BNI one-to-one meeting.
Format the email with,
- A warm greeting that references something personal from our conversation.
- A quick recap of what we discussed.
- A clear next step or ask.
- A polite sign-off with an invitation to keep in touch.
Use a friendly but professional tone.
Format the email with,
- A warm greeting that references something personal from our conversation.
- A quick recap of what we discussed.
- A clear next step or ask.
- A polite sign-off with an invitation to keep in touch.
Use a friendly but professional tone.
6. Tone
The Tone component is about how the response should sound.
Pro tip: Think of the emotion or impression you want to convey.
Bad Example
Example: You’re writing a referral request email to your BNI chapter. Instead of just saying:
Write a referral request email for my business.
Good Example
You can refine the tone:
Write a warm and enthusiastic referral request email for my BNI chapter. Keep it engaging, clear, and friendly, while making my request easy to act on.
Putting it all together
Now, let’s combine all six components into a high-quality prompt.
Bad Example
I need a 60-second pitch for my business.
Best Prompt Example
You are a BNI Executive Director with 15+ years of experience in business networking. I need a compelling 60-second pitch for my BNI chapter, following the PAS framework (Problem, Agitate, Solution). Format it as a script I can read aloud, with a professional yet engaging tone. The goal is to make my ideal referral partners instantly understand my business and feel confident referring me.
TL;DR
Final Takeaway
Most people only use Task + Context when writing prompts. But by adding:
🔹 Exemplars (examples/frameworks)
🔹 Persona (who AI should be)
🔹 Format (how the response should look)
🔹 Tone (the right style/emotion)
…you drastically improve ChatGPT’s output—making it more actionable, relevant, and high-quality.
Prompting for a Better Tomorrow
AI prompting is more than just a technical skill; it's a powerful tool for shaping the future. By mastering the art of effective communication with AI, we can unlock its potential for innovation, creativity, and progress in all areas of our lives.
Reserve your 1:1 Prompt Masterclass training today!
3
Hours
Of expert training.
$385
Investment
Unlock your AI potential.
Ready to elevate your AI mastery? Enroll in our comprehensive AI Mega Prompt Course and unlock the power of effective communication with AI.
Loading...
