To write a good AI prompt, give it four things: context, a role, a clear task, and a format — then add a short example of what “good” looks like. Be specific: a vague ask gets a vague answer. That’s the whole method, and it works the same across ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini.
Most disappointing AI results come down to one thing: the prompt was too vague. The good news is that writing a good one is a simple, repeatable skill — no coding, no jargon. Here’s the method, then a worked example turning a weak prompt into a strong one.
The four parts of a prompt that does the job
A strong prompt usually gives the AI four things. You won’t always need all four, but the more you include, the closer the first draft lands:
- Context — the background it needs. Who are you, what’s the situation?
- Role — who it should act as. “Act as our office manager / a friendly copywriter.”
- Task — exactly what to produce. Be specific about the output.
- Format — how you want the answer. Length, structure, tone.
If you want the underlying idea, we cover it in what prompt engineering is. But you can start with the four parts right now.
Step by step: turn a vague ask into a good one
Say you want AI to reply to a customer chasing a delivery update. Here’s the weak version most people type:
Now add the four parts, one at a time:
- Context: “We’re a small homewares store. This customer ordered a lamp, it’s delayed by a week from our supplier.”
- Role: “Act as our customer service lead.”
- Task: “Write a reply that apologises, gives the new timeframe, and offers free express shipping.”
- Format: “Warm and genuine, under 100 words, no corporate jargon.”
Same tool, wildly different result. The second version returns something you could almost send as-is.
Add an example (the biggest single upgrade)
If you have a past reply you were happy with, paste it in: “Match the tone of this example.” Showing the AI what “good” looks like is often more powerful than describing it, and it’s the fastest way to get output that sounds like you rather than a generic bot.
Iterate: tell it what to fix
Your first result won’t always be perfect — that’s normal. Don’t start over; just steer it: “Make it warmer,” “shorter,” “drop the last line,” “more formal.” A couple of quick nudges usually gets you there, and it teaches you what this tool responds to.
Save it: turn a good prompt into a reusable one
Once a prompt works, don’t retype it next time. Save it as a template with blanks for the details that change:
Now the recurring job takes ten seconds: paste, fill the blanks, done. A small library of these for your common tasks is where the real hours come back — and it’s exactly the kind of thing your whole team can share.
Reusable prompts, for your real tasks
In our AI Training & Enablement program, non-technical Australian staff build and save reusable prompts for the recurring work in their own week — so the time saving compounds.
Book a call →