Welcome to Beyond Brief. This week I cracked the code on AI prompting - the difference between getting garbage responses and actually bending these tools to your will. Also dropping my takes on everything Apple announced once I get through their keynote. Let's make this Monday count.
This Week at a Glance:
The AI Prompting Playbook dropped - Cut through the BS and learn how to actually get scary good results from ChatGPT, Claude & Co. Stop mumbling at AI and start directing it like the supercomputer it is.
Magic Gif Studio is live - Built a simple web tool for my 13-month-old who's obsessed with flashing colors and shapes. Turns out other parents might find it useful too (and it beats buying another overpriced "developmental" toy).
Podcast guest spots are open - Looking for founders and entrepreneurs with real stories to share. If you're solving actual problems (not selling another course), hit me up and let's chat.
The AI Prompting Playbook: How to Get Scary Good Results from ChatGPT, Claude & Co.
Let's cut the fluff and get straight to it. You wanna bend AI to your will? Stop mumbling at it. This isn't your flaky intern; it's a supercomputer waiting for precise instructions.
This isn't some academic paper; it's a playbook for getting results. We're stripping away the jargon and giving you the raw, actionable strategies that the pros use to turn frustrating AI interactions into pure productivity. We're talking ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini – doesn't matter. The principles are universal.
The Unsexy Truth: Clarity & Context Rule
Forget what you heard. Shorter ain't always better. Google's data says the sweet spot for a prompt is around 21 words. Most people are trying to get by with nine. That's like trying to build a mansion with a toy hammer. You need detail, you need context.
Think of it this way: if you're asking about "dogs," you'll get a Wikipedia entry. But if you ask for "a detailed description of the characteristics, behavior, and care required for domestic dogs," now you're talking. You've given the AI a blueprint, not a vague idea.
And it's not just about word count. It's about structure. A good prompt flows. It makes sense. It tells the AI not just whatyou want, but why you want it and any guardrails it needs to operate within.
The Four Horsemen of Prompting Power
Leading AI companies — the ones actually making money with this stuff — boil it down to four core components:
Persona: Who do you want the AI to be? "You are a Google Cloud program manager" is a hell of a lot more effective than just asking for project advice. It sets the tone, the expertise, the whole vibe.
Task: What exactly do you want it to do? Summarize? Generate? Solve? Analyze? Be crystal clear. Use action verbs.
Context: What's the backstory? Your industry, your audience, your budget, your goals. This is the secret sauce that makes the AI's response relevant to you. Without it, you're getting generic advice. With it, you're getting a personalized consultant.
Format: How do you want the output? Bullet points? Paragraphs? Code? Specify. Don't leave it to chance.
You don't need all four every time, but the more you use, the better the output. Period. And here's a pro tip from OpenAI: put your instructions first. Use delimiters like triple quotes or hashtags to separate sections. Keep it clean. Keep it organized.
Go Deeper: Unlocking AI's Inner Brain
This is where you go from good to god-tier.
Chain-of-Thought (CoT) Prompting: This is asking the AI to show its work. "Describe your reasoning in steps." "Explain your answer step by step." This isn't just about getting the right answer; it's about understanding how the AI got there. Google Brain proved this crushes standard prompting for complex problems. It's like having a brilliant intern who also documents every step.
Few-Shot Learning: Give it examples. One good example is worth a thousand vague instructions. If you want a specific output style, show it. The AI learns from what it sees.
Role-Playing: Don't just say "act as a teacher." Say, "Act as a high school biology teacher explaining photosynthesis to students who are struggling with the concept." The more specific the role, the more tailored and effective the response.
The Universal Laws & Platform Nuances
Listen, these models are smart, but they're not mind readers.
Universal Truths:
Talk like a human. Full sentences, natural language. They're built for it.
Iterate. Your first prompt won't be perfect. Refine, refine, refine. It's a conversation, not a one-and-done command.
Give specific feedback. Don't just say "make it better." Tell it how to make it better – "make it shorter," "change the tone to be more assertive."
Platform Specifics (The Nitty-Gritty):
ChatGPT (OpenAI): Loves structure, clear delimiters, and detailed format requirements. Be explicit.
Claude (Anthropic): A champ at role-playing and step-by-step thinking. Likes XML tags for structure. And crucially, it's okay to tell Claude it can express uncertainty rather than guessing.
Gemini (Google): Thrives on that four-component framework (persona, task, context, format). Averages around 21 words per prompt.
Don't Be a Moron: Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Vague Instructions: "Tell me about marketing" is a disaster. "Give me three actionable content marketing strategies for a SaaS startup targeting small businesses, focusing on inbound tactics and a budget under $5,000/month" is how you get results.
Information Overload: Don't dump your entire brain into one prompt. Focus. Prioritize.
Unrealistic Expectations: AI isn't magic. It's not going to write your novel in five minutes, or give you real-time stock market predictions. Know its limits. Break down complex tasks into smaller, manageable chunks.
Level Up Your Workflow
This isn't just about single prompts; it's about building a system.
Templates: Got a recurring task? Create a template prompt. Don't reinvent the wheel.
Prompt Library: Keep a log of your best prompts. What worked, what didn't, and why. Share it with your team.
Continuous Improvement: Measure your success. Which prompts deliver the goods? Which fall flat? And why? Get feedback, iterate, and optimize.
What's your biggest AI prompting frustration right now?
5 Example Prompts for Your Audience:
"You are a seasoned venture capitalist evaluating a pitch deck. Your task is to identify the top 3 strengths and top 3 weaknesses of the following startup pitch. Provide your analysis in bullet points, followed by a one-paragraph recommendation for investment."
"Act as a personal fitness coach for someone training for their first marathon. Based on the following user's current fitness level and weekly schedule, create a 12-week training plan. The plan should be presented as a weekly schedule with specific workouts, and highlight key recovery days."
"Simulate a debate between a staunch minimalist and a passionate maximalist on the topic of home decor. Your response should capture the essence of both viewpoints, using distinct tones for each. Conclude with a neutral summary of their common ground, if any, in a single paragraph."
"You are a B2B SaaS marketing strategist specializing in lead generation. Given our company's target audience (small to medium-sized businesses in the healthcare sector) and our new product (an AI-powered patient scheduling system), generate 5 unique headline ideas for a LinkedIn ad campaign. Each headline should be under 15 words."
"I need a short, compelling email to cold outreach a potential mentor. The mentor is a successful entrepreneur in the e-commerce space, and I'm a student looking for career advice. Write an email that's concise, respectful, highlights my genuine interest, and requests a 15-minute virtual coffee chat. Include a clear subject line."
The Bottom Line
Mastering prompting is the new superpower. It's how you turn these incredible AI tools from expensive toys into revenue-generating machines. Stop guessing. Start directing. The clearer you are, the more value you'll extract. This isn't just about being good with AI; it's about being good at getting what you want.
Want More Eyeballs on Your Business? Let's Talk Podcast
Look, I get dozens of pitches every week, and honestly, most miss the mark. But I'm always looking for interesting people with real stories to share with my audience. My podcast reaches thousands of people who actually take action and invest in solutions.
Here's what gets me excited:
You're solving a real problem (not selling another course)
You've got an interesting journey or unique perspective
You can share practical insights my audience will actually use
If that sounds like you, I'd love to hear from you. Just shoot me an email with a quick overview of what you're working on and why it matters.
No need to overthink it - just tell me your story and what you've learned along the way.
Let's chat.
Tool I built this week: Magic Gif Studio
So my kid is 13 months old and absolutely loses his mind over flashing lights and moving images. Like, we're talking full giggle fits and clapping hands.
Instead of buying another $50 "developmental toy" that he'll ignore in two days, I spent a weekend building this simple web thing that cycles through bright colors and shapes. Took me longer than I care to admit, but whatever.
The little guy is obsessed. He sits there mesmerized for like 10 minutes straight, which in toddler time is basically an eternity.
Figured I'd share it in case you've got a small human who's into the same weird stuff. It's nothing fancy - just colors and patterns that change every few seconds. But sometimes the simplest things work best.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
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