I've been focused on writing my book and I wanted to give you a sneak preview at some of the content. The book is a mix of it is high level, strategic advice, and some very practical "how-to" content on working with AI.

This following is an excerpt from one of the practically-focused sections.

It's about prompting, i.e. how to talk to the AI and get the results you need.

When it comes to working with computers, you’ve probably heard the phrase “garbage in, garbage out”. And this is very true for working with AI – the quality of your prompts matters a lot.

In fact, this is a major reason why some folks think AI is overrated – because they got poor quality output from a poor prompt.

But you don’t need to overthink it. Experimentation and learning by doing are the real keys to success, but here's a few concepts that might help.

I think of prompts as falling into 3 main buckets: Simple, Structured, and Conversational. Each has its strengths.

Simple Prompting: Straight to the Point

Simple prompts are exactly what they sound like – straightforward requests or questions you feed into the AI. They are a great starting point, especially when you need a quick answer to a simple question.

For example, you could use a simple prompt like:

• What's the capital of Ireland?
• Translate this into Spanish: "Hello, how are you?"
• Give me a shopping list for a mushroom risotto

Simple prompts can be surprisingly effective, but their simplicity can also be their downfall. If you're after nuanced, creative, or highly specific outputs, you'll need more.

That's where structured and conversational prompts come in.

Structured Prompting: Getting Repeatable Results

If conversational prompting is about flexibility, structured prompting is about precision and consistency. It's about turning the AI into a reliable tool that can perform a specific task the same way, every time.

To create simple but structured prompts, I created a simple framework called GOAL:

G – Goal: Clearly define the end goal of the task. What do you want the AI to achieve?

O – Output: Specify the format you want the output in. This could be a list, a table, an essay, code, etc.

A – Additional Context: Provide any background information or data the AI needs to complete the task effectively.

L – Look at the Output: After you run the prompt, review the output. You may need to cross-check data like I did in the case study earlier. Refine your prompt and input as needed.

Structured prompts are especially useful when:

1. You need consistent results: Imagine you're generating reports for different clients. A structured prompt can help ensure a consistent format and style across all reports.
2. Complex tasks: Breaking down a complex task into smaller steps within the prompt can make it easier for the AI to process and execute.
3. Creating templates: You can easily create reusable templates for your team to use.

Conversational Prompting: Chatting with AI

Conversational prompting is like having a back-and-forth with the AI, just like you would with a person. You can provide a lot of context, ask follow-up questions, and steer the conversation in real-time. This flexibility is one of the reasons I love this approach.

I often use conversational prompting with voice dictation, especially for complex tasks. See the UVP example in the first case study for more on this.

Here's why conversational prompting is so powerful:

• It’s natural: You can communicate naturally, without overthinking structure.
• Detailed context: You can provide as much background information as needed.
• Flexibility: You can easily refine your request and add instructions as you go.

Good vs Bad Prompts

Here's where things get interesting. A poorly crafted prompt will yield generic, unhelpful results. But a well-structured prompt, rich in context and detail, can unleash the full potential of these AI tools.

Let's look at a practical example. Imagine you're a marketing consultant wanting to create a blog post about the benefits of AI for small businesses.

Bad Prompt:

Write a blog post about AI for small businesses.

Why it's poor: It's too vague. The AI has no context about your specific angle, the desired tone, or the key points you want to cover.

Better Prompt:

Write a 500-word blog post about how small businesses can use AI to improve their marketing efforts.

Why it's better: It provides more context, specifying the word count, target audience, and a specific aspect of AI application.

Good Prompt:

As a marketing consultant, write a persuasive 800-word blog post titled '5 Ways AI Can Revolutionise Small Business Marketing'. Focus on practical, cost-effective AI tools that small businesses can implement easily. Include real-world examples and stats where possible. The tone should be enthusiastic but not overly technical, suitable for business owners who are curious about AI but may be hesitant to adopt new technology. Conclude with a call-to-action encouraging readers to start with one AI tool this month.

Why it's best: It's highly specific, outlining the purpose, length, key points, tone, and desired outcome. This detailed guidance helps the AI generate a more focused and effective response that's tailored to your needs. It's not perfect, and I'd include more details, but it's a great place to start.

The Key to Effective Prompting

The key to effective prompting is finding the right balance between these different approaches. There's no "one size fits all." Experiment, try different methods, and see what works best for you.

Here are some tips to get you started:

• Start simple: For most tasks, a conversational approach is a great starting point.
• Add structure when needed: If you're not getting the desired results or need more consistency, switch to a structured prompt.
• Embrace voice dictation: It's a game-changer for complex prompts, allowing for greater detail and nuance. This is why I have the ChatGPT and Claude apps installed on my phone.
• Build a prompt library: Create a collection of prompts that work well for you, so you don't have to start from scratch every time. I keep mine in a Google Sheet, but you could use a text or Word document, Notion - whatever works for you!
• Share and learn: If you're working in a team, share your best practices and learn from each other.

Don't be afraid to dive in and experiment: the more you use AI, the better you'll become at getting the results you're looking for.

Image and Video Prompts

The prompts we discussed above are focused on Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc. These are all about generating text.

Prompting for image and video generators is a fascinating world of its own, and going into more detail elsewhere.

The Future of Prompting?

AI prompting is changing fast. Early on we needed to create complex structured prompts to get accurate responses.

AI companies like OpenAI realised that prompting was a bottleneck to adoption and so they've built-in capabilities into newer versions of their tools so they can understand and respond to simpler prompts and everyday language.

Today’s AI systems can figure out context and handle tasks with less guidance.

This will continue to improve, which means in the future we don’t need to worry as much about crafting detailed prompts as AI gets better at talking to us. This shift will let more people use AI effectively, just by speaking naturally.

This is an excerpt from a chapter on prompting in "The AI-Powered Thought Leader: How to Become an Indispensable Voice in a World of Intelligent Machines" (coming: August 2024).

If you've found this useful, or if you want to learn more about the book, please hit reply - I'd love to get your feedback and questions!

I personally read and reply to all emails! Alastair

More resources:

Key Insights on AI & Business In this article, I focus on the implications of AI for business leaders, thought leaders, and the workforce at large. Read more

A Simple Guide to Using AI If you’re new to AI tools, you might be wondering how to get the best results. It all starts with how you interact with the system. Read more

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