Introduction
I decided to start experimenting with AI for business after reading “The Singularity is Nearer” last year. Ray Kurzweil predicts that humans will merge with AI soon. He predicted the current explosion of AI in his previous book, “The Singularity is Near,” in 2005. So, I came to realise that it would be rather stupid to ignore and do nothing about the most recent developments of AI tools.
I tested Chat GPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Copilot. In this post, I want to share the most important principle of working with Generative AI tools built on LLM (large language models): writing prompts.
Want to get started with AI tools for a small company?
Whether you’re crunching numbers or writing team messages, these tips will help you get more valuable responses. We’ll look at some real examples and break down why they work.
Key Principles for Prompt Structure
- Set the Scene
Tell your AI what you’re working on and what you need. Think about sharing key details like time periods, important background info, and what matters most for your task. - Be Clear About What You Want
Spell out exactly how you want your answer formatted. Need a report? A quick analysis? Just say so. Let AI know if you want something formal or casual, long or short. - Define What Success Looks Like
Tell AI what a great response looks like to you. Maybe you need specific insights, particular comparisons, or certain recommendations. The more precise you are, the better the results.
Here are two example prompts with explanations:
Example 1: Financial analysis
Option A – short, surface-level answer
“Analyse these end-of-year accounts [upload your data] and create a comprehensive report highlighting key trends, areas of concern, and specific recommendations. Include year-over-year comparisons and focus on our top 3 product categories. Format the report with clear headers and use business-appropriate language suitable for executive review.”
Why it’s effective?
- States clear purpose (analysis and recommendations)
- Specifies exact elements needed (trends, concerns, recommendations)
- Provides format guidance (headers, tone)
- Sets boundaries (top 3 categories)
or
Option B – more precise, in-depth report
“Analyse our company’s financial performance for fiscal years 2022-2024 [upload spreadsheet to PDF]. Create a comprehensive report that:
- Identifies key trends in revenue, expenses, and profit margins
- Highlights significant changes in each major business segment
- Projects potential growth areas and risks for 2025
- Provides specific, data-backed recommendations
Format as a business report with an executive summary, detailed analysis, and actionable conclusions. Focus on insights that could impact strategic planning”.
Why is this example good?
- Specifies exact time period and scope
- Requests specific components and format
- Directs focus toward future planning
- Asks for actionable recommendations
- Provides clear structure for the output
Example 2: A website project announcement email to your team.
“Draft a memo to our team announcing the start of our website development project. Include:
- Introduce the web design company (Framework Digital)
- Project timeline (3 months duration)
- Key objectives (improving user experience and increasing sales leads)
- Impact on daily operations (photo session)
- Who is the project coordinator (name)
Keep the tone professional and enthusiastic. Ecurage participation. Length should be 400-500 words with clear section headers.”
Why It’s Effective
- Provides specific audience and context
- States clear communication objectives
- Includes concrete parameters (length, tone)
- This prompt includes details (who the supplier is, how long it will be, what it will be, and who).
Example 3: Getting ready for a meeting – (I use it daily in Copilot)
“Look through my notes in OneNote, emails, and job folders with quotations and proposals related to [Client Name], and help me prepare for tomorrow’s proposal presentation. Pull out the main points we discussed, spot any open issues, and suggest an agenda covering their concerns and our offer. Add some talking points about their growth plans. Keep it to 2 pages.”
This shows how the Copilot can access internal documents, emails, Teams, etc., and can help prepare for meetings by gathering information from different sources and focusing on what matters most.
Good luck!
