The Prompt Engineering Guide
Get better results from AI
Nik Roberts · Versantus
You don't need a course. You need 5 rules and a bit of practice. Every tip below works in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini — anything.
1
Be specific about who you are
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Tell it your role and audience.
AI writes differently for an accountant than for a retailer. Give it context.
Instead of
"Write some social posts"Try
"I run a small accountancy firm in Bristol. Write 5 LinkedIn posts about what sole traders should do before the tax year end."
2
Say what you want, not what you don't
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Positive instructions beat negative ones.
"Don't be salesy" is vague. "Write like you're recommending something to a friend" is useful.
Instead of
"Don't make it too long or formal"Try
"Keep it under 100 words. Friendly and warm, like a text to a friend. No jargon."
3
Give it an example
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Show, don't just tell.
Paste something you've already written that sounds like you. AI will match the tone far more reliably.
Try
"Here's a reply I sent last week: [paste it]. Write something similar for this new enquiry."
4
Iterate out loud
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Treat it like a conversation, not a search bar.
The first answer is a draft. Say "shorter", "warmer", "more direct", "try again but for Instagram". That's prompt engineering.
5
Ask it to ask you questions
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Flip the dynamic.
If you're not sure what to write, let AI figure out what it needs from you.
Try
"I need to write a quarterly update for our manufacturing clients. Ask me 5 questions before you write it."
6
Ready-made prompts to try today
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Draft something you've been putting off.
"I need to write a proposal for [client/project]. Ask me 5 questions before you start writing."
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Prepare for a difficult conversation.
"I have a difficult conversation with [role] about [topic] tomorrow. Role-play as them. Push back hard."
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Get the 80/20 on a topic fast.
"I've got 10 minutes. Give me the 80/20 on [topic] — what's the 20% I need to know to understand 80% of it?"
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Improve your own writing.
"Here's an email I'm about to send. Tell me what's unclear, what could offend, and how to make it half the length."
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Rehearse a presentation.
"I'm presenting to my board about AI investment. Grill me on ROI, risks, and timeline."
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See it through your client's eyes.
"Here's my proposal. Read it as my client would. What questions would they have?"
The best prompt engineers aren't technical. They're the people who know what they actually want.