How to Talk to AI — The Art of Prompting

In this lesson, you will:

• Understand what a prompt is and why it matters
• Learn the three building blocks of an effective prompt
• Practise writing and refining prompts for everyday business tasks

You’re running a small landscaping business in Hamilton, and you need help writing a job ad for a new team member. You open an AI tool, type “Write a job ad,” and get a generic listing that could be for any company in any country. Frustrated, you close the app, thinking AI isn’t helpful. But what if you had phrased your request differently?

This is a common experience for small business owners in New Zealand who are just starting to use AI tools. The problem isn’t the AI — it’s how we ask it to help. The way we phrase our requests, or prompts, makes all the difference.

All company names and scenarios used in this course are fictitious and created for illustration and training purposes only. Any resemblance to real businesses or organisations is coincidental.

What Is a Prompt?

A prompt is the instruction you give to an AI tool to get a response. It’s like asking a human assistant for help, but the AI needs clear and specific directions to do a good job.

Think of a prompt as a recipe. If you tell a chef “Make something,” they might bring a cake, a soup, or a salad. But if you say “Make a chocolate lava cake for a birthday party, with a raspberry filling and no nuts,” the result is much more likely to meet your needs.

The Building Blocks of a Good Prompt

A strong prompt includes three elements:

1. Clarity – What exactly do you want?
2. Specificity – Details like tone, audience, or purpose.
3. Context – Background information that helps the AI understand the situation.

Examples in Action

Here’s how this works in real business scenarios:

❌ Poor Prompt

“Write an email to a customer who missed a delivery.”
Result: The AI might generate a generic message that doesn’t mention a discount, apology, or next steps.

✅ Better Prompt

“Write a friendly email to a customer who missed their delivery of our handmade wool socks. Apologise, explain the delay, and offer a 10% discount on their next order.”
Result: A tailored, professional message that addresses the issue and keeps the customer happy.

❌ Poor Prompt

“Draft a job ad.”
Result: The AI might create a generic ad that doesn’t match your business or the role.

✅ Better Prompt

“Draft a job ad for a part-time café barista in a small café in Wellington. The ideal candidate has 1 year of experience, is friendly, and can work weekends. Use a warm, inviting tone.”
Result: A targeted ad that reflects your business and attracts the right applicants.

❌ Poor Prompt

“Summarise this contract.”
Result: A vague summary that misses key terms or obligations.

✅ Better Prompt

“Summarise this supplier contract for a local fruit orchard. Focus on payment terms, delivery deadlines, and penalties for late delivery. Use bullet points and keep it under 100 words.”
Result: A concise, focused summary that highlights the most important details.

Common Pitfalls

Even with the best intentions, small business owners often make mistakes when crafting prompts. Here are three common pitfalls to avoid:

1. Too Vague

Prompts like “Help me” or “Make something cool” give the AI no direction. It’s like asking a painter to create a masterpiece without any reference photos or style guidance.

Fix: Be specific about what you want. Instead of “Help me,” try “List five ways I could reduce waste in my workshop.”

2. Missing Context

If you don’t provide background information, the AI might miss the mark. For example, asking “Write a report summary” without mentioning the topic, audience, or desired length.

Fix: Add context. Instead of “Write a report summary,” try “Summarise this quarterly sales report for my business partner. Highlight the top three products and any areas of concern. Keep it under 200 words.”

3. Overloading with Jargon

Using too many technical terms or unclear instructions can confuse the AI. For example, “Optimise this content for conversion rate and engagement metrics using SEM and SEO best practices.”

Fix: Simplify. Try “Rewrite this blog post to encourage more people to sign up for our newsletter. Use a friendly, encouraging tone.”

Try This: Refine Your Prompt Today

You don’t need to wait for perfect instructions — start small and practise. Here’s a quick exercise you can do now with a free AI tool like Microsoft Copilot:

Step 1: Pick a Task

Choose one of these:

• Draft a job ad for a role in your business
• Summarise a recent report, email, or contract
• Create a weekly schedule or plan for your team
• Write a product or service description for your website

Step 2: Create a Prompt

Use the structure:
“[Action] for [audience/role] in [context]. [Specific instructions, like tone, format, or details to include].”

Example:
“Write a service description for a landscaping business in Hamilton that specialises in native garden design. Keep it friendly and informative, mention sustainable practices, and include a call to action to book a free consultation.”

Step 3: Test and Iterate

Use the AI tool to generate a response. Then, refine your prompt if the result isn’t perfect. For instance, if the response is too formal, add “Use a casual tone, like we’d use in a social media post.”

This practice will help you become more fluent in prompting over time. You’ll put these skills to work in the next lesson, where we’ll apply prompting to customer communication.

AI for Good: Prompting with Purpose

Good prompting isn’t just about getting better results — it’s about being intentional with how you use AI. When you craft a clear, specific prompt, you’re more likely to get output that’s accurate, appropriate, and useful. Vague prompts can lead to generic or even misleading content. By taking a few extra seconds to be thoughtful with your instructions, you’re using AI responsibly and getting the most value from it.

Key Takeaway

Good prompts are clear, specific, and include context. Practise refining your prompts to get better results from AI tools. Start with simple tasks and gradually build your confidence in asking for what you need.

Remember: AI is a tool that works best when you teach it what to do. The more precise your instructions, the more helpful the AI will be.