Lesson 1 of 1 · 5 min read
A prompt is a brief
A prompt is the text you input into an AI tool to get a response. If Gen AI gives you a weak answer, the prompt may not have given it enough information.
Weak: "Help me with marketing."
Stronger: "We are a YE student company selling reusable water bottles made by a local supplier in Cardiff. Draft 3 short slogans for a poster we'll put up around school and at our market stall. Make them friendly, upbeat and suitable for students. Keep each one under 50 characters."
The clearer your prompt is, the more useful the answer is likely to be.
Try to include: what your company is doing, what you need, who it is for and how long or detailed the answer should be.
Improve the answer before you use it
Prompting is a conversation. Read the answer, decide what is useful, then ask Gen AI to improve one thing at a time.
Common fixes:
- Too long → add a word or character limit
- Wrong tone → name the audience and be clear about what tone or feel you want
- Too general → give information about your product, audience or your company goals and values
- Missing a format → ask for bullet points, a table, or numbered steps
You are the editor. AI gives a first draft; your team decides what customers see.
Before you publish anything, read it aloud, check the facts and make sure it sounds like your student company.