Free guide from Smash Your AI

10 AI prompts that actually work

Copy-paste prompts for writing, research, planning, and productivity. Each one explained, with real examples and tips to make them your own.

Before you start

Most people type something vague into ChatGPT, get a mediocre response, and assume AI is not that useful. The truth is, the quality of what you get out depends entirely on what you put in.

These 10 prompts are ones I use regularly in my own work. They follow a simple formula that gets dramatically better results:

Give the AI a role - tell it who to be (an expert marketer, a business analyst, a copywriter)
Be specific about what you want - vague input = vague output
Set constraints - word count, tone, format, audience
Give context - the more relevant detail you provide, the better the response
Iterate - your first prompt is a starting point, not the finish line

Each prompt in this guide includes the full prompt text (ready to copy and paste), an explanation of why it works, a tip for adapting it to your situation, and a recommendation for which AI tool to use.

Which AI tool should I use?

Different tools have different strengths. Here is a quick guide:

Tool	Best for	Free?
ChatGPT	General writing, brainstorming, content creation, image generation	Yes (GPT-4o)
Claude	Longer documents, analysis, detailed writing, coding	Yes (limited)
Gemini	Research, Google workspace integration, summarising web content	Yes
NotebookLM	Querying your own documents with zero hallucination	Yes

A word of caution. AI tools are brilliant but they are not perfect. They can get facts wrong, especially with niche or recent topics. Always check important facts, never paste in confidential data without checking the tool's privacy policy, and treat the output as a strong first draft rather than a finished product.

1

The professional email rewriter

For: turning rough notes into polished emails in seconds

The prompt

You are a professional business communication specialist. I need to send an email about [topic]. Here are my rough notes on what I want to say:

[paste your rough notes here]

Write a professional but friendly email. Keep it under 200 words. Use a warm but businesslike tone. The recipient is [who they are]. End with a clear call to action asking them to [what you want them to do].

Why this works

You have given the AI a role (communication specialist), specific context (your notes), constraints (200 words, professional but friendly), and a clear goal (the call to action). This is far better than typing "write me an email about a meeting."

*

Make it your own: After getting the first draft, reply with "Make it slightly more casual" or "Add a line about the deadline being Friday." Iterating is how you get from good to perfect.

Works with any AI tool

2

The social media content generator

For: creating a week's worth of social posts in minutes

The prompt

You are a social media strategist for a small business. I run a [type of business] based in [location]. My target audience is [describe your ideal customer].

Create 5 social media posts for [platform - LinkedIn/Instagram/Facebook] for this week. Each post should:
- Be under 150 words
- Include a hook in the first line that stops people scrolling
- End with a question or call to action
- Cover a different topic: 1) a tip related to my industry, 2) a behind-the-scenes moment, 3) a common customer question, 4) a quick win or hack, 5) a promotional post about [product/service]

Tone: conversational and authentic. Avoid corporate jargon.

Why this works

You have given the AI a content calendar structure rather than asking for one post at a time. The variety (tips, behind-the-scenes, FAQ, promotional) keeps your feed interesting, and the constraints prevent generic, fluffy output.

*

Make it your own: Paste in examples of posts you have written before and add "Match this tone and style." The AI will adapt to sound like you rather than a generic marketer.

Best with ChatGPT or Claude

3

The meeting prep assistant

For: walking into every meeting fully prepared

The prompt

You are a senior business analyst helping me prepare for a meeting. Here are the details:

Meeting purpose: [what the meeting is about]
Attendees: [who will be there and their roles]
Background: [paste any relevant context, previous notes, or documents]

Please:
1. Summarise the key points I need to be across in 5 bullet points
2. List 3 questions I should be prepared to answer
3. Suggest 3 questions I should ask
4. Flag any potential issues or risks I should be aware of
5. Draft a brief opening statement (under 50 words) I could use to kick off the meeting

Why this works

The numbered structure forces the AI to give you organised, actionable output rather than a wall of text. Giving it the attendee list helps it tailor the advice to the people in the room.

*

Make it your own: If you have previous meeting notes or a project brief, paste them in. The more context, the better. For sensitive meetings, use Claude or a tool with strong privacy commitments.

Best with Claude or NotebookLM (with uploaded docs)

4

The competitor research briefing

For: understanding your competitive landscape quickly

The prompt

You are a market research analyst. I run a [type of business] that offers [your main products/services]. My target market is [describe your customers].

Based on your knowledge, help me understand my competitive landscape:
1. What are the main types of competitors I am likely facing?
2. What do customers in this market typically value most?
3. What are 5 ways a small business like mine could differentiate itself?
4. What trends in this industry should I be paying attention to?
5. What is one thing most businesses in this space get wrong?

Be specific and practical. I want actionable insights, not generic business advice.

Why this works

The final line - "actionable insights, not generic business advice" - is a constraint that pushes the AI past surface-level responses. Telling it your specific market gives it the context to tailor its analysis.

Important: AI tools draw on training data, not live market data. The output here is a strong starting point for your thinking, but it will not include your specific local competitors or the latest market developments. For up-to-date research, try Gemini (which can search the web) or combine this with your own knowledge.

*

Make it your own: Follow up with "Now help me write a one-page positioning statement based on differentiation point number 3." Build on the response rather than starting fresh.

Best with Gemini (for web access) or ChatGPT

5

The process documenter

For: turning messy knowledge into clear step-by-step guides

The prompt

You are a technical writer who specialises in creating clear, easy-to-follow process documentation for small businesses.

I am going to describe a process that we do in our business. I want you to turn it into a professional step-by-step guide that anyone on my team could follow, even if they have never done this task before.

The process is: [describe the task in your own words, as detailed as you can]

Format the guide with:
- A brief overview (2-3 sentences explaining what this process achieves)
- Prerequisites (anything needed before starting)
- Numbered steps with clear, simple instructions
- Common mistakes to avoid
- A "If something goes wrong" troubleshooting section

Why this works

This prompt turns the knowledge that lives in one person's head into a reusable document. The structured format means the output is immediately useful, and the troubleshooting section is something most people forget to include when writing documentation.

*

Make it your own: Even a rambling, rough description works well here. The AI is excellent at taking messy input and organising it. Just talk through the process as if you were explaining it to a new starter.

Best with Claude or ChatGPT

6

The customer FAQ builder

For: creating comprehensive FAQ pages and response templates

The prompt

You are a customer experience specialist. I run a [type of business]. We offer [brief description of products/services].

Our customers commonly ask about: [list 3-5 topics customers ask about]

For each topic, write:
1. The question as a customer would naturally phrase it
2. A clear, friendly answer (under 80 words each)
3. A follow-up action if relevant (e.g. "Contact us at...", "You can find this in...")

Then suggest 5 additional questions you think our customers are likely to ask based on the type of business we run. Write answers for those too.

Tone: helpful, warm, and reassuring. Avoid jargon.

Why this works

Asking the AI to suggest additional questions is where the real value is. It thinks about your business from the customer's perspective and often identifies questions you had not considered. The word limit on answers keeps them concise and scannable.

*

Make it your own: Once you have the FAQs, follow up with "Now turn these into email response templates my team can use when customers ask these questions." Two outputs from one conversation.

Works with any AI tool

7

The proposal drafter

For: writing professional proposals and pitches fast

The prompt

You are a business development specialist who writes winning proposals for small businesses.

I need to write a proposal for a potential client. Here are the details:
Client: [who they are and what they do]
What they need: [the problem or service they are looking for]
What I am proposing: [your solution]
Timeline: [expected delivery or project timeline]
Budget: [price or price range if applicable]

Write a 1-page proposal with these sections: executive summary (3 sentences max), the challenge, our approach, deliverables (bullet points), timeline, investment, and next steps.

Tone: confident and professional but not stuffy. This is a small business talking to another small business.

Why this works

The structured sections mirror what decision-makers expect in a proposal. The tone instruction ("not stuffy") prevents the AI from producing overly corporate language that does not match how small businesses actually communicate.

*

Make it your own: If you have a previous proposal that won work, paste it in and say "Use this as a style reference for the new proposal." The AI will learn your voice.

Best with Claude (handles longer docs well)

8

The learning accelerator

For: learning any new skill or topic faster

The prompt

You are an expert teacher and learning coach. I want to learn about [topic]. My current knowledge level is [beginner/intermediate/advanced].

Please:
1. Explain the fundamentals in plain English, as if I am completely new to this (even if I said intermediate - fill any gaps)
2. Give me the 5 most important concepts I need to understand
3. Provide a practical exercise I can try right now to apply what I have learned
4. Recommend what to learn next after I have grasped these basics
5. List 3 common misconceptions people have about this topic

Use simple language. If you need to use a technical term, define it in brackets the first time you use it.

Why this works

The "define terms in brackets" instruction is a small detail that makes a big difference. It forces the AI to write accessibly. The practical exercise turns passive reading into active learning.

Good to know: This prompt is excellent for general skills and business topics. For exam-specific study or curriculum-aligned learning, you will get better results from tools designed for that purpose (like our AI Tutor, which is grounded in actual exam specifications rather than general knowledge).

*

Make it your own: After getting the explanation, follow up with "Now test me. Ask me 5 questions about what you just taught me, and tell me which ones I get wrong and why." Instant revision.

Works with any AI tool

9

The data sense-maker

For: turning messy data into clear insights and summaries

The prompt

You are a data analyst who specialises in explaining data clearly to non-technical business owners.

Here is some data from my business:

[paste your data - spreadsheet rows, sales figures, survey results, analytics, etc.]

Please:
1. Summarise the key findings in 3-5 bullet points that a busy business owner can scan in 30 seconds
2. Identify any trends, patterns, or anomalies worth noting
3. Highlight the single most important takeaway
4. Suggest 2-3 actions I could take based on this data
5. Tell me what additional data would help you give better insights next time

Why this works

The "busy business owner" framing prevents the AI from producing a verbose, academic-style analysis. Point 5 is clever - it teaches you what data to collect next time, making each future analysis better than the last.

Privacy note: Before pasting business data into any AI tool, check whether it contains personal or sensitive information. Remove names, email addresses, and any personally identifiable data. Check the tool's data policy - Claude and ChatGPT's paid plans typically do not train on your data, but always verify.

*

Make it your own: For regular reporting, save this prompt somewhere handy. Each month, paste in your latest numbers and the AI gives you a consistent summary format. It turns a 2-hour reporting task into a 10-minute job.

Best with Claude or ChatGPT

10

The job description and hiring assistant

For: writing job descriptions that attract the right candidates

The prompt

You are an HR specialist who helps small businesses write effective job descriptions that attract strong candidates.

I need to hire a [job title] for my [type of business]. Here is what I know about the role:
Main responsibilities: [list what they will do day-to-day]
Must-haves: [essential skills or experience]
Nice-to-haves: [desirable but not essential]
Salary range: [if you want to include it]
Work arrangement: [office/remote/hybrid, hours]

Write a job description that:
- Leads with what makes this role exciting (not a company history paragraph)
- Uses bullet points for responsibilities and requirements
- Is under 500 words
- Is inclusive and avoids gendered language
- Includes a clear "how to apply" section

Why this works

The instruction to "lead with what makes this role exciting" produces job descriptions that stand out. Most job ads start with a boring company overview - candidates scroll straight past. The inclusivity instruction prevents the AI from defaulting to biased language.

*

Make it your own: Follow up with "Now write 3 interview questions specifically designed to assess whether candidates have the must-have skills you listed." One prompt leads naturally to the next.

Works with any AI tool

5 mistakes that kill your results

Even with great prompts, these common mistakes will hold you back. Avoid them and you will immediately get better output from any AI tool.

1

Being too vague. "Write me a marketing email" gives you generic rubbish. "Write a 150-word email promoting our spring sale to existing customers, emphasising the 20% discount on orders over £50, in a warm and friendly tone" gives you something you can actually use.

2

Not giving it a role. When you tell the AI to act as a specific expert, the quality of the response jumps noticeably. "You are a financial advisor" produces better money advice than just asking a question about finances.

3

Treating it as one-and-done. Your first prompt starts the conversation. The magic happens when you iterate. "Make it shorter." "Add more detail to point 3." "Change the tone to be more casual." Each follow-up gets you closer to exactly what you want.

4

Not giving examples. If you want output in a specific style, show the AI what good looks like. Paste in a previous email, a competitor's website copy, or an article you admire. Say "Match this tone and style." It works remarkably well.

5

No constraints. Without boundaries, AI tends to waffle. Always specify word count, format, audience, and tone. "Under 200 words, bullet points, for a non-technical audience" gives the AI guardrails that produce tighter output.

Want to go deeper?

These 5 mistakes are covered in detail on our blog with full before-and-after examples.

Read the full article at smashyourai.com/blog

Which tool for which job

One of the most common questions I get is "Which AI tool should I use?" The answer depends on what you are trying to do. Here is my honest take based on using all of these tools daily.

Task	Best tool	Why
Writing emails and content	ChatGPT or Claude	Both excellent. Claude edges it for longer pieces.
Social media posts	ChatGPT	Great at punchy, engaging, short-form content.
Analysing documents	Claude or NotebookLM	Claude for analysis. NotebookLM for accuracy.
Research with web access	Gemini or ChatGPT	Both can search the web. Gemini integrates with Google.
Querying your own files	NotebookLM	No hallucination. Only answers from your documents.
Data analysis	ChatGPT or Claude	ChatGPT can run code on data. Claude is great for summaries.
Learning a new topic	Any	All are strong. Use whichever you prefer.
Image generation	ChatGPT	DALL-E integration built in. Gemini also good.
Long, detailed documents	Claude	Handles longer context and produces more detailed output.
Brainstorming ideas	ChatGPT or Claude	Both are excellent creative thinking partners.

The honest truth: For most everyday tasks, ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini will all do a good job. The real skill is not picking the "right" tool - it is writing better prompts. That is what makes the biggest difference to your results, regardless of which tool you choose.

What next?

You have got 10 solid prompts to start with. But this is just the beginning. Here is how to keep building your AI skills and get even more from these tools.

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About Smash Your AI

J

James

18 years in education. Co-founder of Smash Your Exams and Smash Your Revision. Now helping businesses and individuals get real, practical results from AI tools. Uses AI daily for content creation, research, automation, and building tools for learners.

P

Paul

25 years in education. Former senior leader and experienced trainer. Specialises in making AI accessible to people who are not technical. Focuses on practical, no-jargon training that people can apply straight away.

Why we started Smash Your AI

We spent years building educational tools and content for students. Along the way, we got good at using AI - really good. We started showing other businesses what we had learned, and the reaction was always the same: "Why did nobody explain it like this before?"

That is what we do. We cut through the hype and the jargon and show you what actually works. No fluff. No buzzwords. Just practical skills you can use tomorrow.

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