How to Write Better AI Prompts: The Complete Framework

The difference between getting mediocre and exceptional results from AI tools comes down almost entirely to prompt quality. This framework will permanently improve your prompts.

The #1 Mistake: Being Vague

Most people treat AI like a search engine — typing short, vague queries. Instead, treat it like briefing a smart consultant who needs complete context.

Bad: “Write a marketing strategy.”
Good: “Write a 90-day marketing strategy for a B2B SaaS company that sells project management software to construction companies. Monthly budget: $5,000. Current state: 200 customers, $15K MRR. Goal: reach 400 customers by Q2. Channels available: email, LinkedIn, content marketing. Constraint: no paid ads yet.”

The CRISP Framework for Better Prompts

C — Context

Who are you? What’s the situation? What’s the background?

Example: “I’m the head of sales at a 50-person B2B SaaS company targeting mid-market CFOs.”

R — Role

What expert perspective should the AI adopt?

Example: “Respond as a seasoned venture capital partner who has reviewed 1,000+ pitch decks.”

I — Instructions

What exactly do you want? Be specific about format, length, style.

Example: “Give me 5 specific suggestions, each with an example. Use bullet points. Maximum 200 words.”

S — Specifics

Key constraints, requirements, and non-negotiables.

Example: “Must work for a conservative B2B audience. Avoid jargon. Tone: authoritative but approachable.”

P — Purpose

What will you do with the output? This helps AI optimize for the right goal.

Example: “This will be sent to a Fortune 500 procurement team, so it needs to be formal and specific about ROI.”

7 Advanced Prompt Techniques

1. Chain-of-Thought Prompting

Ask the AI to think step-by-step before answering.

Prompt: “Before answering, think through this step-by-step: [question]”

When to use: Complex reasoning, math problems, multi-step analysis

2. Few-Shot Examples

Show the AI examples of the output you want before asking for the real thing.

Prompt structure:
“Here are 2 examples of the tone/format I want:
Example 1: [example]
Example 2: [example]
Now write one about [your actual topic].”

3. Persona Stacking

Combine multiple expert perspectives.

Example: “Respond as someone who has both a JD from Harvard Law and 10 years of startup experience. Review this agreement from both legal and business perspectives.”

4. Constraint-First Prompting

Lead with what you DON’T want.

Example: “Do not use clichés, generic advice, or anything that could apply to every business. Do not mention ‘optimize for search’ or ‘create great content’. Now write a unique SEO strategy for [specific niche].”

5. Staged Prompting

Break complex tasks into stages.

Stage 1: “Give me an outline for [X]”
Stage 2: “Expand section 2 with more detail”
Stage 3: “Now rewrite the introduction to be more compelling”

6. Devil’s Advocate

Explicitly ask for criticism of your own ideas.

Example: “I think [my plan]. Tell me the 5 reasons this could fail, being as critical as possible. Then help me address each concern.”

7. Format Specification

Always specify the exact output format you need.

Example: “Give your response in this format:
**Summary** (2 sentences)
**Key Findings** (5 bullet points)
**Recommended Actions** (numbered list, 3 items)
**Risks** (2-3 sentences)”

Prompt Templates by Goal

Goal	Template
Get better writing	“Write [X]. Audience: [Y]. Tone: [Z]. Length: [N] words. Include: [specific elements].”
Get analysis	“Analyze [X]. Focus on: [specific aspects]. Format as: [table/bullets/prose]. Consider: [context].”
Get strategy	“Create a strategy for [goal] given these constraints: [list]. Include: tactics, timeline, metrics.”
Get ideas	“Generate 20 ideas for [X] targeting [audience]. Prioritize [quality criteria]. No generic suggestions.”
Get decisions	“Help me decide between [A] and [B]. My priorities are [1,2,3]. Context: [situation].”

Test and Iterate

Never accept the first output as final. Use these follow-ups:

• “Good, but make it more [specific quality: concise/bold/specific/creative]”
• “Redo this but with a [different approach/tone/format]”
• “What’s missing from this that would make it excellent?”
• “Give me 3 alternative versions using different angles”

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