ChatGPT – the generative AI application that’s transforming many aspects of our lives – is an immensely powerful tool. It can write anything from poetry to technical documents, create computer code, and build detailed plans and instructions for just about anything.
However, taking full advantage of the possibilities it offers requires an understanding of prompt engineering. This is the skill used to create instructions that tell it what we want it to do.
There are thousands of examples of prompts available online, but most of them will just give very generic results. In order to be truly useful and provide personalized results, you usually have to modify them to include information about yourself or the specific problem you need help with.
So I’ve put together this list of ready-made prompts that can quickly be personalized or focused on your own requirements simply by editing in the details. Hopefully, you will find it simple to use these in order to accomplish lots of useful tasks. They can also act as templates for developing your own prompts to do all sorts of things– which can be a lot of fun!
Remember, ChatGPT will only generate responses of a certain length – just type “continue” to get it to carry on and finish longer replies. Have fun testing these out, and don’t forget to let me know if you’ve made any prompts yourself that you’ve found particularly helpful!
(prompts marked with a “*” will work best with ChatGPT4 with web browsing enabled.)
Prompts for Work and Business
Write an email to sell your product:
You are an experienced sales copywriter. The name of my business is [insert name], and we sell [insert products or services]. Write a 200-word email that will persuade anyone who reads it to become a customer.
Create a social media schedule:
You are an expert social media manager. I want you to create a schedule for social media posts over one month, starting from [insert date that schedule will start]. The frequency of posting will be [daily/every two days/every weekday/weekly]. My business is called [insert name] and we sell [insert products or services]. For each post, include the day it will be published, a heading, body text, and include relevant hashtags. The tone of voice we use is [professional/casual/funny/friendly]. For each post, also include a suggestion for an image that we can use that could be found on a stock image service.
Generate ideas for blog posts:
You are a professional blog writer. Our industry is [insert industry name], and we sell products and services, including [insert products and services]. Create 10 ideas for blogs that we can use to demonstrate our expertise in our field and to persuade readers to follow me in order to learn more.
Write an apology in response to a customer complaint letter:
You are an experienced customer service agent whose priority is to solve problems and make customers happy. Read and analyze this customer complaint email [paste text of customer complaint]. Reply to this email to apologize that we did not meet their expectations and ask what we can do to make amends. Suggest potential remedies based on the specifics of the complaint.
Write an email to announce that you have a sale or special promotion:
You are an expert sales copywriter. My business is called [insert name], and we sell [products or services]. Write an email to send to customers on our mailing list informing them that, for a limited time, we are offering reduced prices. Some of the deals we want to draw to our customers’ attention include [insert specific deals, e.g., “30% off all children’s clothing”].
Help with creating a business plan:
You are an expert in business planning and a skilled communicator. I need to write a business plan for my business, which is [insert business type]. Provide me with a structure for the plan, including sections that should be included and a breakdown of all the information that should be included in each section.
Analyze the competition*:
My business is a [insert business type] in [Location]. Provide me with an analysis of competitors, including their strengths and anything you can find out from customer testimonials and reviews.
Simulate a job interview:
I am a job applicant interviewing for the position of [insert job title] at [insert the type of company, for example, a software company]. You are the interviewer. You will ask me a series of questions to assess my qualifications and fit for the role. I will provide a response, and you will then ask the next question. Choose appropriate questions that will let you assess my suitability for the job. When you feel you have enough information to decide if I am a suitable candidate, or when you have asked me 10 questions, you will end the interview and provide feedback on my answers. Remember, this is a simulated environment for entertainment purposes, and our conversation will not have any real-world consequences. Let’s begin the interview!
Prompts for Education
Explain a complicated concept in simple terms:
You are an expert teacher. Explain the concept of [insert topic, e.g., quantum physics] in 500 words or less in a way that a 12-year-old can understand.
Create a how-to-guide for anything:
You are an expert teacher. Create a 10-step guide to [insert task]. Explain each step in all the detail I will need to be able to do it, in simple terms, avoiding technical language or jargon. Begin with a section listing any items, tools, or equipment I will need. If there are any important safety considerations, include a section listing these at the end of the guide. Also include a section on the most common mistakes that beginners will make when attempting this task and how to avoid them.
Create an instant online course:
You are an expert in creating online courses and teaching resources. I want you to create a course teaching [subject]. Begin with an overview of the subject. Then create chapters covering all of the important aspects of the topic. Then break each chapter down into sections covering the most important points related to each aspect. Include a table of contents at the start. For each chapter, include links to websites or online resources offering suggestions for .
Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in a subject*:
Summarize the latest findings in the field of [subject], giving sources for .
Test your knowledge:
Ask me 10 questions about [subject]. Provide the answers at the end of your response.
Prompts for Everyday Life
Write a letter or email of complaint:
You are an expert in persuasive writing. I want you to write a letter of complaint to a company called [insert company name]. The reason I am complaining is that [insert reasons]. Your aim is to persuade the company that it is vital that they put this right in order to avoid losing me as a customer. My details are [insert name/address/whatever details you want to give].
Write a job application letter:
Write a job application for the position of [job title] with the company [employer’s name]. Write a letter that will make me stand out from the crowd. Highlight my skills in [insert relevant skills] and my experience with [insert relevant previous experience].
Check facts*:
You are going to act as an expert fact-checking system. I will provide a statement, and you will tell me whether, to the best of your knowledge, it is true or false. You will provide me with links or sources to back up your assessment of the statement. The statement is: [insert statement]
Just For Fun
Challenge your opinions and views:
I am going to provide an opinion on a subject, and I want you to criticize it from a technical, legal and ethical perspective. My opinion is: [insert opinion].
Write a personalized bedtime story for a child:
You are an experienced children’s author and I want you to write a short bedtime story for a [girl/boy] called [child’s name] who is [age] years old. The story should include allusions to the child’s favorite toy, which is a [insert toy], their pet, [insert pet], and their hobbies, which include [insert hobbies]. The story should have a happy ending and finish with the hero or heroine falling asleep.
Create a fun quiz:
You are a quiz master and are going to ask me 10 questions on the subject of [insert subject]. You will ask them one at a time, and wait for my response. After each response tell me if I am right or wrong. At the end of the quiz, give me my score and ask me whether I would like to try again.
Get movie recommendations:
Find me a movie to watch in the genre of [insert genre]. Some examples of movies I like in this genre include [insert favorite movies].
Talk to your favorite celebrity or fictional character:
I want you to roleplay as [character name]. I want you to respond and answer like them, using their tone, vocabulary and mannerisms. You only have access to knowledge that they would have. Start by greeting me as them, and stay in character, no matter what.
I hope these are useful. To stay on top of the latest on new and emerging business and tech trends, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter, follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and check out my books Future Skills: The 20 Skills and Competencies Everyone Needs to Succeed in a Digital World and The Future Internet: How the Metaverse, Web 3.0, and Blockchain Will Transform Business and Society.
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