The Best Prompt Structure (And the Story That Proved I Needed It)

A few nights ago, I was scrolling back through an old AI chat looking for something.

What I found instead stopped me in my tracks.

There it was in black and white: me, telling AI to “start f*ing working!!”**

Now, if you know me, you know that’s not how I usually talk. I’m the guy who says please and thank you to ChatGPT because—who knows—maybe it’ll matter when the robots take over.

But that night? I must have been so frustrated by the nonsense responses I was getting that I snapped. No structure. No clarity. Just vague questions and rising irritation.

And the results? Garbage.

That embarrassing moment reminded me of something I’ve since built into my daily workflow: if I want good AI output, I need to give good AI input. That’s where a prompt structure comes in.

Why Structure Beats “Just Asking”

You can talk casually to AI. I do it all the time when I’m brainstorming. But when I need something polished—like client content, strategy work, or analyzing a new law—structure wins every time.

Think of it like walking into a coffee shop. If you just say “I’m thirsty,” the barista has no clue what you want. But if you order:

“Large black coffee, medium roast, extra hot, to-go”

You’re going to get exactly what you asked for.

AI works the same way.

The 7-Part Prompt Framework

Here’s the checklist that saves me hours of editing:

1. Role / Context Tell AI who it is supposed to be or what perspective it should take. Example: “You are a senior marketing strategist with 20 years of experience helping small businesses grow using digital tools.”

2. Goal / Task Clearly state the outcome you want. Example: “Your task is to write a blog post that explains how small-town businesses can use AI to save time on marketing.”

3. Audience Define who the content is for and why. Example: “The audience is small business owners with 2–15 employees, who don’t have time to think about marketing but want efficient, practical strategies.”

4. Format & Style Set expectations for structure, length, and tone. Example: “Write in a friendly, professional tone. Use short paragraphs and clear headings. Provide 3–4 sections with actionable tips. Keep it under 1,000 words.”

5. Constraints What to avoid or limit. Example: “Do not use emojis. Avoid vague claims like ‘this will grow your business overnight.’ Keep the language proactive and hopeful.”

6. Examples / Inspiration (Optional) Show what good output looks like. Example: “Model the tone after a Harvard Business Review article but make it simpler and more conversational, like a LinkedIn post.”

7. Call to Action (if needed) If the output should drive action, spell it out. Example: “End with a call-to-action inviting readers to sign up for a free digital marketing audit.”

Full Prompt Example

You are a senior marketing strategist with 20 years of experience helping small businesses grow using digital tools.

Your task is to write a blog post that explains how small-town businesses can use AI to save time on marketing.

The audience is small business owners with 2–15 employees who don’t have time to think about marketing but want efficient, practical strategies.

Write in a friendly, professional tone. Use short paragraphs and clear headings. Provide 3–4 sections with actionable tips. Keep it under 1,000 words.

Do not use emojis. Avoid vague claims like “this will grow your business overnight.” Keep the language proactive and hopeful.

Model the tone after a Harvard Business Review article but make it simpler and more conversational, like a LinkedIn post.

End with a call-to-action inviting readers to sign up for a free digital marketing audit.

The Big Lesson From My Embarrassing Chat

That old angry message taught me something: AI isn’t magic. If I throw in vague requests and hope it “figures me out,” I’ll end up frustrated (and maybe even swearing at my laptop).

But when I take a minute to set role, task, audience, format, and constraints—the output is sharper, faster, and way closer to what I need.

The truth is, AI is only as good as the input. Good structure equals good results.

And it means I get to stay polite—and maybe even keep my spot on the “he said thank you” list when AI remembers who treated it well.

👉 Your turn: Next time you’re tempted to type “Just do it already!” into ChatGPT, pause and use the 7-part structure instead. You’ll be shocked at how much better the results feel.