How to Write Prompts That Get Great Results

Writing good prompts to get best results

Written By Maveen Mushtaq

Last updated 6 months ago

Prompting = telling the agent what to do.

The clearer your instructions, the better the results.

My favorite way to write great prompts: take a breath, imagine how you’d explain it to a human, then write that down—calmly, clearly, and specifically. This guide shows you exactly how, with simple templates and copy-paste examples.

The B.R.E.A.T.H.E. Method (2 minutes)

When you’re about to write a prompt, follow these seven tiny steps:

B – Breathe: Slow down for 5 seconds.

R – Result first: Say what you want at the end (“I need a 5-bullet summary for our CFO”).

E – Essential context: Add just the facts the agent must know (who, what, where, when).

A – Audience & tone: Who will read it? What tone? (friendly, formal, legal)

T – Template or format: Bullets, email, table, checklist, JSON—be explicit.

H – Helpful examples: Paste a short example if you have one (style guide, past email).

E – Edge rules: Any do/don’t constraints (no links, ≤150 words, cite page numbers).

That’s it. One minute to think, one minute to write.

The Building Blocks of a Good Prompt

Use these labels (you can copy-paste):

  • Goal: What you need.

  • Context: The key facts.

  • Audience & Tone: Who it’s for + how it should sound.

  • Sources: What to use (file names, notes, website).

  • Format: The exact output shape (bullets, email, table).

  • Limits: Length, do/don’t rules, deadlines.

  • Examples (optional): A tiny sample of the style you want.

Mini template

Goal: ... Context: ... Audience & Tone: ... Sources: ... Format: ... Limits: ... Example (optional): ...

Copy-Paste Prompt Templates

1) Executive Summary (Legal/Ops)

Goal: Create a 5-bullet executive summary for leadership. Context: Based on the attached contract and my notes below. Audience & Tone: VP-level, concise, neutral. Sources: Contract.pdf, Notes.txt Format: 5 bullets. Each bullet ≤20 words. Include clause numbers if relevant. Limits: No assumptions, no extra links. Example: “• Renewal: auto-renews annually unless notice 60 days before term end (Section 9.2).”

2) Customer Support Reply (Email Draft)

Goal: Draft a reply to the customer about delayed shipment. Context: Order #1845 delayed 3 days due to warehouse outage; replacement now shipped. Audience & Tone: Friendly, apologetic, helpful. Format: Email with greeting, 2 short paragraphs, and a numbered next-steps list. Limits: ≤120 words; do not offer discounts. Example style: “Hi [Name], ... Thanks, [My Name]”

3) Policy Comparison (Table)

Goal: Compare the 2 policies and show differences. Context: Files: Policy_A.pdf, Policy_B.pdf Audience & Tone: Internal ops, matter-of-fact. Format: 4-column table: Topic | Policy A | Policy B | Notable Differences Limits: Cite page numbers for each difference.

4) Meeting Notes → Action Items (Checklist)

Goal: Turn raw meeting notes into a checklist with owners and due dates. Context: Paste notes below. Audience & Tone: Team-internal, direct. Format: Markdown checklist: - [ ] Task (Owner – Due: YYYY-MM-DD) Limits: No new tasks—only what's in the notes.

5) “Write Like Us” (Style Prompt)

Goal: Rewrite the paragraph in our brand voice. Context: Our voice is: clear, kind, confident; avoid jargon. Audience & Tone: Customers, friendly and precise. Format: One paragraph, ≤90 words. Example: Before: “We are writing to inform you…” After: “Quick heads-up: …”

Before → After (How Small Changes Help)

Vague prompt (bad):

“Summarize this.”

Better prompt:

“Create a 5-bullet summary for our CFO using Contract.pdf. ≤80 words total. Include clause/page numbers.”

Vague prompt (bad):

“Write an email.”

Better prompt:

“Draft a 4-sentence email to the vendor about the missing invoice. Tone: polite and firm. Include: invoice #, due date, next step. End with ‘Thanks, [My Name]’.”

Vague prompt (bad):

“Compare these two policies.”

Better prompt:

“Build a table comparing Policy A vs. Policy B. Columns: Topic | A | B | Risk/Impact. Include page numbers and highlight conflicts in bold.”

“Rules” vs Prompts (Use Both!)

  • Prompts = what you ask right now for this task.

  • Rules = standing instructions that your agent follows across chats (tone, format, always include bullets, etc.).

  • Rules are agent-specific and user-specific (your teammates don’t see or use your rules).

Good combo: Put style and tone in Rules (e.g., “Use 5 bullets, neutral tone, ≤120 words”). Put task-specific details in the prompt.

Read: How to use Rules

Quick Do / Don’t

Do

  • Start with the Result (“I need a 5-point summary for legal”).

  • Provide just enough context (who/what/when).

  • Specify format & limits (table, bullets, ≤120 words).

  • Add a tiny example if style matters.

  • Paste the sources or file names.

Don’t

  • Say “do your best” with no details.

  • Mix conflicting instructions (short and long, informal and legal).

  • Hide key info in a long paragraph—use labels.

  • Ask for “everything”—be specific.

Troubleshooting (If Results Aren’t Great)

  • Too generic? Add audience + tone + format.

  • Too long? Add a word limit and bullet count.

  • Missed details? Point to exact files/sections, e.g., “use pages 4–7 only.”

  • Wrong voice? Paste a short example of your style.

  • Inconsistent? Move recurring style into Rules.

One-Minute Starter Prompts (Copy/Paste)

Email to vendor (payment reminder)

Goal: Payment reminder. Context: Invoice INV-203 due 2025-09-10. Past due 5 days. Audience & Tone: Professional, courteous. Format: 4 sentences. Greeting + context + next step + sign-off. Limits: No threats; offer call if needed. Example sign-off: “Thanks, [My Name]”

Contract summary (exec)

Goal: 5-bullet exec summary for leadership. Context: Based on Contract.pdf. Audience & Tone: VP-level, neutral. Format: 5 bullets, ≤75 words total, include clause/page. Limits: No recommendations, just facts.

Support macro (refund policy)

Goal: Create a macro explaining refund policy. Context: Refund within 30 days, original payment method, allow store credit. Audience & Tone: Friendly, clear. Format: Title + 3 bullets + “Need help?” one-liner. Limits: No legal jargon.

Final Checklist (Print me!)

  • Stated the Result first

  • Added Essential context (who/what/when)

  • Named the Audience & Tone

  • Specified Format (bullets/table/email)

  • Set Limits (length, do/don’t)

  • (Optional) Included a tiny Example

  • Moved recurring style/tone into Rules

Pro Tip

If your prompt is more than 6–8 lines, add labels (Goal:, Context:, Format:). Labels make your request crystal clear and save back-and-forth.