The 4-Step Magic Prompt Formula
I'm excited to dive into this essential foundation of mastering AI tools.
Whether you're new to AI or looking to refine your skills,
understanding how to craft effective prompts is crucial.
First, let's understand the basics. What are AI prompts?
Simply put, a prompt is the input or question you provide to an AI tool
to generate a response.
The quality of your prompt directly impacts the quality of the output
you receive.
Input = Output
If you are not getting the desired output, that doesn’t necessarily
mean that the AI tool isn’t useful. Most of the time it means that the
input i.e. the prompt you are giving isn’t sufficient.
Crafting effective prompts is important because it ensures you get
accurate, relevant, and useful results from the AI.
This skill is the cornerstone of leveraging AI tools effectively.
Now, let's break down the 4-Step Magic Prompt Formula.
Role: Tell ChatGPT who you want it to be (e.g., "You are a helpful
assistant," "You are a travel expert")
Context: Give ChatGPT background information (e.g., "I'm planning a
trip to Paris," "I'm looking for a recipe for vegan lasagna")
Task: Tell ChatGPT what you want it to do (e.g., "Write a 3-day
itinerary for Paris," "Provide a recipe for vegan lasagna").
Output: Specify the format of the response you want (e.g., "in bullet
points," "in a table," "in a poem").
Some Examples of Effective Prompts
Scenario 1: Generating a marketing email.
Role: You are a marketing expert.
Context: We are launching a new eco-friendly water bottle.
Task: Write a 200-word email introducing the product.
Output: Highlight features like BPA-free material, built-in filter,
sleek design, and include a limited-time 20% discount code.
Prompt #1 (without the framework) Prompt #2 (with the framework)
Scenario 2: Creating a social media post.
Role: You are a social media strategist.
Context: Our company is hosting a virtual fitness workshop.
Task: Create an engaging Instagram caption.
Output: Mention the date, time, and special guest appearance in a
catchy format.
Prompt #1 (without the framework) Prompt #2 (with the framework)
By mastering the 4-Step Magic Prompt Formula, you're well on your
way to harnessing the full potential of AI tools.
Practice these steps, iterate on your prompts, and watch as your
efficiency and creativity soar.
Advanced Prompting Techniques
Specificity: Be as clear and specific as possible in your prompts.
Constraints: Set limits on the length or style of the response.
Temperature: Adjust the creativity level of ChatGPT's responses.
Chain-of-Thought Prompting: Break down complex tasks into
smaller steps.
Specificity: The Devil is in the Details
Vague prompts lead to vague responses, so be explicit about what you
want ChatGPT to do.
Include details like desired length, format, tone, and style. The more
specific your prompt, the more targeted and useful the response will
be.
Example:
Vague Prompt: "Write about climate change."
Specific Prompt: "Write a 250-word persuasive essay arguing for
the urgent need for global action on climate change, citing specific
scientific evidence and policy recommendations."
Prompt #1 (without the framework) Prompt #2 (with the framework)
Constraints: Guiding ChatGPT's Creativity
Constraints help you control the output of ChatGPT. You can limit the
length of the response, the format (e.g., bullet points, paragraphs), the
tone (e.g., formal, informal), and the style (e.g., academic, creative).
Constraints are especially useful when you have
a specific use case in mind.
Example:
Prompt: "Write a catchy slogan for a new electric car brand."
Constraint: "The slogan should be no more than 7 words and use
rhyme."
Prompt #1 (without the framework) Prompt #2 (with the framework)
Temperature: Controlling ChatGPT's Creativity
Temperature is a parameter that controls the randomness of
ChatGPT's responses. A lower temperature (e.g., 0.2) will result in more
focused and deterministic responses.
A higher temperature (e.g., 0.8) will result in more creative and
unpredictable responses. Adjust the temperature depending on your
needs and desired outcome.
Example:
Prompt: "Write a poem about the moon."
Low Temperature (0.2): The poem will likely be more structured
and traditional.
High Temperature (0.8): The poem will likely be more abstract and
experimental.
Example:
Prompt: "Write a poem about the moon."
Low Temperature (0.2): The poem will likely be more structured
and traditional.
High Temperature (0.8): The poem will likely be more abstract and
experimental.
Prompt #1 (without the framework) Prompt #2 (with the framework) Prompt #3 (with the framework)
Chain-of-Thought Prompting: Breaking Down Complex Tasks
Chain-of-thought prompting involves breaking down a complex task
into a series of smaller, more manageable steps.
This helps ChatGPT to reason through the problem step-by-step,
leading to more accurate and insightful responses. It's especially useful
for tasks that require logical reasoning or problem-solving.
Example:
Prompt: "Solve the following math problem: A train leaves Chicago
at 9:00 AM traveling at 80 mph. Another train leaves St. Louis at
10:00 AM traveling at 90 mph. If the distance between Chicago
and St. Louis is 300 miles, at what time will the two trains meet?"
Chain-of-Thought Prompting:
a. Calculate the time the first train travels before the second
train leaves.
b. Calculate the relative speed of the two trains.
c. Calculate the time it takes for the two trains to cover the
remaining distance.
d. Add the time from step 1 and step 3 to find the time the trains
meet.
Expanded Examples:
Let's revisit our previous examples and see how these advanced
techniques can be applied:
Market Analysis (ChatGPT):
1. Specificity: "Analyze the US plant-based meat market in 2024,
focusing on consumer trends, competitive landscape, and growth
projections. Provide a 1000-word report with data-driven insights."
2. Constraints: "Include a SWOT analysis and recommendations for
new entrants."
3. Temperature: Experiment with different temperatures to see how it
affects the depth and creativity of the analysis.
Consumer Sentiment (Humata):
Specificity: "Analyze consumer sentiment towards Tesla's Model Y,
focusing on range anxiety, charging infrastructure, and overall
satisfaction. Provide a summary of key findings and areas for
improvement."
Constraints: "Limit the analysis to posts from the last 6 months
and exclude promotional content from Tesla."
Trend Tracking (Feedly):
Specificity: "Track trends in sustainable packaging materials for
the food industry, focusing on innovations in biodegradable and
compostable packaging."
By applying these advanced prompting techniques, you can
significantly improve the quality and relevance of the insights you
gain from these AI tools, enhancing your market analysis capabilities.
