Learn to write prompts that get results every time. The CLEAR framework for effective AI communication.
Every effective prompt follows this proven structure. Master these 5 elements and you'll get better results from any AI tool.
Provide background information and situational details. The more context, the better the AI understands your needs.
"Write a marketing email."
"I'm launching a B2B SaaS product for HR teams at mid-size companies (100-500 employees).
The product automates employee onboarding. Our target persona is HR Directors who are
frustrated with manual paperwork and compliance tracking. Write a marketing email."
Specify exactly how long you want the output. AI will match your requested length.
"Explain quantum computing."
"Explain quantum computing in exactly 3 paragraphs (max 150 words each).
First paragraph: basic concept. Second: real-world applications. Third: future potential."
Show the AI what "good" looks like. Provide examples of style, format, or structure you want.
"Write a product description."
"Write a product description in this style:
Example: 'Meet TaskFlow - the project management tool that actually works.
No bloat. No complexity. Just clean, intuitive task tracking that your team will love.
Get organized in 5 minutes. Free forever for teams under 10.'
Now write a similar description for our CRM product."
Define who will read/use the output. Different audiences need different communication styles.
"Explain our pricing strategy."
"Explain our pricing strategy for:
Audience: Board of Directors (non-technical executives)
Their priorities: Revenue growth, market positioning, competitive advantage
Their knowledge level: Business strategy experts, limited product/tech knowledge
Desired tone: Professional, data-driven, strategic"
Tell the AI what role or perspective to take. This dramatically improves response quality and relevance.
"Help me with a sales strategy."
"Act as a VP of Sales with 15 years of B2B SaaS experience who has successfully
scaled revenue from $5M to $50M ARR. Review my sales strategy and provide feedback
based on proven frameworks like MEDDIC and Challenger Sale methodology."
Apply the CLEAR framework to real-world scenarios. Try these prompts in ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI tool.
Scenario: You need to write a cold outreach email to CTOs at fintech companies about your cybersecurity solution.
Context: I'm selling a cybersecurity solution to fintech companies. Our product prevents API fraud and reduces false positives by 90%. Target: CTOs at Series B-C fintech startups (50-200 employees).
Length: Email should be 150 words max, 3 short paragraphs.
Examples: Use a conversational, value-first tone like: "Hey [Name], noticed you're scaling fast. API security probably keeping you up at night?"
Audience: Technical executives who value data, are skeptical of sales pitches, and prioritize security + developer experience.
Role: Act as a top-performing B2B SaaS sales rep who has closed 20+ enterprise deals in cybersecurity.
Scenario: You need to analyze Q3 revenue performance and present findings to the CEO.
Context: Q3 revenue: $4.2M (planned: $5M). SaaS company, 80% recurring revenue. New logo growth +15%, but churn increased from 3% to 5.5%. Enterprise segment underperformed.
Length: 1-page executive summary + 5 key insights with recommended actions (bullet format).
Examples: Format like McKinsey insights: "Finding 1: Enterprise pipeline conversion dropped 40% → Recommend: Revise pricing/positioning for deals >$100K"
Audience: CEO who cares about: growth trajectory, board narrative, team morale, and corrective actions.
Role: Act as a CFO with experience turning around SaaS companies. Be direct but solutions-oriented.
Scenario: Review a Python API endpoint for security, performance, and best practices.
Context: FastAPI endpoint handling user uploads (images). Production app serving 10K requests/day. Team: 5 junior devs, you're the tech lead.
Length: Review with: 1) Security issues (critical/medium/low), 2) Performance bottlenecks, 3) Code quality improvements. Each section: 3-5 bullet points.
Examples: Flag issues like: "🔴 CRITICAL: No file type validation → SQL injection risk. Fix: Add whitelist for image MIME types"
Audience: Junior developers who need to learn. Explain WHY each issue matters, not just WHAT to fix.
Role: Act as a senior software engineer (10+ years) who mentors through Socratic questioning and teaches security-first development.
Force AI to show its reasoning step-by-step
"Think through this step-by-step:
1) First, analyze the problem
2) Then, consider alternatives
3) Finally, recommend a solution
Problem: [your problem]"
Provide 2-3 examples of input→output
"Classify customer sentiment:
Input: 'Love this!' → Positive
Input: 'Terrible service' → Negative
Input: 'It's okay' → Neutral
Input: [new review] → ?"
Tell AI what NOT to do
"Write a blog post but:
- Don't use corporate jargon
- Don't exceed 500 words
- Don't include fluffy intros
- Start with the key insight"
Build on previous outputs
"Take the email above and:
1) Make it 30% shorter
2) Add a specific data point
3) Strengthen the CTA
4) Make it sound less salesy"
Rate yourself on each element of the CLEAR framework:
Include: industry, audience, pain points, current situation