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Prompt Like a Pro: 20 Simple Rules to Make ChatGPT Work for You
Good prompts get good results. Great prompts build businesses. Here’s how to write them — with examples that actually deliver.
Tirupati Rao
June 02, 2025
Stop wasting tokens. Start getting exactly what you want from AI.
If you’ve ever typed a prompt and received a confusing or underwhelming response… you’re not alone.
Most people use AI wrong — and that’s costing them results, time, and creativity.👇 Below is a no-fluff cheat sheet that helps you ask better questions so ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any LLM gives you the best possible answer — every time.
✅ 20 Prompting Rules That Actually Work
What to DO When Prompting AI
# | What to Do | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
1 | Be crystal clear about your request. | Ambiguity leads to confusion. Be specific. |
2 | Tell it what output format you want. | Structure boosts clarity and usefulness. |
3 | Set a depth level. | Decide if you want a summary or a deep-dive. |
4 | Name your audience. | The tone and examples should match who it’s for. |
5 | Use clear separators like triple quotes. | Helps the model break up content logically. |
6 | Put instructions first. | Lead with what you need so AI doesn’t guess. |
7 | Split tasks into steps. | Simpler prompts = better accuracy. |
8 | Use bold headings or markdown. | Adds structure, especially for long responses. |
9 | Explain your goal. | AI can tailor answers to your intention. |
10 | Give helpful context. | Background info = smarter replies. |
11 | Specify the industry. | Jargon matters when you want pro-level insights. |
12 | Ask for reasoning. | Great way to learn how the AI thinks. |
13 | Get pros & cons. | Balanced views help decision-making. |
14 | Request 2–3 perspectives. | Explore all angles, not just one. |
15 | Assign it a role. | “Act like a lawyer” = instant context switch. |
16 | Provide examples. | Models love patterns. Show them. |
17 | Ask for quotes/sources. | Boost accuracy and reduce hallucination. |
18 | State the tone you want. | Professional, funny, or casual — just ask. |
19 | Add ethical boundaries. | Avoid biased or inappropriate outputs. |
20 | Define success. | Tell it what a good answer looks like. |
❌ What NOT TO DO When Prompting AI
# | What to Avoid | Why It’s Bad |
|---|---|---|
1 | Single-word prompts. | Too vague = junk output. |
2 | Vague pronouns. | “It” or “they” will confuse the model. |
3 | Generalizations. | You’ll get wishy-washy answers. |
4 | “Give me the best...” with no context. | Best what? AI needs direction. |
5 | Asking 3 questions at once. | You’ll get a mess back. Split them. |
6 | Long-winded prompts. | Too much fluff = weaker focus. |
7 | Unrelated details. | Stay focused or risk derailment. |
8 | Mixed goals. | Don’t ask for an essay and a tweet. |
9 | Conflicting asks. | “Make it short but detailed” = 🧠💥 |
10 | Overly technical jargon. | AI isn’t your grad school prof. |
11 | Regional slang. | May not translate well. |
12 | Inconsistent terms. | “Post” vs “Article” – pick one. |
13 | Personal info. | Don’t dox yourself to the AI. |
14 | Illegal or harmful requests. | Violates safety filters. |
15 | Credentials or passwords. | Huge security risk. |
16 | Blind trust in accuracy. | AI can hallucinate. Always verify. |
17 | Overestimating its IQ. | It’s not omniscient. Be realistic. |
18 | No fact-checking. | Always cross-check outputs. |
19 | Fantasy expectations. | It can’t code your entire SaaS app alone. Yet. |
20 | Ignoring token limits. | AI has memory boundaries. Stay within them. |
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Struggling to get consistent results from ChatGPT or other AI tools?
Stop starting from scratch. The AI Prompt Library OS is your all-in-one Notion system to store, organize, and reuse high-performing prompts — built for creators, marketers, writers, and anyone who uses AI daily.
Bonus: Steal These Power Prompts
Use these right now:
“Act as a career coach and help me write a cover letter for a marketing job at Google.”
“Summarize this article in 3 bullet points, then give a counterpoint opinion.”
“Write a tweet thread using a witty tone and sprinkle in Gen Z slang.”
Need a full swipe file? Hit the button below. 👇
And if you’re interested in more tips and resources, check out my Medium blog Tirupati Rao
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