Stop Getting Terrible Results and Start Getting Genius-Level Output
Here's what happens at nearly every
conference where I speak about AI:
Someone raises their hand: "I tried ChatGPT and it gave me absolute
rubbish. AI just doesn't work for my industry."
Then I ask to see their prompt.
Nine times out of ten, it's something like: "Write me a blog post about
leadership."
The problem isn't AI. The problem is they're speaking to a genius like it's a
mind reader.
I've spent three years testing AI tools across dozens of business
scenarios—from sales proposals in Japan to keynote development in Dubai. The
difference between mediocre AI output and genuinely brilliant results comes
down to how you ask the question.
1) Give AI a Role (And Watch the Magic Happen)
Most people start with "Write
me..." That's like walking into a party and immediately asking someone for
a favour.
Instead, tell AI who it should be.
Weak: "Write an email to a difficult client."
Strong: "You are an experienced customer success manager with 15 years in
B2B software, known for turning around difficult relationships through empathy
and clear communication. Write an email to a client threatening to cancel
because of a recent service issue."
See the difference? The specificity makes all the difference.
2) Show, Don't Just Tell
Want AI to write in a specific style? Don't
describe it—show it an example.
I learned this after getting frustrated with AI content that sounded nothing
like my voice. Then I started including examples of my own writing in prompts.
Everything changed.
Every time I need content in my style, I provide a link to
www.frankfurness.com/articles so it can check my writing and match my rather
crazy sense of humor.
I use Claude to do my articles, it is
brilliant, better than any other AI app.
Frank's Quick Tip: Create a "style file"
with your three best pieces of content. Use snippets whenever you need AI to
match your voice.
3) Use the "Think Step-by-Step" Trick
This sounds too simple to work, but it's
genuinely transformative.
When you need AI to solve something complex, add: "Think through this
step-by-step" or "Let's work through this methodically."
Why? AI models literally perform better when prompted to show their reasoning.
I was working with a sales team in Kuala Lumpur using AI to analyse deal risks.
Initial prompts got surface-level responses.
When they added "Analyze this
step-by-step, considering each risk factor individually," the quality
jumped dramatically.
Use this for strategy development, problem-solving, complex analysis—any
situation where you need thorough thinking rather than quick answers.
4) The Power of Constraints
Counterintuitively, limiting AI makes it
better.
Instead of "ideas for improving customer retention," try: "Give
me exactly three customer retention strategies that require no additional
budget, can be implemented in under two weeks, and specifically target our
mid-tier B2B clients. The name of our business is Frank Furness and the website
www.frankfurness.com"
Constraints force strategic thinking rather than generic churn.
I use them constantly:
• "In exactly 150 words..."
• "Using only strategies that worked in the UK market..."
• "Avoiding any corporate jargon..."
• "Suitable for a technical audience with no marketing background..."
The tighter your constraints, the more focused and useful the output.
5) Build Context Like You're Briefing a New Team Member
AI doesn't know your business, industry
nuances, or specific challenges unless you tell it. More context upfront means
better output.
If you hired someone brilliant but new to your company, you wouldn't just say
"improve our sales process" and expect magic. You'd explain your
current process, where it breaks down, what you've tried, and what success
looks like.
Do the same with AI.
Recent prompt I used: "I'm a B2B sales speaker working with offshore financial
services companies in the Middle East. They're traditional,
relationship-focused, and sceptical of new technology.
Sales cycles are 6-18 weeks with multiple
decision-makers. I need to explain why AI-enhanced sales processes won't
replace relationship building but will make relationships stronger. Draft an
outline for a 45-minute presentation."
That gets infinitely better output than "Write a presentation about AI in
sales."
6) Ask AI to Analyse Your Own Prompting
Here's a secret most people never discover:
You can ask AI to teach you how to use AI better.
Try this: "I've been using AI for [your use case]. Here are examples of
prompts I typically use: [paste 3-5 actual prompts]. Based on these, what am I
doing well, and what could I improve? Give me specific suggestions."
Last week I asked ChatGPT to analyse all my prompts from when I first signed
up. I was astounded.
AI will spot patterns you didn't realise existed, suggest improvements you
hadn't considered, and teach you techniques specific to how you work.
I discovered I was being too vague in my context-setting. Changed my approach,
and quality improved by at least 30%.
7) Use the Iterative Refinement Method
The biggest mistake? Expecting perfection
on the first try.
The pros know: AI is a conversation, not a vending machine.
Your first prompt gets you 60-70% there. Then you refine: "That's good,
but make it more conversational," or "Keep the structure but add
healthcare examples," or "Too formal—write it like you're explaining
to a colleague over coffee."
I rarely use AI's first output unchanged. I treat it like working with a
talented junior colleague: they give me a solid draft, I provide direction,
they refine, we iterate until it's right.
Here in Great Yarmouth by the coast or at my condo in Orlando, I write dozens
of articles and newsletters every month.
None of them are AI's first attempts. They're all the result of this back-and-forth refinement—and honestly, that's where real quality comes from.
Right now, I have taken 2 days to write and submit 9 articles (my exact method in my webinar coming up)
The Bottom Line
AI is probably the most powerful business
tool you've ever had access to. But like any powerful tool, the results depend
entirely on how you use it.
These seven secrets aren't really secrets—they're techniques anyone can learn
and apply immediately.
The difference between people who think
"AI doesn't work" and people getting genuinely transformative results
usually comes down to mastering these fundamentals.
Start with one. Maybe it's giving AI a role, or maybe it's asking it to analyse
your prompting style. Master that, then add another. Within a month, you'll be
getting output that makes colleagues ask, "How did you do that so
quickly?"
And here's the thing: These prompting skills are only going to become more
valuable. As AI tools evolve, the people who know how to communicate
effectively with them will have an increasingly unfair advantage.
So, the question is: Will you be one of
them?
Ready to transform your team's AI capabilities?
I work with organisations in 70+ countries who are committed to staying ahead. Visit frankfurness.com or contact me at frank@frankfurness.com | +44 7711 672888 | +1 407 588 9714
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