Most people use AI like a search engine. They type a vague question and get a vague answer. The difference between vague and useful comes down to how you write the prompt.

Here are ten prompts you can copy, paste and adapt today. Each one is tested with both ChatGPT and Claude and designed for business leaders, not developers.

1. The email rewriter

Rewrite this email to be more concise, professional and direct. Keep the same meaning but cut the length by half. Here is the original: [paste your email]

Useful for: Client emails, internal comms, anything that has become too long or too soft.

2. The meeting summariser

Summarise these meeting notes into three sections: Key Decisions, Action Items (with owners and deadlines), and Open Questions. Here are the notes: [paste notes]

Useful for: Turning rambling notes into something your team can act on immediately.

3. The competitor analyst

I run a [type of business] in [location]. My main competitors are [list them]. Based on what you know, what are three things they do well that I could learn from, and three gaps in their offering that I could exploit?

Useful for: Quick competitive analysis without hiring a consultant.

4. The proposal drafter

Draft a proposal for [client name] for [service/project]. Include: an overview of the problem, our proposed approach, deliverables, timeline and pricing. Our tone is professional but approachable. Here is the background: [context]

Useful for: Getting a solid first draft that you can refine, rather than starting from a blank page.

5. The job description writer

Write a job description for a [role title] at a [company type] in [location]. The role involves [key responsibilities]. Include: about us, responsibilities, requirements, nice-to-haves, and benefits. Keep it under 500 words and avoid corporate jargon.

Useful for: Hiring. Gets you a clean first draft in seconds rather than hours.

6. The spreadsheet analyst

I am uploading a spreadsheet of [what the data is]. Please analyse it and tell me: the top 3 trends you see, anything unusual or concerning, and 3 actionable recommendations based on the data.

Useful for: Making sense of sales data, financial reports or customer feedback without being a data analyst. (Upload the file directly in ChatGPT or Claude.)

7. The process documenter

I am going to describe a process we follow in our business. Please turn it into a clear, step-by-step procedure document that a new team member could follow. Include any decision points as "if/then" steps. Here is the process: [describe it]

Useful for: Getting knowledge out of people's heads and into a format the team can use.

8. The difficult conversation preparer

I need to have a conversation with [role/person] about [issue]. Help me structure what to say. I want to be direct but fair. The key points I need to cover are: [list them]. Suggest an opening, the key messages, and how to end constructively.

Useful for: Performance conversations, client complaints, partnership disagreements.

9. The social media batch creator

Create 5 LinkedIn posts for my business. We are a [type of business] in [location]. Our audience is [target]. Each post should be under 200 words, start with a hook, and end with a call to action. Tone: [professional/conversational/authoritative]. Topics: [list 5 themes]

Useful for: Getting a week of content drafted in five minutes instead of two hours.

10. The decision framework

I am trying to decide between [option A] and [option B] for my business. The key factors are [list them]. Please create a simple pros/cons analysis and recommend which option to choose, explaining your reasoning.

Useful for: Any business decision where you need structured thinking fast.

The principle behind all of these

Good prompts share three things: context (who you are and what your business does), specificity (exactly what you want), and format (how you want it structured).

The more context you give, the better the output. "Write me an email" gives you garbage. "Rewrite this email to a manufacturing client about a delayed shipment, keeping the tone professional and the length under 100 words" gives you something you can send.

If you want to go deeper on prompting technique, AI Foundations at AI Breakfast Club spends a full session on this, with live practice and individual feedback.