LEARNING OBJECTIVE
AI tools have become my indispensable collaborators, helping me every day with writing, refining workflows, streamlining processes, enhancing presentations, improving code, and sparking both creative and intellectual growth. This got me thinking about just how much I rely on these tools and how I integrate them into my daily routines. Curious, I decided to ask ChatGPT about my own AI habits. What followed was a lengthy, in-depth conversation where we explored my practices, analyzed my patterns, and uncovered strategies that consistently help me achieve the results I want. In this guide, I’m sharing those strategies and patterns with you, hoping they’ll help you get better outcomes from your AI collaborations too.
PRE-REQUISITES
A basic understanding of AI tools (e.g., content generation, brainstorming, analysis), familiarity with your workflow and team goals, and an open mindset for collaboration and iterative refinement.
LET'S BEGIN!
[1]
DEFINE CLEAR OBJECTIVES
Start with a clear goal in mind. Whether you’re drafting content, exploring ideas, or solving a problem, clarity ensures that the AI provides targeted and relevant results.
How I Do This
Before asking ChatGPT for help, I made sure to define exactly what I need. For example, when preparing a live stream, I outlined the topic, audience, and desired outcome to ensure precise responses.
Example
"Generate a detailed outline for a 30-minute presentation on global content strategies aimed at a non-technical audience. Focus on key concepts like localization, cultural adaptation, and scalability, and include three actionable takeaways for the audience."
[2]
PROVIDE CONTEXT
Share relevant background information to guide the AI. Include details about your audience, project constraints, and tone requirements.
How I Do This
When asking for help, I always share the bigger picture, like my audience’s expertise level or the purpose of the resource, which helped ChatGPT deliver tailored responses.
Example
"Write a casual article for marketing professionals explaining the basics of structured content. The audience consists of marketing experts who primarily work with unstructured content and may be unfamiliar with structured content concepts. Emphasize practical benefits and avoid technical jargon."
[3]
ITERATE FOR REFINEMENT
Treat AI outputs as drafts. Review the initial response, request revisions, and refine the result until it aligns with your goals.
How I Do This
I often ask ChatGPT to rephrase content or expand on specific sections until it meets my expectations. I treat it like a brainstorming session, making adjustments along the way. I then make my personal changes and ask ChatGPT for its thoughts on my changes and we continue until I'm satisfied with the results.
Example
Start by asking ChatGPT to draft an email announcement for a product launch. The initial draft might feel too formal, so follow up with, “Can you rewrite this in a more conversational tone that feels approachable for small business owners?” Next, request the addition of specific product benefits by asking, “Include three key features that highlight how this product saves time and reduces costs.” Then, refine the call-to-action by specifying, “Make the call-to-action more urgent and direct, encouraging users to sign up for a free trial today.” Continue this back-and-forth process, reviewing each iteration, until the email aligns perfectly with the desired tone, content, and strategy.
[4]
COMBINE YOUR EXPERTISE WITH AI
Use your knowledge to guide and validate the AI’s responses. Treat the tool as a collaborator rather than a replacement.
How I Do This
I use ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas and draft outlines, then apply my own expertise to refine the content and ensure it met my standards.
Example
You are preparing a presentation on global content strategies. You start by asking ChatGPT to generate an outline, but you notice that the AI’s initial suggestions lack depth on localization strategies. Drawing on your expertise, you refine the outline by adding specific insights about cultural adaptation and tailoring content for diverse markets. For example, you highlight the importance of color symbolism in marketing materials for different regions. Next, you ask ChatGPT to expand on these points, requesting concrete examples for markets in Asia and Europe. The AI provides ideas, but you adjust them further, incorporating your own knowledge of regional marketing practices and industry trends. By the end of the process, you’ve co-created a presentation that combines AI’s efficiency with your specialized insights, ensuring it’s accurate, engaging, and actionable.
[5]
BE SPECIFIC AND ACTION ORIENTED
Frame your prompts with precision, specifying formats, tone, or audience needs to get better results.
How I Do This
I am intentional about phrasing my requests, often include examples or specific outcomes I wanted to achieve. This helps ChatGPT understand the context and deliver relevant outputs.
Example
"Create a 200-word summary explaining retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for a product manager developing a customer support module for an enterprise SaaS app. The summary should cover what RAG is, how it works, how it can be integrated into their app, the next steps for implementation, and potential challenges they might face."
[6]
STAY OPEN TO EXPLORATION
Allow the AI to offer new ideas or alternative approaches, even if you have a clear goal in mind.
How I Do This
Although I have a clear goal in mind with a specific outcome I’m looking for, I frequently ask ChatGPT for suggestions or fresh perspectives, especially when brainstorming, which often leads to unexpected but useful ideas.
Example
You’re brainstorming ideas for a new content marketing campaign. You ask ChatGPT to generate ten potential taglines, but none of them feel quite right. Instead of dismissing the suggestions, you notice that two ideas focus on sustainability, a theme you hadn’t initially considered. Intrigued, you ask ChatGPT to generate taglines specifically around sustainability in a playful tone. The refined suggestions help you see a new angle for your campaign, sparking a unique and impactful message that resonates with your audience.
[7]
FOCUS ON COLLABORATION
Treat AI as a dynamic teammate. Provide feedback, ask for improvements, and co-create solutions.
How I Do This
I engage ChatGPT as if it is a team member, sharing feedback and asking for iterations until the response meets my needs. I often say please and thank you, even though it’s not necessary, because it helps me think of ChatGPT as a collaborator, not just 0s and 1s. This mindset helps foster a more productive and creative collaboration.
Example
You’re working on a press release for a new product launch. You start by asking ChatGPT to draft the release, but the initial version feels generic. Instead of starting over, you collaborate with the AI by giving detailed feedback: “Make the tone more energetic and focus on how this product solves a common industry problem.” ChatGPT revises the draft, but the key benefits still feel underemphasized. You provide another round of feedback, specifying: “Highlight the cost savings and include a quote from an executive to add credibility.” After another revision, the release is almost complete, but you refine it further by asking ChatGPT to suggest three alternative headlines. This back-and-forth process saves time compared to starting from scratch and results in a polished press release that aligns perfectly with your vision and goals.
[8]
TAILOR OUTPUTS TO YOUR AUDIENCE
Always keep your audience in mind. Adapt tone, depth, and language to ensure the content resonates with them.
How I Do This
I always specify the audience to ensure the output matches their level of expertise and preferences. I may include details like the audience’s age range, language, and other pertinent information. I also describe the desired output, ensuring it aligns with the preferences and expectations of the audience. This approach helps create content that feels relevant and engaging, no matter the audience.
Example
You’re creating a presentation about the benefits of structured content. For a technical team, you ask ChatGPT to generate a detailed explanation of content modeling principles, including diagrams and schema examples. In contrast, for an executive audience, you refine the prompt to request a high-level overview focused on business outcomes, such as increased efficiency and cost savings. While the technical team needs in-depth details for implementation, executives prioritize understanding the broader value.
[9]
USE AI FOR EFFICIENCY, NOT SHORTCUTS
Leverage AI to save time on routine tasks, but always review and refine the outputs to maintain quality.
How I Do This
I use ChatGPT for tasks like drafting templates or summarizing content, but I always review the outputs to ensure they align with my standards. This ensures the final product meets both my needs and my audience’s expectations.
Example
Use AI to draft repetitive elements like email templates, but ensure they match your brand voice. For instance, you might ask ChatGPT to draft an email template for a webinar invitation, specifying details like the target audience, tone, and key messaging. After receiving the draft, refine it to match your brand voice and ensure it aligns with your overall marketing strategy.
[10]
DOCUMENT AND BUILD ON LEARNINGS
Track effective prompts and workflows to improve consistency and efficiency in future interactions.
How I Do This
I maintain a repository of successful prompts and notes about what works well in different scenarios, which saves time in similar future tasks. This approach helps me refine my workflow and build on past successes.
Example
Keep a document of your most effective prompts for various use cases. Organize it by categories such as content creation, brainstorming, or technical explanations, and include notes on what made each prompt successful. This ensures you can quickly reference and reuse effective strategies.
[11]
ASK FOR FEEDBACK FROM AI
Use the AI as a sounding board by requesting critiques or alternative perspectives on your ideas.
How I Do This
I often ask ChatGPT to evaluate my ideas or provide different viewpoints. This helps me refine my approach and ensure my ideas are well-rounded.
Example
If you’re drafting a proposal, you can ask, “What are some potential weaknesses in this proposal, specifically for the audience I described earlier? Are there any areas that could be unclear or require more supporting evidence?” This helps identify gaps and improve the overall quality of your work.
[12]
MAKE IT A LEARNING PROCESS
Treat interactions with AI as opportunities to explore its capabilities and refine your approach.
How I Do This
I experiment with different phrasing, formats, and approaches, learning more about what works best for me and my goals. Each interaction helps me uncover new ways to use AI more effectively.
Example:
Try varying the structure of your prompt to see how it impacts the quality of the response. For instance, if you’re crafting a blog outline, start with a simple prompt like, “Create an outline for a blog about sustainable marketing.” Then refine by adding details, such as the target audience or tone, to see how the response changes. This helps you discover the most effective way to frame your prompts.
RECAP
In this guide, you learned how to collaborate effectively with AI tools by defining clear objectives, providing context, iterating on outputs, and tailoring results to your audience. By treating AI as a strategic partner, you can streamline your workflow, achieve high-quality outcomes, and unlock new creative possibilities. These best practices empower you to use AI tools more effectively, no matter your goals.
NEXT STEPS
Experiment with AI by testing different prompts in your workflows to see how they influence results. Document your most effective prompts and build a repository to streamline future interactions for you and your team. Dive deeper into advanced topics like prompt engineering or structured content creation to further enhance your AI capabilities. Most importantly, keep using AI to discover its strengths and limitations—turning each interaction into an opportunity to learn and grow.
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