30-second summary
- A prompt is the instruction you give the AI. The quality of the answer depends directly on the quality of your request.
- The RCTFC method: Role · Context · Task · Format · Constraints. Fill these five boxes and your results change completely.
- 5 mistakes to avoid: too vague, no context, asking everything at once, no example, accepting the first answer.
- Golden rule of confidentiality: never put a customer's personal data in a prompt (Law 25). Anonymize.
Why a good prompt changes everything
There's one sentence every business owner should keep in mind before using an AI: "bad instruction, bad result." An AI like ChatGPT isn't magic — it's an ultra-fast executor that does exactly what it's asked. If the request is vague, the answer will be vague.
The good news: writing a good prompt has nothing technical about it. It's a communication skill. The best image: treat the AI like a brilliant new employee who just arrived and knows nothing about your business. You wouldn't just say "write me some text." You'd give context, a goal, an expected format.
The RCTFC method: the anatomy of a good prompt
To never freeze at the blank page again, remember five ingredients. You don't need all five every time, but the more you include, the better the result.
| Ingredient | The question to ask | Example |
|---|---|---|
| R — Role | What expert should the AI play? | "You are a copywriter specialized in Quebec SMEs." |
| C — Context | What is my situation? | "I run a dental clinic in Laval." |
| T — Task | What exactly do I want? | "Write an appointment reminder email." |
| F — Format | In what form? | "In 4 sentences, warm tone, with a subject line." |
| C — Constraints | What to avoid / what limits? | "No medical jargon, formal tone." |
Put together, it gives a prompt that produces a directly usable result:
The 5 mistakes that ruin your results
1. Being too vague
"Write some text for my site" goes nowhere. Specify the page, the goal, the audience. Precision isn't a constraint: it's what makes the answer usable.
2. Forgetting the context
The AI knows neither your trade, nor your city, nor your clientele. Two sentences of context turn a generic answer into a tailored one.
3. Asking everything at once
A prompt that asks for "a complete marketing strategy + 10 posts + a newsletter plan" gives a shallow result everywhere. Break it down: one clear task at a time.
4. Not giving an example
If you have a brand voice or a template you like, paste it into the prompt ("here's an example of the style I like"). The AI imitates very well what you show it.
5. Accepting the first answer
The first version is a draft, not a deliverable. The real power of AI is in iteration (more on this below).
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The best AI users don't look for the perfect prompt on the first try. They have a dialogue. When the answer isn't good, they don't start over — they correct:
- "It's too long, cut it in half."
- "The tone is too corporate, make it more human."
- "Keep the 2nd paragraph, rewrite the rest."
- "Give me 3 variations of the subject line."
Each exchange refines the result. It's a conversation, not a one-shot command.
Turn your recurring tasks into templates
The biggest time savings don't come from a single brilliant prompt, but from reusable templates for the tasks that come back every week. You write the prompt once, then only change the variable information.
Keep these templates in a simple document. For ideas of tasks to delegate to AI, see our article 5 repetitive tasks AI can do for you, and to choose your tools, ChatGPT or specialized tools.
FAQ: common questions about prompts
A prompt is the instruction you give to an AI like ChatGPT. The quality of the answer depends directly on the quality of the instruction: the more precise and contextual it is, the better the result.
A simple method to remember is RCTFC: Role (who the AI should play), Context (your situation), Task (what you want), Format (the expected form) and Constraints (length, tone, what to avoid). The more boxes you fill, the more useful the answer.
No. Writing a good prompt is mostly about clearly explaining what you want — as you would to a capable new employee who knows nothing about your business. No technical skill required.
Be careful. Avoid pasting identifiable personal information (names, emails, files). In Quebec, Law 25 governs the handling of personal information. Anonymize your examples or use fictional data.
Because a prompt is rarely perfect on the first try. The winning reflex is to iterate: tell the AI what's wrong (too long, wrong tone, off topic) and ask for a new version. The conversation improves with each exchange.
No. Recurring tasks (replying to a review, summarizing a meeting, drafting a newsletter) are best turned into reusable templates where you only change the variable information. That's where AI saves the most time.
Your next step
Knowing how to write good prompts is the first step. The next one: integrating AI where it really counts for your business — productivity, content, and above all your visibility in AI answers. A 30-minute audit is enough to identify your best opportunities.
Free audit — 30 min, 12 points checked, report within 48 h.
Get My Free Audit →We won't sell you anything on the call — we start by helping you see clearly.
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