|
SUMMARY:
When I started my career as a copywriter, I flipped through CA (Communicate Arts) and The One Show Awards books looking for some juice, for some creative spark for the latest advertising concept I was working on. Today, marketers and business owners leverage AI tools like ChatGPT for marketing idea generation along with many other marketing tasks. So in this article we provide examples of effective marketing prompts to use with AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Bing and the like. Read on for tactical tips on how to leverage AI for things like campaign ideation, content creation, chat log analysis, and competitive intelligence. |
Originally Published: August 2, 2023
Updated: August 10, 2023
During MECLABS AI Guild briefings, there is a lively chat conversation among attendees. We get some good questions on there, which I answer on the MarketingSherpa blog. And we have a team engaged in the chat as well answering customer service and tech questions.
Flint McGlaughlin, CEO, MarketingSherpa and MECLABS Institute, wondered if he could use the chat to get a better understanding of attendees. McGlaughlin regularly researches many artificial intelligence tools as part of the AI Guild and uploaded the entire webinar chat log to Claude.
Then he asked the following series of prompts (below each prompt you can see Claude’s answer).
"Here are the key points from analyzing the chat log:
Top 5 questions:
Technical challenges:
Positive comments:
Overall analysis: There were some initial technical difficulties with the chat settings but they were resolved. Most people seem engaged and interested in learning about AI, with several positive reactions to the prompt academy idea. There is active participation in answering questions and sharing perspectives. The facilitator did a good job addressing questions and issues as they arose."
"Here are some ways the experience could potentially be improved based on the chat log:
The overall experience seems positive, but focused efforts to increase engagement, interaction, and participant feedback could make it even more valuable. Checking in frequently and addressing issues promptly is key."
"Here are a couple participants that stood out as potentially needing some extra assistance based on the chat log:
Providing some focused 1:1 support to users like Catherine and Toby who expressed technical difficulties could go a long way in making sure everyone is able to fully utilize the tools and actively participate. Identifying and addressing knowledge gaps proactively will lead to greater success."
"Here are the top 5 marketing questions I identified in the chat log:
The questions focus heavily on lead generation strategy, identifying value, and providing help instead of sales calls. There is clearly interest in learning how to appeal to and engage with prospects more effectively. The cohort and training programs seem to have demand. Overall, participants are seeking marketing advice to connect with and convert ideal customers.
Here are my attempts at answering the top marketing questions from the chat in a detailed and creative way:
1. How can we get leads to answer our questions quickly?
2. What can we offer prospects in exchange for a sales call if we don't have a freemium model?
3. How do we figure out what is the actual "help" our prospects want from our product/service?
4. How do you join the cohort programs that Flint mentioned?
5. How can we shift from a sales call mindset to leading with value for prospects?
Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions! I aimed to provide tactical examples and creative alternatives while directly answering the core questions. Please provide feedback so I can improve."
One thing that McGlaughlin did particularly well here was constrain the inputs. Marketing prompts for ChatGPT and other AI tools can provide very effective answers, but are also sometimes far off base.
As Brian X. Chen reported in The New York Times, “After testing dozens of A.I. products over the last two months, I concluded that most of us are using the technology in a suboptimal way, largely because the tech companies gave us poor directions. The chatbots are the least beneficial when we ask them questions and then hope whatever answers they come up with on their own are true, which is how they were designed to be used. But when directed to use information from trusted sources, such as credible websites and research papers, A.I. can carry out helpful tasks with a high degree of accuracy.” (from A.I. Bots Are So Much Better When You Use This Little Tip)
To get more AI prompt examples for you, I also reached out to other marketers to see how they are using AI prompts. There are a lot of good ideas here but keep that above caution in mind as well. Artificial intelligence is a good brainstormer, but you still want to fact check the outputs.
Asim Zaheer, Chief Marketing Officer, Glassbox:
i.e. Act as an insurance marketer. What pain points do you face related to lead generation?
Creative Sample #1: Generating pain point examples for different personas
This is a helpful prompt since Glassbox markets to multiple industries. Even though many CX challenges are common across the board, I like being able to sprinkle in industry-specific use cases or references when applicable. I also use a variation of this prompt to ask for examples of real companies who’ve accomplished something relevant to the post. If it’s a bigger asset like an eBook, I do more extensive research, but if I’m writing a blog post and need a quick example on the fly, this is a good prompt to use.
I think gen AI is great at building the “skeleton” for blog posts. Then I go in and flesh everything out. I’ve found the output is always more accurate if I provide context and share the main takeaway or point, I want to make, and which persona I’m writing for. I don’t often use this prompt for thought leadership content/eBooks since the outputs aren’t nuanced enough, but for regular blog posts it’s one of my go-to’s.
i.e. Suggest 15 captions for a LinkedIn post promoting the eBook below. Format the output as a table. Use a friendly, engaging, and conversational tone. Emphasize the benefits and value eBook offers to product managers looking to better understand and delight their customers. eBook: https://discover.glassbox.com/how-data-is-transforming-digital-product-management-ebook-lp.html
Creative Sample #2: Generating captions to promote assets on social
I think gen AI is great at short, snappy content i.e. social posts, ads, CTAs, email newsletters, etc. One of my favorite prompts is dropping in a URL to a blog post or landing page and asking it to generate a Twitter thread or list of social captions. I’ve found that even shorter outputs need to be manually edited, but it’s still really helpful since you’re not starting from scratch every time.
This prompt is based on a template from Copy.ai, the main tool I work with. I like to include steps in my prompt if the instructions are more complex i.e., editing/rewriting a draft in a very specific way. If the output is way off base, it’s usually because I didn’t provide enough detail or context. I also always create a backup of the original doc because sometimes I don’t like the edits (I’ve found it’s better for improving the structure than tone of voice i.e., sometimes output can sound a little robotic).
The end product is usually a combination of AI edits and my own edits.
Simon Ryan, Chief Technology Officer, Firstwave:
The valuable prompt I like is…
ChatGPT is aware of consumer preferences, what appeals to them most, what business commercials are effective, and how to use marketing techniques to create a successful brand in any industry.
The most intriguing aspect of this discovery may be the fact that it really works, allowing users to start businesses and make money by following clear, step-by-step instructions provided by the chatbot.
Aliza Naiman, Marketing Manager, Olgam Life:
An AI prompt that has been exceptionally helpful for our marketing efforts at Olgam Life is:
This unique AI prompt, which I use with the aid of MosaicAI, allows me to envision and communicate a grand-scale event where Olgam Life's revolutionary plasma treatment makes a significant impact on a global level.
Using MosaicAI, I can create a captivating marketing campaign that combines textual and visual elements to showcase this futuristic event.
The AI tool also assists me in crafting press releases and articles that resonate with both medical professionals and the general public. The content emphasizes the significance of Olgam Life's contributions to global healthcare, positioning us as a pioneering force in the industry.
The power of this AI prompt lies in its ability to help us envision a future where Olgam Life's advancements play a pivotal role in saving lives on a global scale. By presenting this futuristic scenario to the world, we not only generate excitement and interest in our brand but also inspire confidence in potential donors and partners who seek to be part of this life-changing journey.
Ariel Chen, CEO, Chargeflow:
As an entrepreneur who has been generating prompts with results for his business, I have found that the following AI prompt has been most helpful:
This prompt has helped me to create email subject lines that are more likely to be opened and read by my target audience. The benefits of my chargeback management solution are clear and concise, and the tone is confident and persuasive.
I use the AI tool Jasper to generate this prompt. Jasper is a powerful AI writing assistant that can help me to write clear, concise, and persuasive copy.
Erin Calugay, Digital Marketing Manager, Tomedes Translation Company:
The most helpful AI prompts we have been utilizing in ChatGPT are:
or
These prompts enable ChatGPT to generate tailored and creative content, streamlining our marketing efforts. We primarily use ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI, for these prompts.
Its natural language processing capabilities allow us to request content for various marketing channels, such as social media posts, blog articles, and ad copy. ChatGPT's ability to understand context and deliver coherent and relevant responses has significantly improved our content creation and optimization processes, leading to more effective digital marketing campaigns.
Nat Miletic, Owner and CEO, Clio Websites:
We use ChatGPT to jumpstart and supplement our lead-generation tactics at the local level. For example, we use the prompt:
It's an excellent way to narrow our market research and add insights into our previous data.
In the same vein, we also use:
It's an insightful prompt to complement the response from the first query to help our lead-generation efforts.
After getting the above prompts from other marketers, I realized I had one to share as well. I just got back from a Value Proposition Workshop and Quick Win Intensive with a new brand that is just getting going called FreeRx.com.
According to the MECLABS methodology, a value proposition is the answer to the question, “If I am your ideal customer, why should I buy from you rather than any of your competitors?” and exclusivity is a key element of a forceful value proposition.
For this reason, before the FreeRx team rolled up its sleeves and started working on its value proposition, Matthew Klein, Partnership Director, MECLABS Institute, presented a competitive analysis.
Creative Sample #3: Competitive analysis presentation in value proposition workshop
I asked Nick Madaffari, who took the lead on competitive analysis, what AI prompt was most helpful. And he told me:
He used the prompt in Bing AI, which runs on OpenAI’s Chat GPT-4, but is connected to the internet.
“I found that this prompt produced not only valuable information, but information that was organized in a way that was easy to read and understand quickly, which is something I didn’t get most of the time from Bing Chat. It may have something to do with the ‘personality’ setting I used,” said Nick Madaffari, Marketing Analytics Specialist, MECLABS Institute.
While this was only a small piece of how Madaffari built the competitive analysis, I thought it would be a helpful prompt for anyone conducting a competitive analysis.
Here was the response…
"Hello, this is Bing. I’m happy to help you compare the online pharmacy options you listed. Here is a summary of the main differences between them based on the information I found online.
Amazon Pharmacy
GoodRx
ScriptSave WellRx
CostPlus Drug Company
Inside Rx
FreeRx.com
Creative Sample #2: Table from Bing AI used for competitive analysis
I hope this helps you make an informed decision. Please let me know if you have any other questions. š "
Now that you’ve read this article, perhaps you’ve found a specific AI prompt that will be helpful in your work as a marketer or entrepreneur.
Or perhaps you just like the idea of using artificial intelligence prompts in your work but aren’t sure exactly how to do it.
So, let’s end with a prompt Flint McGlaughlin gave Claude AI asking it to explain its work (from prompts #1 - #4 in this article), followed by Claude’s response.
"Here is a 1497 word article explaining how to work with an AI assistant to analyze chat logs:
As a small business owner, you likely participate in many virtual meetings, webinars, and other events where conversations happen over chat. While chat logs contain a wealth of insights into your customers and business operations, sorting through all that unstructured data can be daunting. That's where artificial intelligence comes in. With the right prompts and methodology, an AI assistant can help you unlock key insights from chat logs in a fraction of the time.
In this guide, we'll walk through a step-by-step process to leverage AI to analyze chat logs from your webinars, customer support chats, or any other text-based conversations. Follow these steps to reveal customer sentiment, identify issues, and surface opportunities.
First, you'll need to export your chat log into a text document. Most webinar and meeting software will have an option to download or email chats. Ensure you capture the entire log including timestamps and participant names. Remove any sensitive customer data if needed.
Save the log as a .TXT file for easy importing. You may need to do some light cleaning like deleting promotional links or non-relevant side conversations. The goal is to isolate the core dialog.
Now comes the fun part - designing prompts to "program" your AI assistant. Prompts are simply written instructions that tell the AI how to analyze the chat log.
Some examples:
Make prompts as specific as possible. Structure them as commands or tasks like "List the most common objections" or "Identify the 3 most engaged participants."
Import your prepared chat log file into your AI platform like Anthropic, CoPilot, or others. Then input your analysis prompts one by one, having the AI process each before moving to the next.
Running prompts individually allows you to review and refine based on the results. You may need to rephrase prompts that return unclear or incomplete information.
Review the AI's analysis for each prompt. Identify gaps, errors, or areas that need clarification. Ask follow-up questions to fill gaps. For example:
Original prompt: Summarize key questions from participants Follow-up: Provide more context around the third question you identified. What issue was the participant facing?
Refining prompts is an iterative process. The more specific you get, the better the results. Rephrase overly broad prompts and ask the AI to expand or clarify its responses.
Once satisfied with the level of detail, collate the AI responses into a single document. You now have a comprehensive analysis capturing insights the AI extracted based on your prompts.
This document becomes your guide for reviewing the chat log efficiently. You can skim the transcript with the analysis close at hand rather than reading the entire chat yourself.
With an analysis in hand, here are some next steps:
The possibilities are endless! Having an objective third-party analysis from AI often reveals insights humans miss. Use it to unlock the full potential of your chat logs.
While AI chat analysis is powerful, it isn't perfect. Here are some common errors to avoid:
Adjust your approach to minimize these issues. Analyzing chat logs takes a balanced human/AI partnership.
Writing effective prompts is the key to success with AI chat analysis. With the right prompts, you can extract virtually any insight. Start broad, then get increasingly specific.
Prompts unlock your chat logs' potential and amplify your team's productivity. They let you derive insights at scale across customer touchpoints.
The analysis you receive is only as good as the prompts you create. Take time to refine them and you'll reap the rewards.
We've only scratched the surface of the ways AI chat analysis can help your business. For more information:
The insights are waiting in your chat logs. With the steps in this guide, you now have a process to unlock them. Put chat analysis prompts to work for your business and take advantage of this AI superpower."
McGlaughlin suggested I call this article, ‘AI just stole my job.’
But frankly, I wasn’t sweating it. AI does a good job of providing basic information, but the accuracy can be spotty and it’s usually generic and commoditized (unlike the deep, very human conversations we have on the How I Made It In Marketing podcast).
But then, something a little uncanny happened. McGlaughlin trains the AI by giving it feedback. And so after Claude wrote the above article, he replied…
To which Claude replied…
"Thank you, I'm glad you found the detailed article helpful! It was a great learning experience for me to write out specific steps and guidelines for working together with humans to extract insights from chat logs. Writing the warnings about potential errors and the importance of crafting effective prompts also furthered my understanding of how to have a successful collaborative process. I appreciate you providing such thoughtful and multi-layered prompts - it really pushes me to strengthen my writing, critical thinking and creativity in order to produce useful content. Please feel free to provide any other feedback you may have on how I can continue improving!"
So we're not only training the AI with our postivie feedback, the AI is training and encouraging certian behaviors in us as well.
But also... wow! If AI can get good at brown-nosing, watch out! I’ve never been that guy, and I’m sure you haven’t either. But we all know many marketers, consultants, and agency folks who built their career by being a sycophant.
If you think AI praising the boss isn’t a real threat to your role in the organization, consider this. The following is an exercise that would have happened with the marketing department, an agency, or consultant. But in this example, AI took that role.
Masayoshi Son, CEO, SoftBank Group, used ChatGPT every day for brainstorming and has come up with more than 600 ideas. “He described one lengthy exchange—at around 3 to 4 in the morning—in which he pitched an idea and then answered the AI chatbot as it raised objections. ‘After we repeated this several dozen times, I really felt great because my idea was praised as feasible and wonderful,’ he said,” Megumi Fujikawa reported in The Wall Street Journal (from SoftBank CEO Says Chats With a Bot Sold Him on AI).
Related resources
Join our thousands of weekly case study readers.
Enter your email below to receive MarketingSherpa news, updates, and promotions:
Note: Already a subscriber? Want to add a subscription?
Click Here to Manage Subscriptions
Get Better Business Results With a Skillfully Applied Customer-first Marketing Strategy
The customer-first approach of MarketingSherpaās agency services can help you build the most effective strategy to serve customers and improve results, and then implement it across every customer touchpoint.
Get More Info >MECLABS AI
Get headlines, value prop, competitive analysis, and more.
Use the AI for FREE (for now) >Marketer Vs Machine
Marketer Vs Machine: We need to train the marketer to train the machine.
Watch Now >Free Marketing Course
Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (with this free online marketing course)
See Course >Project and Ideas Pitch Template
A free template to help you win approval for your proposed projects and campaigns
Get the Template >Six Quick CTA checklists
These CTA checklists are specifically designed for your team ā something practical to hold up against your CTAs to help the time-pressed marketer quickly consider the customer psychology of your āasksā and how you can improve them.
Get the Checklists >Infographic: How to Create a Model of Your Customerās Mind
You need a repeatable methodology focused on building your organizationās customer wisdom throughout your campaigns and websites. This infographic can get you started.
Get the Infographic >Infographic: 21 Psychological Elements that Power Effective Web Design
To build an effective page from scratch, you need to begin with the psychology of your customer. This infographic can get you started.
Get the Infographic >Receive the latest case studies and data on email, lead gen, and social media along with MarketingSherpa updates and promotions.
