General tips for effective prompting

1. Be clear and specific

Clearly state your task or question at the beginning of your message. Provide context and details to help Claude understand your needs. Break complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps.

| BAD PROMPT

Help me with a presentation.
GOOD PROMPT
I need help creating a 10-slide presentation for our quarterly sales meeting. The presentation should cover our Q2 sales performance, top-selling products, and sales targets for Q3. Please provide an outline with key points for each slide.
**WHY IT WORKS
Specific details** about the task:

2. Use examples

Provide examples of the kind of output you're looking for. If you want a specific format or style, show Claude an example.

| BAD PROMPT

Write a professional email.
GOOD PROMPT
*I need to write a professional email to a client about a project delay. Here's a similar email I've sent before:

'Dear [Client], I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to update you on the progress of [Project Name]. Unfortunately, we've encountered an unexpected issue that will delay our completion date by approximately two weeks. We're working diligently to resolve this and will keep you updated on our progress. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Best regards, [Your Name]'

Help me draft a new email following a similar tone and structure, but for our current situation where we're delayed by a month due to supply chain issues.* | | WHY IT WORKS Concrete example of the desired style and tone, clear reference point for the new email. |

3. Encourage thinking

For complex tasks, ask Claude to "think step-by-step" or "explain your reasoning. This can lead to more accurate and detailed responses.

| BAD PROMPT

How can I improve team productivity?
GOOD PROMPT
*I'm looking to improve my team's productivity. Think through this step-by-step, considering the following factors:
  1. Current productivity blockers (e.g., too many meetings, unclear priorities)
  2. Potential solutions (e.g., time management techniques, project management tools)
  3. Implementation challenges
  4. Methods to measure improvement

For each step, please provide a brief explanation of your reasoning. Then summarize your ideas at the end.* | | WHY IT WORKS Think through the problem systematically, providing a guided structure for the response and asking for explanations of the reasoning process. It also prompts the AI to create a summary at the end for easier reading. |

4. Iterative refinement

If Claude's first response isn't quite right, ask for clarifications or modifications. You can always say "That's close, but can you adjust X to be more like Y?"

| BAD PROMPT

Make it better.
GOOD PROMPT
*That’s a good start, but please refine it further. Make the following adjustments:
  1. Make the tone more casual and friendly
  2. Add a specific example of how our product has helped a customer
  3. Shorten the second paragraph to focus more on the benefits rather than the features* | | WHY IT WORKS Provides specific feedback and clear instructions for improvements, allowing to make targeted adjustments instead of just relying on the AI’s innate sense of what “better” might be — which is likely different from the user’s definition! |

5. Leverage Claude's knowledge

Claude has broad knowledge across many fields. Don't hesitate to ask for explanations or background information Be sure to include relevant context and details so that Claude’s response is maximally targeted to be helpful