Why Your “Smart Prompts” Aren’t Working (And What Actually Does)!

These 5 assumptions derail entire AI roadmaps — does your org secretly believe them too?

Author

Glenda Carnate
November 21, 2025

Read time: 2.5 minutes

If you’ve written a long prompt and still got average results from AI, here’s the explanation you need.

Last week, a friend proudly told me she had “finally mastered AI prompts.”

Her secret? “I just write… bigger paragraphs.”

But the AI still gave her the same vague, generic, copy-paste results.

She realized the problem wasn’t her wording but her overall strategy.

POWER MOVES FOR BETTER PROMPTS (Do These and Watch the Output Transform):

1. Instead of making prompts longer, try labeling each section.

Break your prompt into sections:

  • Aim,

  • Context,

  • Barriers,

  • Output format,

  • And lastly, Example.

The AI systems are more likely to identify and respond effectively to structured prompts.

2. Begin by stating the desired outcome.

For instance, begin with: “Your job is to help me achieve .....” This approach provides clear direction and minimizes ambiguity.

3. Define clear constraints for your prompt.

Greater specificity in constraints typically gives more accurate results. For example: “Improve this while keeping the tone casual and under 100 words.”

4. Clearly specify elements the AI should avoid.

Providing negative instructions can reduce unwanted results by up to 40%. For instance, add: “Do NOT use buzzwords or formal tone.”

💡Key Takeaway: 

Clear prompts aren’t about using more words. They’re about giving the AI a clear path, so your intent, structure, and boundaries guide it to the desired result without unnecessary information.

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