With a seemingly unending stream of online tutorials promising to demystify ChatGPT, it’s hard to know where to begin. As of this writing, a simple search of the phrase, “ChatGPT Marketing Prompts,” yields over 10.6M results—with one of the top hits hilariously reading, “230 Chat Prompts Marketers Should Use.”
Two. Hundred. Thirty.
Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Finding practical guidance on the latest AI tools shouldn’t be like searching for a needle in a haystack. That’s why we’re here with a simple, straightforward approach. We understand the fascination with ChatGPT and the challenges of navigating its capabilities effectively. So, we’re cutting through the clutter to cover these essentials:
- Importance of Knowing Your Tool
- Keeping Proper Perspective
- Using Mad-Lib Marketing Formulas
- Fun with Unconventional Prompts
Whether you’re brand new to ChatGPT or you’ve been using it with some success, we’ve got you covered.
New Tech, Who Dis?
In the simplest terms, ChatGPT is a Generative AI technology capable of creating new content based on patterns and examples it’s been trained on.
Why is this so important to call out?
ChatGPT is trained on a wealth of information. But even with all that information, there’s an Algorithm Bias. In other words, because it hasn’t been trained on everything equally, it needs to be held accountable by the user—that's you. Think of it this way: In the same way you shouldn’t believe everything on the internet, you should be just as cautious using ChatGPT. Look closely beneath the text input box. It reads, “ChatGPT can make mistakes. Consider checking important information.”
This Should be Everyone’s Most-Used Prompt
For any response that sounds like an absolute statement, ask a follow-up question before accepting it as gospel truth. Nothing fancy. Simply ask this way:
PROMPT: What’s the source of this information?
So many of us are focused on developing our prompting prowess that we forget one of the most critical skills needed: Holding AI performance accountable to the highest standards of accuracy and trustworthiness.
Please prompt responsibly.
Not Replacing the Human Touch—Enhancing It.
You’ve probably heard this before. It’s the rallying call for those championing Generative AI. And it’s usually the answer to the question, “Will this technology replace humans?” It’s not about replacing the human touch—it's about enhancing it.
This kind of response shouldn’t be used to dismiss serious ethical, moral, and legal concerns. It’s extremely important for industry leaders and policymakers to develop and implement regulations that promote transparency and accountability, as well as foster public dialogue and awareness about the ethical implications of Generative AI. But this idea of enhancement also opens the opportunity to discuss why the human touch is so irreplaceable.
Effective marketing is based on building relationships.
On a fundamental level, it’s an exercise in making an emotional connection. In marketing you need to understand and empathize with your audience. Customer-centric messages are best delivered through storytelling (AKA relating through shared experience). And when people can relate to your marketing, the message resonates. It connects. It’s felt on a deep level.
ChatGPT is an incredibly advanced technology. It generates ideas faster than we can. It helps shorten our decision-making process. But it doesn’t replace our emotional intelligence.
If ChatGPT is the telescope capturing a galaxy of information, emotional intelligence is our North Star.
Test. Learn. Adapt.
A wonderful way to integrate ChatGPT into your daily workflow is to pick something easy. Don’t feel like you need to implement AI into your most important project. Try setting a simple goal in a low-risk setting. Have fun! Experiment. Enjoy the learning process and before you know it, you’ll be a master of prompts.
Here’s one of the most popular prompt formulas out there:
- Act As (Expertise)
- Perform (Task)
- Format (Output)
- Context (Focus)
- Example (Guide)
Think of it like MAD LIB MARKETING. Here’s an example a non-profit might use when drafting a promotional email:
ACTING AS a copywriting expert, WRITE a persuasive three-paragraph EMAIL ending with a strong CTA, to prospective DONORS interested in medical research funding WHO ARE DRIVEN BY a need to help friends and family affected by a broken healthcare system, USING the following brochure copy as a guide for style and tone.
Does this format look familiar? It should...
This prompt framework follows the same format as a creative brief: Deliverable, Key Message, Branding, Target Audience, etc. And just like a creative brief, the more specific your prompt, the better response you’ll get.
This is not to say you’ll have a final, polished version from the first response. In fact, it’s best not to use ChatGPT for creating the end-product. Rather, instead of staring at a blank screen with a blinking cursor, you’ll have a strong starting point to reduce your time in the draft stage.
Pun Protection
What happens when prompts lack context? What happens when there’s no clear direction outlining tone and style? What’s the worst that could happen when you don’t provide an example?
Sickeningly sappy language.
Excessive poetic alliteration.
The dreaded dad-joke.
If you find yourself in this situation, fear not. You can provide follow-up prompts with added constraints. For example, you may still want an informal style but without the offending extremes.
PROMPT: Please write again keeping the same friendly, approachable tone but without flowery language or humor that undercuts the primary message.
Method 1: Crafting Killer Content
In 2016, the travel company Airbnb launched a campaign telling everyone to stop traveling. It was challenging a stereotype of what “travel” means. The campaign title was, “Don’t Go There, Live There,” and it positioned Airbnb to connect with people who wanted to fill their lives with meaningful experiences and live like locals do. It challenged a commonly held belief that all U.S. travelers are equivalent to annoying American tourists.
Counterintuitive Prompts
Challenging commonly held beliefs is a fantastic way to gain your audience’s attention. So, why not use ChatGPT to unearth failed logic, unfair stereotypes, and overused clichés? ChatGPT can help you uncover some potentially profound insights. Try these prompts and follow-ups:
1. PROMPT: What are 3 common cliches about using [product/service]?
2. FOLLOW-UP: Write 3 paradoxes about those 3 cliches.
1. PROMPT: What are 3 limitations of [product/service]?
2. FOLLOW-UP: Tell me why those limitations are actually a good thing.
Method 2: Test Your Value Prop with Role Play
DISCLAIMER: This is not the same as market research. This is not a focus group. It's a fun, interactive, engaging exercise to help you start thinking from a unique perspective. You can challenge your own premise, work through logical arguments, and improve your message.
EXAMPLE
- PROMPT: ACT AS a CEO whose net worth exceeds $50M. You’re searching for a financial advisor to help with managing your investment portfolio, but you're wary of lesser-known financial firms that don’t have big brand name recognition. Engage in conversation with me, a local financial advisor from a smaller firm with a notable reputation, as if we’re both at a local networking event.
- PROMPT: ACT AS a single-parent mother of three children who’s loyal to ethically sourced, sustainable clothing brands, but doesn’t like paying a premium price for clothes her kids grow out of fast. Engage in conversation with me, a mother who only shops at second-hand stores and thrift shops. Convince me why paying a premium price for sustainable brands is better than thrifting, especially for short-term solutions.
Super-Powered Sounding Board
With each example, you can have a conversation with any persona you create. Again, this isn’t a replacement for market research, but chances are you already know your audience well enough to start. And if anything, it’s an opportunity to experiment with hypothetical feedback instead of the typical one-way marketing monologue.
Method 3: Tackling Creative Block
Sometimes you only need a jumpstart to get back in the creative groove. Well-known brainstorming methods can be put to work in your prompts too. Conceptual Blockbusting is one such method that reframes problems by using concepts like hypotheticals, comparison, and visualization to name a few. Another method is Lateral Thinking, or finding connections between seemingly unrelated, completely different ideas.
EXAMPLES
- PROMPT: Write 10 creative campaign ideas using Conceptual Blockbusting to help promote youth sports during the offseason.
- PROMPT: Generate 10 family-friendly ideas using Lateral Thinking for interactive community building activities that can be easily shared on social media.
With a little finesse, you could land on some off-the-wall ideas that bring much needed humor, or even deep insights to your strategies. At the very least, you’ll be putting your brain into the right creative gear.
Respect for Inspiration
While ChatGPT can summon ideas with a click, it’s not guaranteed any of them will be good. Creatives know that landing on the right idea is a process of elimination. And some of the best ideas come to us when we’re not staring at a screen: Hiking a trail. Preparing a meal. Running some errands... then suddenly out of nowhere, lightning strikes. We may not always be able to trace the origin of a great idea, but that doesn’t mean we should dismiss any part of the process that leads us there... even if it involves ChatGPT.
Method 4: Simplifying Your Message
Clarity is paramount in marketing. Finding the perfect turn of phrase can mean the difference between messaging that hits hard or falls flat. When you're facing the challenging task of making the complex simple, try these prompts:
- REWRITE this headline using short, punchy copy no longer than six words.
- SUMMARIZE this webpage into three key points, each with its own headline.
- IMPROVE this message to create more urgency without using click-bait language.
- OPTIMIZE this email for improved clarity and impact.
- REVIEW and IDENTIFY any areas for SEO improvement in this social post copy.
Method 5: Feeding the Content Monster
It’s the pressure to create something amazing overnight, in a rapidly evolving environment—and then do it again the next day.
Repurpose = Reward
When looking for opportunities to stretch your content across different channels, experienced marketers know that repurposing is a winning strategy. And while it’s better than starting from scratch, there’s still a lot of reworking involved. Keeping with our theme of using ChatGPT as a healthy head start, try these prompts:
- REPURPOSE this blog as a carousel for FB that follows the AIDA principle
- BASED ON this About Us page copy, create an email drip campaign
- TRANSLATE this whitepaper into five potential ideas for explainer videos
- LIST 10 ways to repurpose this Executive Director letter across social media
And remember, adding ACT AS, CONTEXT, EXAMPLE, and other specific parameters to your prompts will help ensure consistency and focused responses. The quality of your prompts will be the measure of your result.
So, What Now?
Moving from the hypothetical to real-world scenarios can be the biggest challenge. Sure, in theory all this should open a new world of possibilities. In practice, frustration can overshadow your best attempts. When that happens, keep this in mind:
- Know Your Tool
Understanding how ChatGPT functions will inform how you use it. Keep learning and maintain a student mindset as you build your confidence. - Start Small and Make it Fun
There’s ZERO pressure to master this right away. Get comfortable, take your time, and if you’re having difficulty, remember there’s at least another 10 million resources out there! - Keep Prompts Specific
Algorithm Bias isn’t only about the information ChatGPT is trained on, it’s about the relationship between the quality of your prompt, the resulting response, and your consistent validation to ensure accuracy. - Emotional Intelligence is Your North Star
Use it as your guide to make genuine connections with your audience.
Did ChatGPT Write This?
Nope. But it certainly helped!
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