Prompt Templates You Can Use Today
3.8 — Prompt Templates You Can Use Today
Estimated reading time: 14 minutes
You've covered the theory. You understand the framework. Now it's time to put everything together into a practical toolkit you can use starting today.
This lesson is a library of ten ready-to-use prompt templates — one for each of the most common tasks people use AI for. Each template is based on everything you've learned in this module: clear task statements, rich context, format specifications, tone guidance, and negative constraints where they help.
Fill in the brackets. Delete anything that doesn't apply. Hit send.
These are starting points, not scripts. Tweak them as you learn what works for your specific needs and style.
How to Use These Templates
Each template follows a consistent structure:
- What it's for — the use case
- The template — ready to copy, with
[BRACKETS]for you to fill in - Notes — what to customize and why
Template 1: Professional Email
What it's for: Drafting important emails — client updates, requests, difficult conversations, announcements
Write a professional email from me to [RECIPIENT NAME/ROLE] at [COMPANY/CONTEXT].
Situation: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHY YOU'RE WRITING]
My goal with this email: [WHAT YOU WANT THE RECIPIENT TO DO OR FEEL AFTER READING]
Key points to include:
1. [POINT 1]
2. [POINT 2]
3. [POINT 3 — add or remove as needed]
Tone: [e.g., professional but warm / apologetic but confident / direct and brief]
Length: [e.g., under 200 words / as short as possible / 3 short paragraphs]
Do not start with "I hope this email finds you well" or any similar opener.
Do not end with "Please don't hesitate to reach out."
Start directly with the core message.
Notes: The "goal with this email" field is the most important one most people skip. What do you actually want to happen? Knowing this shapes everything else.
Template 2: Meeting or Content Summary
What it's for: Summarizing meeting notes, articles, reports, transcripts, or long documents
Summarize the following [DOCUMENT TYPE: meeting notes / article / report / transcript].
Context: [WHO WILL READ THIS SUMMARY AND HOW THEY'LL USE IT — e.g., "This is for my manager who missed the meeting and needs to make a follow-up decision"]
Summarize into:
- Key decisions or conclusions: [NUMBER] bullet points
- Action items (if applicable): who is doing what by when
- Open questions or unresolved issues (if any)
Length: [e.g., under 200 words / one paragraph / one page max]
Do not include background information that wasn't explicitly discussed.
Stick to what was actually said.
[PASTE CONTENT TO SUMMARIZE HERE]
Notes: The context field ("who will read this") changes the emphasis dramatically. A summary for a CEO is very different from one for a project team.
Template 3: Brainstorming Ideas
What it's for: Generating ideas for projects, content, campaigns, products, solutions
Act as a creative strategist with experience in [RELEVANT INDUSTRY OR FIELD].
Generate [NUMBER] ideas for [WHAT YOU'RE BRAINSTORMING — e.g., "blog post topics / marketing campaign concepts / product names / ways to reduce customer churn"].
Context:
- Who I am: [YOUR ROLE/BUSINESS IN ONE SENTENCE]
- The audience or customer: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION]
- Constraint or focus: [ANY IMPORTANT LIMITS — e.g., "low budget," "B2B only," "must work for a non-technical audience"]
- What I've already considered or want to avoid: [ANYTHING TO EXCLUDE]
Format: [NUMBER] ideas, each with a one-sentence description and one sentence on why it could work.
Prioritize ideas that are [QUALITY — e.g., "unconventional / specific / low-cost / immediately actionable"].
Do not include generic ideas that would apply to any business in this category.
Notes: The "what I've already considered" field prevents the AI from giving you ideas you already rejected. This is one of the most time-saving fields to fill in.
Template 4: Research and Explanation
What it's for: Learning about a topic, getting a briefing, understanding something new
Act as a knowledgeable expert in [TOPIC AREA].
I want to understand [SPECIFIC TOPIC OR QUESTION].
My current knowledge level: [COMPLETE BEGINNER / SOME FAMILIARITY / WORKING KNOWLEDGE — describe briefly]
Please cover:
1. Plain-language overview (2-3 sentences)
2. The [NUMBER] most important things I need to understand about this
3. One concrete real-world example that makes the main concept tangible
4. [OPTIONAL: The most common misconception about this topic]
5. [OPTIONAL: What to read or explore next if I want to go deeper]
Do not assume I know industry jargon — define any technical terms you use.
Do not lecture me about the importance of the topic.
Get straight to the substance.
Notes: Specifying your knowledge level prevents the AI from either over-explaining basics or assuming knowledge you don't have.
Template 5: Editing and Improving Your Writing
What it's for: Getting feedback on and improvements to something you've already written
Act as a skilled editor with experience in [TYPE OF WRITING — e.g., business communication / journalism / marketing copy / academic writing].
Please review the following [DOCUMENT TYPE] and:
1. Identify the 3 most important improvements I should make (be specific — not "be clearer" but exactly what is unclear and how to fix it)
2. Note anything that is working well that I should keep
3. Rewrite the weakest section to show me what improved looks like
My goal with this piece: [WHAT IT SHOULD ACCOMPLISH / WHO WILL READ IT]
Be honest and direct — I want real editorial feedback, not encouragement.
[PASTE YOUR WRITING HERE]
Notes: Asking for both strengths and weaknesses gets you better feedback. Asking the AI to rewrite one section shows you the improvement rather than just describing it.
Template 6: Creating Social Media Content
What it's for: LinkedIn posts, Twitter/X threads, Instagram captions, any social platform
Write [NUMBER] [PLATFORM — LinkedIn / Twitter / Instagram] [CONTENT TYPE — post / thread / caption] about [TOPIC].
About me / my brand: [ONE OR TWO SENTENCE DESCRIPTION]
Target audience: [WHO FOLLOWS YOU / WHO YOU WANT TO REACH]
Goal of this content: [e.g., build authority / drive traffic / start a conversation / announce something]
Tone: [e.g., professional but personable / casual and direct / inspiring / data-driven]
Format requirements:
- Length: [PLATFORM-APPROPRIATE — e.g., "under 300 characters" for Twitter, "150-300 words" for LinkedIn]
- [OPTIONAL: Start with a hook, not with "I" or my name]
- [OPTIONAL: End with a question to encourage comments]
- [OPTIONAL: No hashtags / max 3 hashtags]
Here's an example of a post I've written that I liked (use this as a style reference):
[PASTE EXAMPLE OR DELETE THIS LINE]
Do not use generic inspirational phrases like "success is a journey" or
"the only limit is yourself."
Notes: Pasting an example of your own previous post is the single biggest upgrade you can make to this template — it gives the AI your actual voice to match.
Template 7: Writing a Report or Proposal
What it's for: Business reports, project proposals, recommendations, memos
Act as a professional business writer with experience in [INDUSTRY/FIELD].
Write a [DOCUMENT TYPE — report / proposal / memo / recommendation] on [TOPIC].
Audience: [WHO WILL READ THIS AND WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT]
Purpose: [WHAT THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD ACCOMPLISH]
Recommendation/conclusion: [IF YOU KNOW YOUR CONCLUSION, STATE IT — the document should support this]
Include these sections:
1. [SECTION 1 — e.g., Executive Summary]
2. [SECTION 2 — e.g., Background / Situation]
3. [SECTION 3 — e.g., Findings / Analysis]
4. [SECTION 4 — e.g., Recommendations]
5. [SECTION 5 — e.g., Next Steps]
Key facts and data to include:
- [FACT/DATA POINT 1]
- [FACT/DATA POINT 2]
- [ADD MORE AS NEEDED]
Length: [APPROXIMATE WORD COUNT OR PAGE COUNT]
Tone: [FORMAL AND OBJECTIVE / PERSUASIVE / ANALYTICAL]
Do not pad sections to appear thorough.
Every sentence should add information, not restate what's already been said.
Notes: Providing your conclusion upfront sounds counterintuitive, but it helps the AI build a coherent, directional document rather than a meandering analysis.
Template 8: Planning and Organizing
What it's for: Project plans, schedules, checklists, step-by-step guides, how-to documents
Create a [PLAN / CHECKLIST / STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE / SCHEDULE] for [GOAL OR TASK].
Context:
- Who this is for: [YOURSELF / A TEAM / A CLIENT / A BEGINNER]
- Timeframe: [AVAILABLE TIME — e.g., "needs to happen in 4 weeks"]
- Resources available: [TEAM SIZE, BUDGET, TOOLS, OR CONSTRAINTS]
- Starting point: [WHAT'S ALREADY DONE OR IN PLACE]
- End goal: [SPECIFICALLY WHAT DOES "DONE" LOOK LIKE]
Format: [NUMBERED STEPS / WEEKLY BREAKDOWN / CHECKLIST WITH CHECKBOXES / TABLE]
For each step, include: [WHAT TO DO / TIME ESTIMATE / WHO IS RESPONSIBLE — delete any that don't apply]
Flag any steps where I should be especially careful or where things typically go wrong.
Think through dependencies — what must be done before each step can begin.
Notes: The "starting point" and "end goal" fields are often skipped and shouldn't be. The AI's plan is only as good as its understanding of where you're starting from and what success actually looks like.
Template 9: Difficult Conversations
What it's for: Scripting hard conversations — feedback delivery, negotiations, conflict resolution, sensitive announcements
Help me prepare for a difficult conversation.
The situation: [DESCRIBE WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO AND THE SITUATION — as neutrally and specifically as possible]
My goal: [WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE — be honest, even if it sounds self-interested]
The other person's likely goal or concern: [WHAT THEY PROBABLY WANT / FEAR]
What I want help with: [Choose one or more]
- [ ] A script for how to open the conversation
- [ ] Key points I should make and how to frame them
- [ ] Likely objections or reactions and how to respond
- [ ] How to end the conversation constructively
Tone guidance: [e.g., firm but fair / empathetic and honest / direct without being harsh]
Important context I don't want you to miss: [ANYTHING THAT CHANGES THE SITUATION]
Do not give me generic conflict resolution platitudes.
Give me specific language I can actually use in this situation.
Notes: The "other person's likely goal" field is crucial. Most bad conversations happen because one person is thinking only about what they want to say. This forces you to consider the other perspective before you even start.
Template 10: Decision Support
What it's for: Working through a decision, analyzing options, building a framework for a choice you're facing
Act as an objective advisor helping me think through an important decision.
The decision: [DESCRIBE WHAT YOU'RE DECIDING]
My situation: [RELEVANT BACKGROUND — who you are, the stakes, the timeframe, any constraints]
Options I'm considering:
1. [OPTION 1]
2. [OPTION 2]
3. [OPTION 3 — add or remove]
What matters most to me in making this decision:
- [PRIORITY 1]
- [PRIORITY 2]
- [PRIORITY 3]
Think through this step by step. For each option, analyze:
the potential upside, the main risk, and what would need to be true
for it to be the right choice.
Then give me your honest recommendation — including the most important
factor you think I should weigh, and any assumption you're making
that I should verify.
Do not tell me "it depends" without specifying what it depends on.
Do not give me a balanced "here are pros and cons" answer —
give me a recommendation.
Notes: This template works because it forces the AI to commit to a recommendation rather than sitting comfortably in the middle. If you disagree with the recommendation, that disagreement is useful information — it helps you understand what you actually value.
Your Prompt Template Toolkit
Here's a quick-reference summary of all ten templates:
| # | Template | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional Email | Drafting important emails |
| 2 | Meeting/Content Summary | Summarizing long content |
| 3 | Brainstorming Ideas | Generating options and ideas |
| 4 | Research and Explanation | Learning something new |
| 5 | Editing Your Writing | Improving a draft |
| 6 | Social Media Content | Posts, threads, captions |
| 7 | Report or Proposal | Formal business documents |
| 8 | Planning and Organizing | Projects, checklists, guides |
| 9 | Difficult Conversations | Preparing for hard talks |
| 10 | Decision Support | Analyzing options, making choices |
Key Takeaway: These templates are designed to be starting points, not scripts. The more you customize them with your specific context, the better the results. Save the templates you use most, and update them as you learn what works for you.
Your Next Step
You've now completed Module 3. Here's what you have:
- A framework (Task, Context, Format, Tone) for building any prompt from scratch
- Role prompting techniques for activating specific expertise
- Few-shot prompting for teaching by example
- Chain-of-thought prompting for complex reasoning tasks
- Negative constraint techniques for eliminating AI defaults
- An iterative dialogue approach for refining outputs
- Ten ready-to-use templates for the most common tasks
The only thing left to do is practice. Pick one template that applies to something you actually need to do this week. Fill it in. Run it. Notice what works and what you'd tweak.
Then do it again.
That repeated, intentional practice — more than anything else — is what makes the difference between someone who uses AI occasionally and someone who uses it to do genuinely better work every day.
You've completed Module 3: Prompt Engineering: Getting Great Results
You've finished all the lessons in Module 3. Take the quiz to test your knowledge →