AI Labs · Prompts
The top 5 AI mistakes people make
Five ways shops waste their first month with AI, and what to do instead.
In AI Labs episode 4, Tom walks through the five ways shops waste their first month with AI, and the one template that fixes most of them. Fill in the blanks and almost any request gets better.
The prompt
Copy this in full and paste it into the AI tool you already use.
ROLE:
You are a [specialist or expert type].
CONTEXT:
[Briefly describe who you are, what you’re working on, and why this task matters.]
DATA:
[Paste only the relevant information, text, or data needed to complete the task.]
OUTPUT:
[Specify the desired format for the response — for example: bullet list, numbered plan, table, report, JSON, etc.]
RULES:
[List tone, style, word limits, constraints, or “do/don’t” instructions here.]
GOAL:
[Clearly define what success looks like — what a correct or ideal result should achieve.]
Example in action:
ROLE:
You are a financial analyst for a collision repair shop.
CONTEXT:
We are reviewing our monthly P&L to identify areas to increase profitability.
DATA:
[Paste the P&L or summary data here.]
OUTPUT:
Return a short summary with three bullet points showing the top opportunities to improve profit margins, including why each matters.
RULES:
Be specific, clear, and concise. No filler language.
GOAL:
Help the shop owner see exactly where they can save or earn more money this month.