Start Lesson
Here is the prompt most people write when they need a client email:
Write an email to my client about the project delay.
You get a 250-word email that opens with "I hope this email finds you well," apologizes four times, uses the word "unfortunately" three times, and closes with "please do not hesitate to reach out." You delete it and write the email yourself.
Now the same task with CGC structure and a role:
Act as a senior project manager at a design agency who is
direct but respectful.
Write a follow-up email to a client who has not responded
to two messages about approving the homepage mockup.
Context: The project is 5 days behind schedule because we
are waiting on their approval. The contract includes a clause
about client-caused delays.
The email should:
1. State the impact of the delay in one sentence
2. Reaffirm the value of the project with one specific result
from the last phase
3. Offer two specific next steps: approve by Friday EOD, or
a 15-minute call Monday to discuss concerns
Tone: professional but firm. Under 120 words.
Do not use: "I hope this email finds you well," "unfortunately,"
or "please do not hesitate."
You get a tight, confident email that names the delay, references a real deliverable, and closes with two clear options. It sounds like it was written by someone who knows what they are doing.
This lesson is where CGC, roles, and constraints come together for the tasks you do every day.
After this lesson, you will be able to: generate usable first drafts of emails, content, and proposals using templates that combine every technique from this course so far.
Act as a [role] at [company type].
Write a [type] email to [recipient and their role].
Context: [What happened. Why you are writing. What is at stake.]
The email should:
1. [First thing the email must accomplish]
2. [Second thing]
3. [Close with: specific next step or CTA]
Tone: [professional/firm/warm/casual]. Length: under [number]
words. Do not use: [specific phrases you want excluded].
Expected output: A focused email with clear structure, no filler, and a specific closing action. The exclusions list is what prevents the AI from defaulting to corporate boilerplate.
Adaptation examples:
AIDA -- Attention, Interest, Desire, Action -- maps directly to prompt sections.
Act as a [role] who writes for [platform] targeting [audience].
Write a [platform] post about [topic].
Structure:
- HOOK: Open with [a surprising stat / a bold claim / a
relatable frustration]. Maximum 2 sentences.
- INTEREST: Explain [the core insight -- what most people
get wrong and what actually works].
- DESIRE: Show [the specific result or transformation --
use a concrete example or number].
- CTA: End with [what you want the reader to do: comment,
share, click, try something].
Tone: [direct/provocative/conversational]. Length: under
[number] words. Do not use: [buzzwords to exclude, e.g.,
"game-changer," "revolutionary," "unlock"].
Expected output: A post that opens strong, delivers one clear insight, and ends with a specific action. The AIDA structure prevents the AI from writing a post that is all setup and no payoff.
Filled-in example:
Act as a tech-savvy ops leader who writes for LinkedIn
targeting founders and department heads.
Write a LinkedIn post about why most companies waste money
on AI tools they do not need.
Structure:
- HOOK: Open with the stat that the average company now
spends $300/employee/year on AI subscriptions, up from
$0 two years ago.
- INTEREST: Explain the difference between AI that automates
real work vs. AI that looks impressive in demos but saves
no time.
- DESIRE: Show how a 30-minute audit of actual usage data
typically reveals 40% of AI subscriptions are unused.
- CTA: Ask readers to comment with the AI tool they regret
buying most.
Tone: direct, slightly provocative. Length: under 200 words.
Do not use: "game-changer," "revolutionary," "leverage," or
"in today's fast-paced world."
Act as a [role] writing a proposal for [client type].
Write a project proposal with these exact sections:
1. PROBLEM (3-4 sentences): [What the client is struggling
with, stated in their language, not yours]
2. APPROACH (1 paragraph): [What you will do, in plain
language -- no methodology jargon]
3. TIMELINE: [Phases with milestones, formatted as a table
with columns: Phase, Deliverable, Duration]
4. INVESTMENT: [Pricing structure -- fixed fee, retainer,
or phased billing]
5. RISKS AND MITIGATIONS: [Top 3 things that could go wrong
and how you handle each]
Audience: [who will read this -- technical buyer, executive
sponsor, or procurement]. Tone: [confident but not salesy].
Total length: under [number] words.
Expected output: A structured proposal where each section has a clear purpose. The timeline table format makes it easy to paste into a client deck. The risks section builds credibility -- it shows you have done this before and know where projects go sideways.
Never ship the first draft. Here is the two-prompt workflow:
Prompt 1: Use any template above to generate the first draft.
Prompt 2 (the feedback loop):
This draft is [good/close but needs work]. Make these
specific changes:
1. The opening [is too generic / buries the lead / needs a
stronger hook]. Rewrite it to [specific instruction].
2. [Quote a specific sentence]. This is [too formal / unclear /
missing the key detail]. Revise to [what you want instead].
3. The closing [does not have a clear next step / is too
passive]. End with [specific CTA].
Keep everything else the same. Do not rewrite sections I
did not mention.
The key: name the specific sentence and the specific fix. "Make it better" tells the AI nothing. "The second paragraph buries the pricing -- lead with the number" tells it exactly what to change.
Pick the writing task you do most often -- a client email, a status update, a social post. Use one of the three templates above. Then run the iteration prompt to refine it.
Your checklist:
If the first draft is already 80% there, your template is working. Save it -- you will need it in Lesson 6.
You have templates for writing. In the next lesson, you will get templates for research and analysis -- structured prompts for market research, competitor analysis, and the devil's advocate pattern that stress-tests your thinking before you commit to a decision.