Table of Contents
Let’s get one thing clear: prompting isn’t a dark art.
You don’t need to be a coder. You don’t need to be a “prompt engineer.” And you definitely don’t need to spend hours experimenting with mystical formulas just to get AI to write a decent bit of copy.
The truth is, if you’ve worked in marketing for any length of time, you already have most of the skills needed to prompt well — you just haven’t realised it yet.
That said, I want to be upfront. There are some excellent deep-dive courses on prompting. I’ve done a few myself — and the insights I gained from MMC Learning have been genuinely useful, especially when it comes to more complex or strategic use cases. Their playbooks go deep, and I still refer to them when I need to get a prompt really sharp. If you’re looking for structured learning, I’d absolutely recommend them.
But this article isn’t that. This isn’t a course, a prompt dump, or a playbook. What I want to do is something simpler: Help you lose the fear.
Because prompting is often made to sound more intimidating than it really is. In reality? It’s largely common sense — and a lot of it overlaps with the kind of thinking that’s always been part of good marketing: understanding the audience, writing with intent, and giving a clear brief.
That’s the idea behind this article.
Let’s break the myth of magical prompting — and show why marketers are already better at this than they think.
The Myth of Magical Prompting
One of the biggest barriers I see — especially among marketers — is the belief that prompting is some kind of technical skill reserved for AI experts.
You’ve probably seen the posts:
“Here’s my secret prompt formula that will 10x your output…”
“Only 1% of people know how to do this…”
I’ll be honest — they used to intimidate me too. A lot!!!
They made it sound like you needed a computer science degree just to get a useful response from ChatGPT. But it’s not true — and it doesn’t hold up once you actually start prompting yourself.
The truth is, prompting isn’t about knowing secret code. It’s not about magic words or staying ahead of every new AI feature. It’s about clear, structured communication — and applying skills that most marketers already use every day.
In fact, many of the best prompts aren’t “clever” at all. In my professional opinion, they’re just well thought out. They set the scene. They define a role. They guide tone, purpose, and output.
If that sounds familiar, it should — it’s the same mindset you use when briefing a copywriter, giving direction to a designer, or reviewing content with a creative agency.
The myth that prompting is some kind of elite technical ability is not only unhelpful — it’s completely false. And once you shake that belief, you open the door to using AI tools like ChatGPT much more effectively.
Why Marketers Are Already Well-Trained for Prompting
Here’s the good news: if you’ve written a campaign brief, reviewed agency copy, or worked with brand guidelines, you’re already halfway to being a strong AI prompter.
You might not call it prompting — but that’s exactly what it is. You’re framing context. You’re setting direction. You’re helping someone (or something) deliver better results by being clear about what you want.
Let’s look at a few skills marketers already have — and how they map directly to good prompting:
- Writing clear creative briefs
You know how to set objectives, define audience, tone, and output. That’s exactly what a good AI prompt needs. - Understanding tone of voice and brand personality
You’ve worked with brand guidelines before. You know how to write “in voice.” That’s a major advantage when prompting AI for on-brand content. - Sequencing information logically
Whether it’s for an email, a press release, or a campaign, you’re used to structuring ideas for clarity and impact — a key prompting skill. - Using constraints strategically
Word counts, formats, deadlines — marketers thrive with boundaries. AI performs better with constraints too. The clearer you are, the better the output.
In other words, you’ve already been building the muscle. Prompting just shifts the recipient — from a person to a tool.
And once you recognise that, the process becomes less intimidating. You realise you’re not starting from scratch — you’re simply applying your marketing mindset in a new context.
Prompting = Briefing for Machines
Think of prompting as briefing — just with a new kind of team member.
If you’ve ever briefed a designer, an agency, or a freelance copywriter, you already understand what works: give clear goals, useful context, the right tone, and a well-defined format. Do that, and you’re more likely to get the results you want — faster, and with fewer revisions.
The same goes for AI tools like ChatGPT. It’s not about being clever. It’s about being clear.
Here’s an example I use regularly (Don’t tell my CFO!):
“You are a senior marketing professional making a business case to a CFO for investing in an AI-powered learning platform (Learning Management System LMS). Write a short, persuasive internal memo that highlights ROI, scalability, and compliance benefits. Use a professional tone and structure it for a time-poor executive audience.”
That’s a brief. It’s also a prompt. And it works.
Another powerful tip I picked up from MMC Learning:
If you’re writing content for your company, upload your brand guidelines. These usually include tone of voice, brand personality, and formatting rules. Ask the AI to follow them. Suddenly, you’re not just getting good content — you’re getting on-brand content.
Want the copy to persuade, not just inform? Add that instruction.
A simple tweak like:
“Be persuasive — you’re trying to shift the reader’s mindset.”
can completely change the tone and impact of the output.
So don’t overthink it. Prompting is just briefing — but for a machine instead of a colleague. And the better your brief, the better your result.
Practical Tips That Helped Me
Over time, I’ve developed a few prompting habits that consistently deliver better results — especially when I’m using AI for marketing tasks. None of these are complex. But they work because they’re grounded in the same thinking that makes a good brief effective.
Here are some practical tips that have made a real difference for me:
Start with intent
“What do I actually want the AI to do?”
Be clear upfront — are you trying to explain, persuade, summarise, translate, or create something?
Set the scene and define your audience
Context is everything. Don’t just say “write an email” — say who it’s for, what they care about, and what you want them to do.
“Write an onboarding email for a time-poor fire service engineer who needs to understand our new IoT testing device, called XTR2, in 3 bullet points or less.”
Be specific about tone and format
Formal or conversational? Longform or bullet points? Headline or full copy?
Upload your company’s brand guidelines and ask AI to reflect the brand voice and tone. It works surprisingly well.
Clarify function: inform or persuade?
If your copy needs to change minds, say so.
“Be persuasive — your goal is to convince a hesitant buyer.”
Use roles and scenarios
Role-based prompting sharpens the output.
“You are a B2B marketer preparing a one-page business case for a CFO, highlighting ROI of an AI-driven customer training platform.”
These small tweaks help AI deliver exactly what you need — and they’re all skills you already use as a marketer.
Try This: A Prompt Template for Marketers
Here’s a plug-and-play prompt structure I come back to again and again — quite basic but it works for me.
Prompt Template:
You are a [role], writing for [audience], and your goal is to [objective]. Please create [format] with [tone/voice], and include [key elements].
Example: LMS Launch Email
Prompt:
You are a senior B2B marketer launching a multilingual Learning Management System for international customers in the fire industry. You’re writing an onboarding email for customers in technical and compliance roles, many of whom speak English as a second language. Your goal is to explain the platform’s benefits and encourage sign-ups for early access.
Please write a concise email (max 150 words), in a clear and professional tone, using plain English. Focus on three key benefits: time-saving, multilingual accessibility, and CPD compliance. Add a CTA to register interest.
This structure has helped me write faster, brief better, and get stronger outputs from AI tools — especially when I’m under pressure or dealing with complex topics.
Closing Thoughts
If there’s one thing I hope you take from this article, it’s this:
You don’t need to become a “prompt engineer” to get value from AI.
You just need to think like a marketer — which, if you’re reading this, you probably already do.
Prompting isn’t some mysterious technical skill. It’s briefing. It’s structure. It’s tone. It’s intent. All things you’ve already been doing — for years — across campaigns, emails, decks, and pitches.
Sure, you can take it further. I did. I still revisit lessons and playbooks from MMC Learning when I want to sharpen up or tackle more complex tasks. And if you want structured guidance, I’d genuinely recommend their courses.
But don’t wait until you feel like an expert.
Start where you are. Use the skills you already have. And practice.
Because the marketers who learn how to brief AI effectively — today — are going to be the ones leading the way tomorrow.
