Effective Prompt Writing

The most basic skill for using AI is prompt writing. Prompts are how you define the output you want to see when you query AI via a chatbot. The best prompts clearly state four key elements: 

• Goal: What type of response or type of output are you looking for? 
• Context: Who is it for, what’s happening (timeline, geography), and what’s the purpose?
• Source: Which information sources or samples should the AI use? For example, specific websites or files. 
• Expectations: How should the tool respond to best meet your expectations? This can include length, voice, tone, and format.

Always remember to provide relevant details to your prompt, clear instructions and don’t be afraid to provide feedback based on the initial output and refine your request in subsequent prompts. Starting your prompt by defining a role or responding from the perspective of a specific persona can be highly effective. 

Ready to get started? Below are 5 sample prompts to test out that can be easily customized to your campaign. 

• Summarize: Use AI to quickly condense long content and pull out the most actionable takeaways. For example: “Summarize the attached policy memo in 5 bullets for a campaign manager. Include: the core recommendation, 3 key supporting points, and any risks or open questions. End with a 2-sentence “what this means for our campaign” summary.”
• Create Audience-Specific Materials: Tailor speeches, one-pagers, and FAQs to a specific audience, channel, and reading level while staying aligned to approved messaging. For example: “Draft a 1-page leave-behind for [audience] about [issue] in plain language (8th-grade reading level). Use only the positions in this approved platform: [paste/link]. Include 3 FAQs and short answers.”
• Conduct Research: Use AI to accelerate background research, compare options, and surface what to validate next. For example: “Give me a brief overview of [topic] as it relates to [state/district]. Provide 5 key facts with sources, 3 questions we should ask a subject-matter expert, and a short list of additional keywords to research. Flag anything that is uncertain or contested.”
• Build Campaign Calendar: Use AI to map key dates and priorities into a realistic, channel-by-channel publishing plan your team can execute. For example: “Generate a 30-day content calendar for our political campaign’s digital channels as we are in the final 30 days before the election. Include a mix of content types (e.g., social media posts, blog articles, email newsletters) and specify posting dates. Prioritize key campaign milestones, policy announcements, and community engagement events.”
• Fundraising: Use AI to draft a persuasive request for donation that ties urgency to your campaign’s core issues and voice. For example: "Write an email soliciting donations for our campaign that highlights that we are only 100 days away from the election. Keep the tone persuasive, in the voice of the campaign manager and focus on our campaign’s top 3 issues found here: [Insert URL].”
• Recruit Volunteers: Use AI to create a clear, motivating outreach message that explains impact and makes signing up frictionless. For example: “Write a message encouraging volunteers to join our upcoming canvassing efforts. Mention the impact they can make and provide sign-up instructions. Format this as a concise email going to voters who have opted-in to receive communications from our campaign.”