Most people open ChatGPT and type "write me a follow-up email". They get something generic they can't use as-is. Then they conclude that AI "doesn't do the job". That's not an AI problem — it's a prompt problem.

Why most people use ChatGPT the wrong way

A vague prompt gives a vague result. It really is that simple.

When you say "write me a follow-up email", the AI doesn't know: for whom? For how much? What tone do you want — firm, friendly, urgent? What's your relationship with this client? How many lines?

Without that information, the AI produces something plausible but generic. You read it, think "that's not great", and close the tab.

The right approach comes down to three words: role, context, format.

  • Role: tell the AI who it is. "You are a sales assistant for a Belgian SME."
  • Context: give the specific information relevant to your situation.
  • Format: tell it exactly what output you expect. Number of lines, structure, tone.

The five prompts below apply this logic. Copy them, replace the elements in brackets, and you have a usable result in under two minutes.

Prompt #1 — Follow-up email for an overdue invoice

The problem: chasing a client for an unpaid invoice is uncomfortable. You hesitate between being too polite (ineffective) and too firm (risking to offend someone you'll deal with again). Result: you delay, and your cash flow suffers.

What this prompt does: it generates an email that assumes good faith on the client's part, clearly restates the situation, and prompts action without being aggressive.

You are a sales assistant for a Belgian SME.
Write a follow-up email for an overdue invoice with the following details:

- Client first name: [FIRST NAME]
- Invoice amount: [AMOUNT] €
- Invoice number: [NUMBER]
- Number of days overdue: [NUMBER]
- Our company: [YOUR COMPANY NAME]

Guidelines:
- Professional and warm tone, not aggressive or condescending
- Assume a genuine oversight or mistake, not bad faith
- Clearly state the amount and invoice number
- Offer a quick contact if there's an issue or question
- Maximum 8 lines, including subject line
- Natural language, not overly corporate

Expected result: an email you can send in under 5 minutes, that maintains the relationship and often unlocks payment within 48 hours.

Prompt #2 — Meeting notes in 3 minutes

The problem: you come out of a meeting with scattered notes on your phone. Writing up clean minutes takes 20 to 30 minutes that nobody has.

What this prompt does: it turns your scribbles into a structured document, with actions and owners.

You are an executive assistant for a Belgian SME.
From the raw notes below, write a structured meeting summary.

Output format:
1. Date and attendees (if mentioned in the notes)
2. Context in 2 sentences maximum
3. Points discussed — bullet list
4. Decisions made — bullet list, with the responsible person if mentioned
5. Action items — bullet list with deadline if specified
6. Next step

My raw notes:
[PASTE YOUR NOTES HERE — even if messy, even if abbreviated]

Expected result: a clean document you can send directly by email or paste into your CRM, in under 2 minutes.

Prompt #3 — Sales proposal from a rough draft

The problem: you had a call with a prospect. You have notes. Writing a well-structured proposal takes time — and that's often where quotes sit in draft for days.

What this prompt does: it turns your call notes into a professional, client-benefit-focused proposal.

You are a senior sales consultant for a Belgian SME.
From the information below, write a professional sales proposal in English.

Our company: [DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS IN 2 SENTENCES]

What the client told us / what they need:
[PASTE YOUR CALL NOTES OR THE PROSPECT'S EMAIL]

Proposal structure:
- Client-benefit headline (not just "Sales Proposal")
- Context: what we understood about their situation (3-4 lines)
- Our proposal in 3 concrete points
- Deliverables (exactly what they will receive)
- Budget section: leave a [BUDGET TO BE COMPLETED] placeholder
- Simple and direct call to action

Tone: professional but human. No jargon, no empty phrases.
Length: 1 page maximum.

Expected result: a proposal you can send in under 30 minutes after your call, while the prospect is still warm.

Prompt #4 — Professional response to a negative Google review

The problem: a negative review on Google Business is visible to everyone. And a poor response — defensive, cold, or absent — often does more damage than the review itself.

What this prompt does: it generates an empathetic response that shows you take feedback seriously, without being self-deprecating.

You are a customer relations manager at a Belgian SME.
A client has left the following Google review:

[PASTE THE REVIEW HERE]

Write a professional public response that:
- Sincerely thanks the reviewer (even if the review is negative)
- Acknowledges the client's experience without being defensive
- If the review contains inaccuracies, calmly corrects them in one sentence
- Offers a solution or a direct contact to resolve the issue
- Ends on a positive and open note
- Is 4 to 6 lines maximum
- Is in natural, warm language

The tone must never be aggressive, sarcastic, or condescending.

Expected result: a response that demonstrates your professionalism to all future clients who read that review — sometimes more powerful than the review itself.

Prompt #5 — Job description for a job posting

The problem: hastily written job ads attract hasty candidates. A well-written job description that clearly states who you are and what you're looking for makes a real difference in the quality of applications.

What this prompt does: it produces a human, compelling job ad — far from standard HR jargon.

You are an HR manager at a Belgian SME.
Write an attractive job posting for the following position:

Job title: [TITLE]
Industry: [YOUR SECTOR]
Location: [CITY], Belgium
Contract type: [Permanent / Fixed-term / Part-time]
Experience required: [YEARS OR "Entry-level welcome"]

Our company in 2 sentences: [DESCRIBE YOUR COMPANY — what it does, its culture, its size]

Job posting structure:
1. Catchy headline (not just the job title)
2. Who we are — human and authentic, 3-4 lines
3. What the person will actually do — 5 to 6 bullet-point responsibilities
4. What we're looking for — skills + personality traits
5. What we offer — real terms, no empty promises
6. How to apply — direct and warm call to action

Tone: human, direct, straightforward. No "you'll join a dynamic team".

Expected result: a job ad that the right candidates will want to read all the way through — and that attracts profiles who genuinely fit your company culture.

The golden rule for a great prompt

You can apply these five prompts today. But if there's one thing to take away for writing your own, it's this:

The more specific context you provide, the better the result. The AI doesn't guess — it works with what you give it. A well-crafted 10-line prompt delivers a result in 30 seconds that you can use straight away. A 3-word prompt gives you a draft you have to rewrite.

And if the result isn't right first time, don't start from scratch — refine it. Add "make this shorter", "use a more direct tone", "factor in that this is a long-standing client". The AI is a conversation partner.

AI is great. AI integrated into your actual tools is better.

These prompts save you time on one-off tasks. LTC Group goes further: we connect AI to your CRM, your messaging, and your processes — so it runs in the background, without you having to think about it.

And if you want to upskill your team on prompting and everyday AI use, discover our AI training programmes, designed with beginners in mind.