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Prompt Engineering - Explicit Instructions

The greatest benefit to business in writing excellent prompts for AI interactions is the significant increase in efficiency.

Apply this prompt engineering principle, Explicit Instructions or Say, You Must, to boost your efficiency.

Prompt Engineering Principle 9 - Explicit Instructions or Say, You Must, emphasizes the use of explicit instructions in your prompts to guide the AI towards the desired output. This principle is particularly useful when you want to ensure the AI understands the task's requirements and the importance of certain aspects. Here's how you can apply this principle in practice:

Example: Creating a Marketing Campaign

Without Principle 9 - Explicit Instructions:

Prompt: "Develop a marketing campaign for our new line of eco-friendly products."

With Principle 9 - Explicit Instructions:

Prompt: "Develop a marketing campaign for our new line of eco-friendly products. Your task is to highlight the sustainability of the products and the positive impact on the environment. You MUST emphasize the biodegradable packaging and the company's commitment to planting a tree for every product sold."

Example: Writing a Technical Blog Post

Without Principle 9 - Explicit Instructions:

Prompt: "Write a blog post about the advancements in artificial intelligence."

With Principle 9 - Explicit Instructions:

Prompt: "Write a blog post about the advancements in artificial intelligence. Your task is to explain the recent breakthroughs in natural language processing. You MUST include examples of real-world applications and discuss the implications for the future of AI in everyday life."

Example: Analyzing Data for Business Insights

Without Principle 9 - Explicit Instructions:

Prompt: "Analyze the provided sales data and give insights."

With Principle 9 - Explicit Instructions:

Prompt: "Analyze the provided sales data and give insights. Your task is to identify trends in customer purchasing behavior over the last quarter. You MUST focus on the most popular product categories and suggest targeted marketing strategies based on your findings." 

In each of these examples, Principle 9 is applied by clearly stating the task and the non-negotiable elements that must be included in the AI's response. This approach ensures that the AI's output is not only relevant but also adheres to the specific requirements of the task, providing a focused and detailed result.

The prompt engineering principle, Explicit Instructions or Say, You Must is part of the following group:

Guiding Instructions 

- Use Positive Words (4

- Say "You Must" (9)

- Warn of Penalties (10)  

- Think Step-by-Step (12) 

- Match a Sample (26) 

Prompt Engineering Principles