AI Prompting Practice Sheet

The 4 Questions

Companion to the video: "Do AI understand the words coming out of my mouth?"

Quick reminder — every good prompt answers four questions:

  1. What do you want? — the task
  2. What's the background? — the situation, the goal, the backstory
  3. What's an example? — good and/or bad. Show it, don't just describe it.
  4. What output style or format? — how you want it delivered
  5. Optional — Who should the AI be? — the expert persona. Set it first.
How to use this sheet: Don't try to nail all four on the first try. Do the exercises in order — each one leans on a different question, so you build the muscle instead of copying a template.

Open a new browser tab or window and have your AI tool of choice ready before you start. If you've got a few extra minutes, run one exercise in all three — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini — and see who gets you best.

And if you're stuck on any exercise, just ask the AI: "How can I make this prompt better?" — it'll tell you exactly what's missing.
WorkExercise 1

The Quote Follow-Up

Scenario: A customer got a quote from you last week and went quiet. You want to nudge them — without sounding desperate or pushy.

Your mission: Lean on Question 2 (background) and Question 4 (output). Tell the AI what you do, what the quote was for, how long it's been, and your honest read on the customer. Then tell it the tone, the length, and the format you want.

  1. Have your AI tool of choice ready in a new tab.
  2. Write a prompt asking the AI to write a follow-up message to a customer who received a quote from you last week and hasn't replied. Include what your business does, what the quote was for, how long it's been, and your read on the customer — were they genuinely interested? Did they have any concerns? Then tell it the tone (direct, warm, not desperate), the length, and the format (text message, email, etc.).
  3. Run it. Read what comes back. Does it sound like you?
Stretch (optional): Add Question 3 — paste in a follow-up message that's actually worked for you before, and say "match this tone."

→ Not sure what the prompt should look like? See Part 2 for a worked example of this exact exercise.

WorkExercise 2

The Tough Review

Scenario: You got a 2-star Google review. Some of it's fair. Some of it isn't. You need to respond publicly without sounding defensive.

Your mission: Lean on Question 3 (example). Give the AI two example replies that show where the line is — one that's too defensive, one that's too casual. That's how it knows what to avoid on both ends. Then add the optional persona: "You are a calm, accountable business owner who turns critics into fans."

  1. Have your AI tool of choice ready in a new tab.
  2. Write a prompt asking the AI to write a public response to a negative Google review. Paste in the actual review text (or make one up if you don't have one handy). Before making the request, give it two examples of how NOT to respond — one that sounds too defensive, one that sounds too casual. This shows the AI the line from both sides.
  3. Add this persona at the very top of your prompt: "You are a calm, accountable business owner who turns critics into fans." That line shapes everything that follows.
  4. Run it. Read what comes back.
Stretch (optional): Ask for two versions — one warmer, one more matter-of-fact — and pick the one that actually sounds like you.

→ Not sure what the prompt should look like? See Part 2 for a worked example of this exact exercise.

WorkExercise 3

The New-Hire SOP

Scenario: There's something you do by habit in your business — opening, closing, handling a specific request. You need it written down so a new hire can follow it without asking you every time.

Your mission: Push hard on Question 1 (the task — be specific) and Question 4 (output): numbered steps, plain language, no jargon.

  1. Have your AI tool of choice ready in a new tab.
  2. Write a prompt asking the AI to write a step-by-step SOP for one task you do by habit in your business — a morning open, a closing routine, how you handle a specific type of customer request. List every step you actually do, in order. The more specific, the better.
  3. Tell it exactly how to format the output: numbered steps, plain language, no abbreviations or jargon.
  4. Run it. Read what comes back. Does it capture every step?
Stretch (optional): Add Question 2 — tell it who the new hire is and what they already know, so it doesn't over-explain or skip the parts that matter.

→ Not sure what the prompt should look like? See Part 2 for a worked example of this exact exercise.

PersonalExercise 4

Plan the Trip

Scenario: You're planning a vacation or a weekend getaway. You want a real plan — not a generic list of suggestions you could've Googled.

Your mission: This one's the full workout — answer all four. What you want (a day-by-day plan), the background (who's going, the budget, the dates, the must-dos), an example (a past trip you loved, or the vibe you're after), and the output (a table? a checklist? day-by-day?).

  1. Have your AI tool of choice ready in a new tab.
  2. Write a prompt for a trip you actually want to take. Work all four questions in: what you want, the background (who's going, budget, dates, must-dos), an example of a past trip or vibe that worked, and the format you want the plan delivered in.
  3. Run it. If the result feels generic, ask: "How can I make this prompt better?" — see what it tells you.
Stretch (optional): Run it in all three tools and compare. You'll feel which one "gets" you.

→ Not sure what the prompt should look like? See Part 2 for a worked example of this exact exercise.

Put It to WorkYour Real One

Now make it count

Pick something actually on your plate this week — an email, a proposal, a plan, a decision you've been putting off. Answer all four questions for it. Run it.

Then use the self-critique trick from the video: paste your own prompt back in and ask, "What's missing here that would make the output significantly better?" Let the AI tell you what you forgot.

That's the whole game. The framework doesn't make AI smarter. It makes you clearer. And clear is what gets results.

— Ron

Want to know where your business stands with AI?

Take the free AI Readiness Assessment → quiz.leverosity.com

Ron Nedd | Leverosity
Part 2

Worked Examples

What each exercise looks like when you actually fill it in. Click any exercise to expand — use these as models, not templates.

Work Exercise 1 — The Quote Follow-Up

Here's what the prompt looks like with Q2, Q4, and the stretch (Q3) all loaded:

You are a contractor who's direct, professional, and never sounds salesy. I own a residential painting company. Last week I sent Mark a quote for $3,200 to paint the exterior of his house. He said he'd think it over and get back to me by Friday. It's been 9 days — still nothing. During the walkthrough he asked good questions and seemed genuinely interested. He wasn't shopping me against three other guys. I want to nudge him without sounding desperate. Write me a follow-up text. 2–3 sentences, warm and direct, no exclamation points, no "I was just checking in." Here's a follow-up I've used before that got a reply: "Hey Mark — just circling back on the quote. Happy to answer any questions. Either way, let me know." Match that tone.

What's doing the work: The background is specific — 9 days, how he behaved during the walkthrough. The output is specific — 2–3 sentences, with two things explicitly ruled out. And the example sets the tone so the AI doesn't guess. That's Q2 + Q4 + Q3 in one prompt.

Work Exercise 2 — The Tough Review

Set the persona first — then give the review, then the good/bad examples:

You are a calm, accountable business owner who turns critics into fans. You respond to negative reviews with ownership and warmth — no defensiveness, no corporate-speak. Here's the Google review I need to respond to publicly: "Showed up 45 minutes late with no heads-up. Work itself was fine but communication was terrible. Won't be back." Here's a response that's too defensive: "We apologize for any inconvenience. Our team strives to meet all customer expectations." Here's a response that's too casual: "Hey sorry about that! Things happen sometimes. Glad you liked the work though!" Write me a public reply that owns the tardiness, thanks them for the honest feedback, and leaves the door open — under 60 words.

What's doing the work: The good/bad examples tell the AI exactly where the line is. Without them, it guesses. Notice the persona is set first — that shapes the tone of every sentence that follows.

Work Exercise 3 — The New-Hire SOP

Here's the prompt with Q1 and Q4 loaded, plus the Q2 stretch:

Write a step-by-step SOP for opening our HVAC service office each morning. Here's every step I actually do, in order: unlock the front door, disarm the alarm (just write "enter alarm code" — don't include the actual code), check the answering service log for any overnight flagged voicemails, log into the scheduling software and confirm all of today's jobs are assigned to a tech, check the parts cabinet against today's job list and pull anything that needs to go on a truck, then text the lead tech his first job for the day. The new hire reading this is 22 years old. He's detail-oriented but has never worked in a service business before. He'll follow steps carefully but doesn't know HVAC jargon. Format: numbered steps, plain English, no abbreviations. Add a one-line "watch out" note after any step where a new hire commonly makes a mistake.

What's doing the work: The Q2 addition — who the new hire is — changes how the AI writes every sentence. Without it, you might get something that over-explains to someone who doesn't need it, or skips something a total beginner would miss. One sentence calibrates the whole document.

Personal Exercise 4 — Plan the Trip

Here's the full workout — all four questions, labeled so you can see exactly where each one shows up:

You are a travel planner who specializes in low-stress family trips with school-age kids. What I want: A day-by-day itinerary for a 4-day weekend trip. Background: Traveling with my wife and two kids (ages 9 and 12). Budget around $1,800 total including a short flight or drive. Leaving from Minneapolis. Last weekend of July. Must-dos: something outdoors, something the kids will actually remember, not a theme park. Example of a trip that worked for us: We did a weekend in Duluth two summers ago — hiking, a boat tour, good food downtown. That's the vibe. Not resort-y. Real experiences over manufactured ones. Output: Day-by-day table. Each day: morning / afternoon / evening. Estimated cost next to each activity. Flag anything that needs to be booked in advance.

What's doing the work: Labeling the questions in the prompt keeps you honest — it's easy to skip the example because it takes effort. But the example is almost always what does the most work. Notice the persona is set first, which shapes every recommendation that follows.