Every month, almost 7,000 Americans Google how to write an effective ChatGPT prompt, a skill which by some accounts will one day be one of the most valuable to any organization. Inquiring minds want to know, especially when they stumbled around with tantalizing — albeit frustrating — results.

Here’s what some of the experts advise.

1. Ask ChatGPT to “take on the persona” of a knowledgeable insider whose expertise you want to consult. Sharon Kerr in the Public Relations Society of America’s Strategies & Tactics offers this example: “Take on the persona of a financial analyst well-versed in biotechnology and advise how you would cover [insert company name] after receiving the following earnings report,” which of course you then attach.
2. David Gewirtz of ZDNET suggests talking to ChatGPT “like you would a co-worker or team member,” so you can have a conversation, with back and forth to help you get the best information.
3. Establish rules — or make suggestions if you want to be painfully polite about it. “Whenever I ask a question, recommend a better question and ask if I’d like to use it instead.” Or: Whenever I request a press release, use as little jargon as possible, and refer to ‘patients’ as ‘people with X disease’ instead.”
4. Provide context. Gewirtz offers this model: “I am a business owner interested in exploring how blockchain technology can be used to improve supply chain efficiency and transparency. I am looking for a clear and concise explanation of the technology and examples of how it has been used in the context of supply chain management. Can you explain the concept of blockchain technology and its potential applications in supply chain management?”