1What Is It?
Prompting: The Skill Behind the Skill
Open with a demonstration, not a definition
I am going to show you something before I explain anything. Watch this.
[Open ChatGPT and type:] "Write me an email."
[Read the response aloud. It will be generic. Maybe it says something like "Subject: Hello, Dear [Name], I am writing to reach out to you about..."]
Now watch what happens when we change the instruction. [Type:] "You are a professional virtual assistant writing on behalf of a busy Nigerian entrepreneur. Write a warm but professional email to a potential client who expressed interest in social media management services on Instagram, but has not responded to the first message sent 3 days ago. The email should be friendly, not pushy, and end with a specific call to action. Keep it under 150 words."
[Read that response aloud. It will be significantly better.]
The same AI. The same tool. Completely different results. The only thing that changed was the quality of the instruction. That instruction is called a prompt. And learning to write good prompts is the single most valuable AI skill you can develop.
[Open ChatGPT and type:] "Write me an email."
[Read the response aloud. It will be generic. Maybe it says something like "Subject: Hello, Dear [Name], I am writing to reach out to you about..."]
Now watch what happens when we change the instruction. [Type:] "You are a professional virtual assistant writing on behalf of a busy Nigerian entrepreneur. Write a warm but professional email to a potential client who expressed interest in social media management services on Instagram, but has not responded to the first message sent 3 days ago. The email should be friendly, not pushy, and end with a specific call to action. Keep it under 150 words."
[Read that response aloud. It will be significantly better.]
The same AI. The same tool. Completely different results. The only thing that changed was the quality of the instruction. That instruction is called a prompt. And learning to write good prompts is the single most valuable AI skill you can develop.
Definition: A Prompt
A prompt is any instruction, question, or input you give to an AI tool. The quality of AI output is directly determined by the quality of the prompt. Prompting is a learnable skill. You are about to learn it.
2Why Do I Need It?
Why Most People Get Mediocre AI Results
Diagnose the actual problem people have with AI
When people tell me "AI does not work" or "AI gives bad answers," I ask them to show me what they typed. Almost every time, the problem is not the AI. The problem is the prompt.
People type vague, short, context-free questions and expect detailed, specific, useful answers. That is like calling a contractor and saying "build me something" and then being frustrated that they did not build what you wanted.
AI is powerful but it is not a mind reader. It works with what you give it. Give it vague: you get vague. Give it specific, context-rich, well-structured instructions: you get specific, useful output. This lesson teaches you exactly how to do that.
People type vague, short, context-free questions and expect detailed, specific, useful answers. That is like calling a contractor and saying "build me something" and then being frustrated that they did not build what you wanted.
AI is powerful but it is not a mind reader. It works with what you give it. Give it vague: you get vague. Give it specific, context-rich, well-structured instructions: you get specific, useful output. This lesson teaches you exactly how to do that.
3Show Me
Anatomy of a Perfect Prompt: The RCTF Framework
Introduce the framework clearly, then show it in action
I want to give you a framework you can use for every prompt you write from today forward. It is called RCTF. Four letters. Four elements. Master these and you will always get better results than people who prompt without a structure.
R
Role
Tell AI who to be. Give it an identity and expertise to draw from.
"You are an experienced Nigerian business writer..."
C
Context
Give AI the background information it needs. Who is the audience? What is the situation?
"...writing for a client who runs a small fashion brand targeting young professionals in Lagos..."
T
Task
State exactly what you want done. Be specific about the deliverable.
"...write a 3-caption Instagram content plan for this week, each with a hook, body, and call to action..."
F
Format
Specify how you want the output: length, structure, tone, what to include or exclude.
"...Use bullet points. Keep each caption under 120 words. Tone: friendly, energetic, and confident."
See the framework in a real prompt
Complete RCTF Prompt (colour-coded by element)
You are a professional virtual assistant with expertise in business communication.
My client is a Lagos-based life coach who wants to attract corporate clients. She has a consultation call tomorrow with a potential corporate client who enquired through her website but has not yet committed.
Write a short, warm reminder email she can send today to confirm the call and build anticipation for it.
Keep it under 120 words. Professional but warm tone. Include a specific subject line. End with her name as a placeholder: [Coach Name].
Role
Context
Task
Format
Weak prompt vs. strong prompt: side by side
❌ Weak Prompt
"Write a post about my business."
Result: Generic, could be for any business, probably starts with "Are you looking for...", unusable without heavy editing
✅ Strong Prompt (RCTF)
"You are a social media copywriter. My client sells handmade Ankara accessories to working women aged 25 to 40 in Abuja. Write a Facebook post announcing a flash sale this weekend. Use an excited, celebratory tone. Under 80 words. End with a clear call to action directing people to DM for orders."
Result: Specific, on-brand, ready to post or lightly edit
❌ Weak Prompt
"Help me with my CV."
Result: AI asks several clarifying questions or produces a completely generic template
✅ Strong Prompt (RCTF)
"You are a professional CV writer specialising in remote and digital roles. I am a Nigerian woman with 2 years of administrative experience applying for my first virtual assistant role. Here is my current summary section: [paste text]. Rewrite it to be more confident, results-focused, and tailored to VA work. Keep it under 60 words."
Result: A ready-to-use rewrite that sounds professional and specific
4Let's Do It
5 Advanced Prompting Techniques
Go beyond the basics, these separate beginners from skilled prompt writers
The RCTF framework is your foundation. These five techniques are what you add on top of it once the basics feel natural. Each one solves a specific problem that beginners run into when they use AI.
Technique 1
Iteration: Ask AI to improve its own answer
When the first response is not quite right, do not start over. Ask AI to revise it.
"That is good, but make the tone warmer and cut it by 30 words."
Technique 2
Options: Ask for multiple versions
Ask AI to give you 3 versions so you can choose or combine the best elements.
"Give me 3 different subject lines for this email, ranging from formal to casual."
Technique 3
Constraints: Tell AI what NOT to do
Negative instructions eliminate the things AI tends to default to that you do not want.
"Do not use the word 'leverage.' Do not start with 'I hope this message finds you well.'"
Technique 4
Examples: Show AI what you want
Paste an example of the style, tone, or format you want. AI will match it.
"Write in this style. Here is an example of my previous post: [paste your text]."
Technique 5
Chain prompting: Break complex tasks into steps
For complex tasks, use multiple prompts in sequence rather than asking everything at once.
Step 1: "Research this topic." Step 2: "Now write an outline." Step 3: "Now write section 2 in full."
5Now You Try
The Prompt Upgrade Challenge
Run a timed in-class exercise with real stakes
I am going to give you a weak prompt and a task. Your job is to upgrade that weak prompt using the RCTF framework and at least one advanced technique. Then you run both: the original weak prompt AND your upgraded version. Compare the results.
The weak prompt is: "Write me something for social media."
You have 10 minutes. Use ChatGPT or Claude. Write your upgraded prompt in your Workbook first, then run it. When you have both results, we will hear from 3 people about what they changed and why.
The weak prompt is: "Write me something for social media."
You have 10 minutes. Use ChatGPT or Claude. Write your upgraded prompt in your Workbook first, then run it. When you have both results, we will hear from 3 people about what they changed and why.
The prompting mindset shift
Stop thinking: "What should I ask AI?" Start thinking: "What does AI need to know to give me exactly what I want?" You are the expert on your situation. AI is the expert at generating output. Your job is to transfer your expertise into the prompt so AI can do its job well.
6Your Task
Lesson 10 Assignment
This lesson's assignment
Write 5 original RCTF prompts for tasks relevant to your own career or business. Run all 5. Save the best outputs.
- 1
Open your AI Prompt Library Google Doc. Write a new section: "Lesson 10: The Art of Prompting." You will document your 5 prompts here.
- 2
Write 5 original RCTF prompts for real tasks in your VA work or job search. Each prompt must include all 4 RCTF elements. Examples: a cold email to a potential client, a LinkedIn profile summary, a caption for a client's Instagram post, a client proposal outline, a research brief on a topic you need to understand.
- 3
Run each prompt in ChatGPT or Claude. Paste the best output you received into a Google Doc called "AI-Generated Drafts: Lesson 10." Save it in your Drive.
- 4
For each of the 5 outputs: write one sentence evaluating it. Was it good enough to use? What would you change? What did you learn about prompting from this attempt? Add these notes in your Workbook.
- 5
Add this lesson's 5 prompts to your AI Prompt Library document (the ones in the Prompt Library tab of this lesson). Title the section "Lesson 10: Advanced Prompting Techniques."
7What Did You Create?
You Are Now a Prompt Engineer
Close with the real significance of this skill
People get paid six-figure salaries in technology companies with the job title "Prompt Engineer." Their entire job is to write clear, specific, effective instructions for AI systems. That is it.
You now know the foundational framework and the advanced techniques that underpin that work. You are not going to apply for a prompt engineering role tomorrow. But you are going to use this skill every single day as a VA, as a digital professional, and eventually as someone who helps others use AI effectively.
In Lesson 11, we take these prompting skills and apply them to a specific, high-value task: using AI for research and content creation. That is where prompting goes from an exercise to a professional weapon.
You now know the foundational framework and the advanced techniques that underpin that work. You are not going to apply for a prompt engineering role tomorrow. But you are going to use this skill every single day as a VA, as a digital professional, and eventually as someone who helps others use AI effectively.
In Lesson 11, we take these prompting skills and apply them to a specific, high-value task: using AI for research and content creation. That is where prompting goes from an exercise to a professional weapon.
- 5 original RCTF prompts written, run, and documented
- Best AI outputs saved in "AI-Generated Drafts: Lesson 10" Google Doc
- One-sentence evaluation written for each prompt output
- Lesson 10 prompts added to AI Prompt Library in Drive
- RCTF framework memorised (Role, Context, Task, Format)
WWorkbook
Lesson 10 Student Workbook
Instructions
Complete all 4 parts. Part C is the most important: your own prompts written from scratch, not copied from examples. These must be for real tasks you actually need done.
📌 Part A: Framework Recall
Write out the RCTF framework from memory. Do not look back at the lesson.
R =
C =
T =
F =
Name 3 of the 5 advanced prompting techniques from the lesson:
1.
2.
3.
🔄 Part B: Prompt Upgrade Exercise
Write the weak prompt from the "Now You Try" exercise:
Write your upgraded RCTF version here (all 4 elements must be present):
Label each part: [ROLE], [CONTEXT], [TASK], [FORMAT] in your upgraded prompt.
What was the biggest difference between the weak prompt result and your upgraded result?
✍️ Part C: Your 5 Original RCTF Prompts
Prompt 1 (Topic: your choice):
Write the full prompt including all 4 RCTF elements.
Result quality (1 sentence):
Prompt 2 (Topic: your choice):
Result quality (1 sentence):
Prompt 3 (Topic: your choice):
Result quality (1 sentence):
Prompts 4 and 5, complete in your Drive document
Document these in your "AI-Generated Drafts: Lesson 10" Google Doc with the outputs alongside each prompt.
💬 Part D: Reflection
What was the most surprising thing you discovered about prompting in this lesson?
Which of the 5 advanced techniques do you think you will use most often, and why?
TTask
Write, Run, and Evaluate 5 RCTF Prompts
Time: 40 to 50 minutes
Output: 5 documented RCTF prompts with AI-generated outputs saved in Google Drive, plus Workbook evaluation notes.
Part 1: Set Up Your Documentation
- 1
Open your AI Prompt Library Google Doc. Add a new heading: "Lesson 10: The Art of Prompting." This is where you will document your 5 original prompts and their outcomes.
- 2
Create a second Google Doc called "AI-Generated Drafts: Lesson 10." Save it in your Drive in the same folder as your Prompt Library. This is where you paste the actual AI output for each of your prompts.
- 3
In the AI-Generated Drafts document, add 5 sections labelled "Prompt 1 Output," "Prompt 2 Output," and so on. You will paste each AI response into its corresponding section.
Part 2: Write and Run Your 5 Prompts
- 1
Choose 5 tasks from the following list (or use your own real tasks). For each, write a full RCTF prompt before running it: (a) A cold outreach message to a potential client on LinkedIn, (b) A bio for your VA services page or profile, (c) A social media caption for an imaginary client's business, (d) A summary of what VA services are (to explain to someone asking), (e) A research summary on a topic relevant to your work.
- 2
For each prompt: write the full RCTF prompt in your Prompt Library doc first. Then open ChatGPT or Claude and run it. Paste the output into your AI-Generated Drafts doc.
- 3
After running all 5 prompts, go back to each one and add a short evaluation note: what worked well, what you would change, and whether the output is usable as-is or needs editing. Write this in your Workbook (Part C) and in your Prompt Library doc.
Part 3: Iterate on Your Best Prompt
- 1
Pick the prompt output you found most useful. Now practice the Iteration technique: send a follow-up message asking AI to improve it. For example: "That is good, but make it 20% shorter and change the tone to be more confident and direct."
- 2
Run the iteration once. Save the improved version in your Drafts doc alongside the original. Note: which version is better and why?
- 3
Now try the Options technique on a different prompt: send a follow-up asking for 3 alternative versions. Note which version you prefer and why. This two-step practice builds the habit of treating AI output as a starting point, not a final product.
✍️
You Are Now a Prompt Engineer.
RCTF is now your default way of thinking about instructions. Every AI conversation you have from this point is practice. Lesson 11 applies these skills to research and content creation.
AIPrompts
Lesson 10 Prompt Library
Add to your Prompt Library Google Doc
Open your "My AI Prompt Library" document, add the heading "Lesson 10: Advanced Prompting Techniques," and paste all five prompts below it.
Advanced Prompting Technique Prompts
Prompt 1: The RCTF master template (fill in the blanks)
"You are [describe the role and expertise, e.g. 'a professional copywriter specialising in Nigerian small businesses']. [Describe the context: who is the audience, what is the situation, what is the goal]. [State the specific task: exactly what do you want written, researched, or created]. [Specify the format: length, structure, tone, what to include or avoid, and any other constraints]."
This is your template for every new AI task you face. Fill in each bracket with specifics before running it. Never run a prompt without all 4 elements.
Prompt 2: Upgrade any previous prompt using iteration
"[Paste the previous AI response here]. Now improve this response by: making the tone [warmer / more formal / more conversational / more confident, choose one], cutting the length by approximately [20% / 30% / half], making the opening stronger and more attention-grabbing, and removing any phrases that feel generic or clichéd. Keep the core message and key information. Return only the improved version."
Use this after any AI response that is almost right but not quite there. It is faster than rewriting the whole prompt from scratch and teaches AI exactly what you did not like.
Prompt 3: Generate multiple options for any output
"[Describe the task: e.g. 'Write a subject line for an email inviting a potential client to a discovery call']. Give me 5 different versions: one formal and professional, one warm and conversational, one short and punchy (under 8 words), one that uses a question to create curiosity, and one that highlights a specific benefit. Number each version and do not add any explanation or commentary between them."
Asking for multiple versions is one of the most powerful prompting habits. It gives you options to choose from, combine, or use to spark your own ideas.
Prompt 4: Train AI to match your writing style
"I am going to show you 3 examples of how I write. Study them carefully. After I show you all 3, I will ask you to write something new in this exact style. Here is example 1: [paste your text]. Here is example 2: [paste your text]. Here is example 3: [paste your text]. Confirm that you have studied them, and then wait for my next instruction."
This multi-step approach (first teaching, then instructing) is significantly more effective than asking AI to match a style it has not seen. Always confirm before proceeding.
Prompt 5: Use chain prompting for complex tasks
"I have a complex task I need your help with. I am going to break it into steps so you can do each part well. We are going to work through this step by step. When you complete a step, wait for me to confirm before moving on. Here is the overall goal: [describe the final outcome you want]. Step 1: [describe the first part only]. Begin."
Chain prompting is the key to getting AI to help with multi-step projects like writing a full proposal, creating a content calendar, or researching a topic in depth. Breaking it into steps gives you better quality and more control at each stage.