How to Get the Best Out of ChatGPT (and Generative AI) – A Starter’s Guide

You are probably wondering why I haven’t covered generative AI so far – it is because there are so many facets of Artificial Intelligence to cover and there is already so much information out there on this topic.

But ‘prompted’ by a close friend I decided to create a very simple guide for getting started.

Suggestions for useful prompts for ChatGPT - How do we get the best out of this technology?

Generative AI is powerful, but it works best when we treat it not as a magic oracle or a search engine, but as a thoughtful collaborative tool that can accelerate your outputs. The more intentional we are with our prompts, the more useful the output becomes.

A couple of things to remember

• Generative AI models like ChatGPT create new outputs each time, even when asked the same question. They don’t retrieve fixed answers—they generate responses based on probabilities and context.

• Always check the outputs for accuracy and to ensure it has your “voice”

Here’s how to get started:

🔍 1. Start with the outcome, not the question

Before typing a prompt, ask yourself: “What do I want to walk away with?”

Then turn that into a direct request:

• “Help me write a 100-word email that sounds confident but friendly.”

• “Give me 3 social media captions for a post about AI and sustainability.”

Or ask ChatGPT what the best prompt is to get the outcome you want:

• "How do I ask you to create me a 100-word email that is confident and friendly and covers these 3 topics – that will have this outcome”

• "What prompt do I need to create to get 3 social media captions for a post about AI and sustainability that will get me a 100 likes”

This simple shift makes a big difference.

🧠 2. Assign it a role

Prompting works better when you tell the AI who it is:

• “You are a UX designer. Create a simple user flow for an onboarding screen.”

• “You are a life coach. Help me prioritise my week.”

Think of it as setting the scene for the conversation.

Or train the Generative AI to sound like you (paid version). With ChatGPT you can even customise the GPTs.

🎯 3. Be specific, and tune as you go

Start with a clear direction, then refine:

• “Make this more conversational.”

• “Add 3 options that sound more playful.”

You don’t need to get the perfect prompt immediately—treat it like a back-and-forth. Keep asking till you get the output you are looking for. I often take the output away tweak it and then share it with ChatGPT and ask for feedback.

🔄 4. Try multiple generative AI tools

Not every tool is right for every person—or every task. For many of my prompts I use multiple GenAI tools and then compare outputs. I sometimes then combine them in my own output and feed it back in.

🛠️ Try a few and see what suits your workflow best:

• ChatGPT (OpenAI): for flexible conversation, analysis, writing

• Claude (Anthropic): for longer, structured thinking

• Google Gemini: integrates well with Google tools

• Perplexity: excellent for fact-based and source-backed responses

• DALL·E / Midjourney: for image generation

After some time you will have a favourite - choose the one that feels intuitive for you. Also you may find different Gen AI tools better for different uses.

💡 5. Paid versions make a difference

Once you’re using Gen AI more regularly, upgrading is well worth it.

With ChatGPT Plus (GPT-4) for example you’ll get:

• Better quality writing and analysis

• Access to image generation, file uploads, and memory

• The ability to customise GPTs to match your style and goals

These upgrades help turn Gen AI into a true productivity engine—not just a novelty.

✨ Final Thought

Generative AI is a great tool to help building, and accelerating ideas. So start with the outcome. Assign it a role. Keep refining. And stay curious.

You don’t need to master everything.  Just start experimenting—and let your prompts lead the way.