How to write a bot job prompt that works

The difference between a bot that "kind of helps" and one that does a real job is usually the prompt. A prompt is just the instructions you give the bot. Here's a simple, repeatable way to write one that works the first time more often, and gets better every time you use it.

Think "job description," not "question"

Imagine you hired a bright temp who has never seen your business. You wouldn't say "write a reply." You'd tell them who they're working for, what you need, how you like it done, and what to avoid. A good prompt does the same thing.

The 6-part bot job prompt

1. Role. Who the bot is for this job. "You are the front-desk assistant for a busy barbershop."
2. Goal. The outcome, in one sentence. "Draft text reminders that cut no-shows."
3. Context. What it needs to know: your business, your customers, your policies. Paste the real details.
4. Rules. Tone, length, and the things it must never do. "Under 40 words. No discounts. Never mention prices."
5. Format. Exactly what the output should look like. "A numbered list, one message per line, with [brackets] for names."
6. Input. The actual material: reviews, notes, a job post, a spreadsheet.

Before and after

Here's a weak prompt:

Write a listing for my candle.

The bot has to guess the platform, the scent, the size, the tone, and the length. You'll get something generic. Here's the same job as a bot job prompt:

You are a product copywriter for my Etsy shop, which sells hand-poured soy candles.
Goal: write a listing that's clear and easy to find in search.
Context: 8 oz amber jar, scent is cedar and orange, about 45-hour burn time, cotton wick, made in Florida.
Rules: friendly and simple. Don't use "best," "luxury," or any health claims. Only use facts I gave you.
Format: a title under 140 characters, 5 bullet points, a 120-word description, and 13 tags separated by commas.

Same bot, much better result, because it's not guessing.

Five tips that make prompts work better

1. Paste real examples

Bots learn your style fast from examples. Paste two or three replies, posts, or emails you've written that you liked and say "match this tone." That one step does more than a paragraph of adjectives.

2. Tell it what not to do

The "never" rules prevent most problems. Common ones: never invent facts, numbers, or links; never offer refunds or discounts; never make guarantees; never mention competitors.

3. Let it ask questions

Add: "If anything is unclear or missing, ask me before you write." Bots tend to fill gaps with guesses. Giving permission to ask stops that.

4. Ask for the format you'll actually use

If you'll paste the result into a text message, say "plain text, no bullet points, under 160 characters." If it's going into a spreadsheet, ask for a table with specific columns. The less reformatting you do, the more time you keep.

5. Use brackets for the parts that change

Write your prompt once with placeholders like [customer name], [date], or [paste reviews here]. Each time you use it, you only swap the brackets. That's what makes it a reusable job and not a one-off chat.

Fix the prompt, not the output

When a draft comes back wrong, it's tempting to just fix it by hand. Instead, tell the bot what was wrong and then add that correction to your saved prompt as a new rule. "Too formal" becomes "Sound like a friendly neighbor." "Made up a detail" becomes "Only use facts from the input." After a few rounds, your prompt has your preferences built in, and drafts need less editing.

Test it three times

Before you rely on a prompt, run it on three different real inputs, including a tricky one like an angry review or an incomplete set of notes. If it handles all three well, save it. If it struggles with the tricky one, add a rule for that case.

A template you can copy

You are [role] for [business], a [type of business] serving [customers] in [place].
Goal: [one-sentence outcome].
Context: [policies, prices, facts, examples of my style].
Rules: [tone], [length]. Never [thing 1], never [thing 2]. Only use facts I provide.
If anything is unclear, ask me before writing.
Format: [exact shape of the output].

Input:
[paste material here]

Keep yourself in the loop

A great prompt makes great drafts, not final decisions. Read what the bot produces before it reaches a customer, a client, or the government. See 10 things not to hand your bot for where to draw the line.

Skip the blank page

Every job in the Bot Job Library comes with a prompt written this way, ready to copy. Or get the free 25-prompt pack as a PDF. If you want jobs picked for your situation, take the free BotFit match.