How to Use AI Efficiently (2025 Q1 Edition)

How to Use AI Efficiently: The Power of Well-Written Prompts

"Help me with my business / website" – that’s what an entrepreneur told me during our first AI workshop. After 60 minutes, that same person was writing: "You are a digital marketing specialist. Analyze my Facebook campaigns from the last 3 months and identify 3 optimization opportunities for the 25-35 age demographic." The difference? They understood that AI doesn’t guess – it executes exactly what you tell it.

Since March 2025, at Dalbe Digital Agency, we have organized workshops for entrepreneurs where we demonstrated something simple yet transformative: artificial intelligence isn't magic; it’s a tool that delivers the best results only when you know how to use it correctly.

Why Most People Get Mediocre Results from AI

In every workshop, I see the same frustration: "I tried ChatGPT, but it doesn’t give me what I want." The problem isn't the AI – it’s how we communicate with it. A prompt is the question or request you send to the AI. If it’s vague, you get something general. If it’s clear and specific, you get exactly what you need.

Let me show you how to turn frustration into concrete results.

4 Simple Methods for Prompts That Work

After hundreds of hours of testing and workshops, we’ve identified four approaches that work every time:

1. COSTAR – For Crystal Clear Communication

• C – Context: What is the background or situation?
• O – Objective: What do you want to achieve?
• S – Style: How should the response be written? (e.g., creative, technical)
• T – Tone: What vibe do you want? (e.g., friendly, formal)
• A – Audience: Who are you talking to?
• R – Response: What format or structure do you want?

2. SMART – For Precise Goals (Developers know why!)

• S – Specific: Formulate the request clearly, without ambiguity.
• M – Measurable: Include numbers or indicators.
• A – Achievable: Ensure the task is feasible for the AI.
• R – Relevant: Make sure it relates to your core goal.
• T – Time-bound: Set a deadline or a specific duration.

3. PRAISE – For Professional Results

• P – Persona: Who is the AI? (e.g., SEO expert, marketing consultant)
• R – Role: What task or function is it performing?
• A – Action: What specifically do you want it to do?
• I – Input: What information are you providing as a starting point?
• S – Steps: What sequence of steps should it follow?
• E – Expected output: In what format should the answer be delivered?

4. Role-Based Prompting – The Power of Specialization

Assign a clear role to the AI: "You are an SEO expert," "You are a UX designer," or "You are a travel consultant." This way, the responses are perfectly calibrated to your specific needs.

Concrete Examples Showing the Difference

Theory is nice, but here is how it works in practice:

• COSTAR in Action:
  Final Prompt: "I have an online store with sustainable products. I want to increase organic traffic. Write 3 clear SEO recommendations in a direct style and friendly tone for e-commerce entrepreneurs."
• SMART for Measurable Results:
  Final Prompt: "I want to increase my website's conversion rate from 2% to 5% over the next 6 months without exceeding the current budget. Suggest feasible strategies for the homepage and product pages."
• PRAISE for Detailed Analysis:
  Final Prompt: "You are a CRO specialist. Analyze the page www.store.com/product123 following these steps: 1) Evaluate the page structure, 2) Identify 3 main issues, 3) Propose concrete solutions. Present the result in a table with issues, solutions, and estimated impact for each."
• Role-Based for Creativity:
  Final Prompt: "You are a branding expert. Create a memorable name and a short slogan for an online store selling eco-friendly home decor. The target audience is urban, young, and sustainability-oriented."

The Transformation I See in Workshops

The most satisfying moment for me is seeing participants move from frustration to an "Aha!" moment in just a few hours. This transformation always follows the same pattern:

They understand AI isn't sorcery. Many come with the idea that the AI somehow "knows" what they want to do. They quickly realize it’s a powerful tool that needs clear instructions. It doesn't guess – it executes.

They discover the power of specificity. The difference between "Write an email" and "Write a follow-up email for a dissatisfied customer, in an empathetic but firm tone, with 3 concrete solutions" is immense. AI loves details.

They learn to save real money. Even Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, confirmed that politeness is unnecessary for AI. Instead of "Please kindly write a report for me, thank you very much," participants learn to be direct: "Write a report with the following sections..." Tokens cost money – every word counts.

The Next Step for Your Business

AI can transform the way you work, but only if you know how to use it correctly. If you want to learn how to integrate AI into your business or optimize existing processes with the help of artificial intelligence, let’s talk.

At Dalbe Digital Agency, we don't just teach theory – we implement concrete solutions that bring measurable results. Contact us for more details, and let’s see where and how AI can increase your efficiency and profitability.