Mastering Basic AI Interaction (Level 1)
The Secret Business Asset Hiding in Plain Sight
Ever walked past a £50 note on the pavement because you weren't looking down? That's what most businesses are doing with AI right now. The tools are there, they're powerful, and they're often free or very affordable—but most aren't picking them up. Today, we're starting with the fundamentals that deliver immediate value. No coding required, no complex setups, just straightforward techniques that will have you thinking, "Why didn't I start this sooner?"
What You'll Learn Today
How to structure simple AI conversations that deliver immediate business value
Four quick wins you can implement today (taking less than 10 minutes each)
The exact formula for refining your prompts when results aren't perfect
Common mistakes that waste time and how to avoid them
Why Level 1 Matters Most
While we'll cover advanced techniques in the coming days, mastering Level 1 will give you 80% of the value for 20% of the effort. Think of it as learning to drive before building a car—it's the essential foundation.
Starting the Conversation: Basic AI Interaction
AI is just another business tool. You wouldn't expect a spreadsheet to magically organize your finances without input, right? Similarly, AI needs direction. Here's your step-by-step approach:
1. Choose Your AI Platform
Start with one of these major language models:
ChatGPT (Free or Plus version)
Claude by Anthropic
Google's Bard
Microsoft Copilot Any of these will work for Level 1 implementation. If you're just starting, ChatGPT is widely accessible and has a user-friendly interface.
2. Master the Direct Question Approach
The key to getting value immediately is being specific. Compare these prompts: ❌ "Help me with marketing" ✅ "Create three email subject lines for a promotion targeting small business owners who need accounting software. The promotion offers a 20% discount for annual subscriptions." See the difference? The second gives the AI context, audience information, and a specific deliverable.
3. The Business Challenge Formula
Use this template for your initial conversations:
I need help with [specific business challenge]. Our target audience is [describe audience]. The specific outcome I'm looking for is [clear deliverable]. Additional context: [any relevant information].
4. The Refinement Loop
AI rarely gives perfect answers on the first try. That's normal! Use this three-step refinement process:
Provide feedback: "This is good, but I need it to be more [specific change needed]."
Add examples: "I'd prefer something more like this example: [your example]."
Ask for alternatives: "Can you give me three different approaches to this?"
Four Quick Wins to Implement Today
Let's put this into practice with four specific applications that deliver immediate value:
Quick Win #1: Customer Communication Templates
The Challenge: Responding to common customer inquiries consistently and quickly.
The Solution: Generate templates for your most frequent scenarios.
Try this prompt:
I need to create response templates for common customer inquiries. My business is [describe your business]. Please create professional email templates for these scenarios: 1. A customer asking about pricing 2. A customer reporting a problem with our product/service 3. A customer requesting a refund 4. A potential customer asking for more information For each template, include: - A friendly greeting - A clear acknowledgment of their issue - The necessary information or next steps - A professional closing
Implementation tip: Save these templates in a shared document that your team can access and customize as needed.
Quick Win #2: Content Idea Generation
The Challenge: Coming up with fresh content ideas consistently.
The Solution: Use AI to brainstorm content tailored to your audience.
Try this prompt:
I'm looking to create content for my [blog/social media/newsletter] about [your industry or topic]. My target audience is [describe your audience in detail]. Their main challenges are [list 2-3 pain points]. They're interested in [list 2-3 interests]. Please generate: 1. 10 blog post titles 2. 5 "how-to" content ideas 3. 3 topics for an educational series 4. 7 quick tips we could share as social posts
Implementation tip: Use this monthly to build your content calendar, then return to expand each idea when you're ready to create the content.
Quick Win #3: Document Summarization
The Challenge: Extracting key information from lengthy documents quickly.
The Solution: Have AI summarize reports, articles, and research.
Try this prompt:
I need a concise summary of the following text. Please identify: 1. The main points or arguments 2. Key data or statistics 3. Actionable insights for my business 4. Any limitations mentioned Here's the text: [Paste the content you want summarized]
Implementation tip: Use this for industry reports, competitor content, or even summarizing your own long-form content for different channels.
Quick Win #4: Business Concept Explanations
The Challenge: Getting up to speed on business concepts or trends quickly.
The Solution: Get personalized explanations aligned to your business context.
Try this prompt:
Please explain [business concept] in simple terms. I'm specifically interested in how this applies to [your industry]. Include: 1. A brief definition 2. Why it matters to businesses like mine 3. 2-3 examples of how it works in practice 4. How I might start implementing this concept
Implementation tip: This is perfect for keeping up with industry trends or getting quick explanations of concepts mentioned in meetings.
The Prompt Improvement Checklist
When your results aren't quite right, use this checklist to diagnose and fix the issue:
Have I been specific about what I want?
Have I provided enough context about my business and audience?
Have I specified the format I want the information in?
Have I given examples of what I'm looking for?
Have I asked for revisions rather than starting over?
Common Level 1 Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake #1: Being Too Vague
Issue: Asking broad questions like "Give me marketing ideas," forces the AI to make too many assumptions.
Solution: Be specific about your business, audience, goal, and desired output format.
Mistake #2: Expecting Perfection Without Iteration
Issue: AI outputs are starting points, not finished products.
Solution: Plan for 2-3 rounds of refinement. Each iteration gets you closer to what you need.
Mistake #3: Not Saving Successful Prompts
Issue: A prompt that works well is a valuable business asset.
Solution: Start a "Prompt Library" (we'll cover this in depth tomorrow) where you save effective prompts for reuse.
Mistake #4: Assuming AI Knows Your Business
Issue: While AI knows about business generally, it doesn't know your specific business.
Solution: Always provide context about your company, products, audience, and preferences.
Your Day 1 Action Plan
Before tomorrow's session, complete these tasks:
Set up accounts on at least two major AI platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.)
Implement all four quick wins we covered today
Document the prompts that worked best for your specific needs
Note any challenges you encountered for troubleshooting
Create a simple system for saving effective prompts (spreadsheet, document, or note-taking app)
Day 1 Checklist
I've set up accounts on at least two AI platforms
I've implemented the Customer Communication Templates quick win
I've implemented the Content Idea Generation quick win
I've implemented the Document Summarisation quick win
I've implemented the Business Concept Explanations quick win
I've started a system for saving effective prompts
I've noted challenges to address
Looking Ahead
Tomorrow, we'll build on these basics to create your systematic Prompt Library—a collection of tested, reliable prompts organized by business function. This will dramatically increase your efficiency and ensure consistent results across your team. We'll cover:
How to identify your highest-value repetitive tasks
Creating advanced, reusable prompt templates
Organising your prompts by business function
Testing and refining for optimal results