How to give your agent an instruction that actually works
The difference between an agent that helps and one that frustrates almost always comes down to how you ask. Here’s the formula.
What's inside
- The 4-part formula for a clear instruction.
- A real example: from a vague request to one that works.
- The 3 mistakes that make an agent “not get it.”
You don’t need to learn how to “program” an agent. You need to ask the way you’d ask a good new employee: clearly. This four-part formula gets you 90% of the result.
The formula: Goal + Context + Limits + Format
- Goal: what you want to achieve, in one sentence. (“I want to win back customers who didn’t buy.”)
- Context: what the agent needs to know about your business. (“We sell jeans; the average order is $120.”)
- Limits: what it should NOT do. (“Don’t offer discounts over 10% without asking me.”)
- Format: how you want the result. (“Send me a draft before sending anything.”)
Example: from vague to clear
Vague: “Help me with sales.”— The agent doesn’t know where to start
Clear: “Write to the customers who bought 30 days ago with a short message inviting them back. Friendly tone, no discounts. Show me the messages before sending them.”— Goal + context + limits + format
The 3 most common mistakes
- Asking for something too big all at once. Break it into steps.
- Not saying what NOT to do. Limits prevent surprises.
- Not asking to review before it acts. For anything sensitive, always ask for a draft.