Tips for Better Prompts — The Cheat Sheet
A quick-reference guide to the most impactful things you can do.
3 min read10 tips that actually matter
No fluff. Just the things that make the biggest difference, in order of impact.
Write more examples.
Worth more than everything else combined. 3 great examples outperform perfect Role+Rules with zero examples. If you only do one thing on this list, do this.
Be specific, not vague.
Bad: "Be helpful." Good: "When customer asks about returns, explain our 30-day policy and provide return form link." The more specific you are, the less your agent has to guess.
Test with real questions.
Use real questions from your email, social media, or support inbox. Not made-up ones. Real questions expose real gaps in your prompt that hypothetical ones miss.
Show, don't tell.
Instead of the rule "Be concise," write an example response that IS concise. Your agent learns way more from seeing good behavior than being told about it.
Update knowledge regularly.
If products, prices, policies, or hours change — update the Knowledge node. An outdated agent is worse than no agent, because it confidently gives wrong answers.
Set escalation triggers early.
Figure out the topics your agent should NEVER handle alone BEFORE a customer hits them. Refunds over $500? Legal questions? Medical advice? Decide now, not after something goes wrong.
Start with a template.
Even if it's not perfect, a starting point is always faster than a blank canvas. Pick the closest template and customize from there.
Read your prompt out loud.
If anything sounds weird or contradictory when you say it, your agent will be confused too. Your ears catch things your eyes skip over.
One agent, one job.
A great support agent + a great marketing agent > one mediocre agent trying to do both. Keep each agent focused on one thing, and it'll do that thing really well.
Iterate.
Your first version won't be perfect. Use it for a week, notice what goes wrong, and improve. The best prompts are refined over time, not written perfectly on the first try.
You just got the cheat sheet. The biggest takeaway: write more examples. Everything else helps, but examples are worth more than all other tips combined. Keep this page handy and revisit it as you refine your agent over time.