I recently caught up with an ex-colleague who was keen to learn about Generative AI. After recommending to sign up for a ChatGPT Team account and sharing some resources, we reconnected last week. He’d not only completed the courses but devoured the book I suggested. Our conversation quickly turned to a the topic of how little most people understand about prompt engineering. Most don’t even know what the term means.

In my previous post on crafting effective prompts, I touched on the importance of using frameworks like APE and CARE. This recent chat reinforced just how crucial this skill is becoming.

It’s both intriguing and somewhat worrying to see how often people use tools like ChatGPT or Claude, only to be disappointed with the results.

More often than not, it comes down to how these tools are being used. A simple one-line prompt without context just won’t cut it – we need to provide detailed, structured inputs to get meaningful outputs.

For those looking to enhance their Generative AI and prompt engineering skills, here are some highly recommended resources:

1. Ethan Mollick’s book “Co-Intelligence” – this is an insightful read on AI collaboration potential. Imho, it’s the one book EVERYONE should read (or listen to) this year.
2. Prompt Engineering Specialization course on Coursera, taught by Jules White of Vanderbilt University. If you take one course on prompt engineering, let it be this one. It’s very comprehensive and it will open your eyes to the broad applicability of AI tools both in work and personal life.
3. How Should I Be Using AI Right Now: In this Ezra Klein podcast, Ethan Mollick covers the basics, including which chatbot to choose and techniques for how to get the most useful results.

Understanding prompt engineering isn’t just about using AI – it’s about using it effectively to achieve desired results.

Picture this: you’re crafting a year-long email nurture sequence. Instead of spending days brainstorming topics and mapping out content, you use AI to analyze your best-performing emails, identify key themes, and generate a strategic content calendar in minutes. That’s the kind of time-saving, insight-driven power we’re talking about when we use generative AI effectively.

Finding the right balance between AI leverage and maintaining the human touch is key. Remember when we discussed the importance of System 2 thinking in AI implementation? That same thoughtful approach applies here.

If you’re eager to explore AI integration in your email marketing strategy further, don’t forget about the workshop Jeanne Jennings and I are hosting on August 12 and 13. We’ll be getting hands-on with ChatGPT to build marketing campaign foundations and unlock generative AI’s full potential.

I’m interested to hear about your favorite resources for incorporating generative AI into email marketing. Share your thoughts below!