How To Talk to AI — Slow It Down

AI can be like your teenager who doesn’t want to mow the lawn. 

It’ll do it, but if you don’t guide it, it’ll rush through and do a crappy job. It’s done, but it might not be good.

If you want it done right, you’ve got to slow it down.

The same is true for an LLM. So tell it to slow down. 

Boss Directive:

“We need a new landing page because our conversion rate is falling. I’d like to see a few designs.”

Prompt:

“You are a senior SaaS marketing copywriter with deep experience crafting high-converting landing page copy, particularly for startups launching new features to existing users and prospects. In this case, we’re introducing a new time-tracking feature for our productivity tool, SlotRight, which is primarily used by freelancers and small agencies. These are busy, independent professionals who value clarity, control, and ease of use. They’re motivated by time freedom and reliability, not hype or jargon.
I want you to go slowly and methodically. First, think through what makes a great landing page design for similar products. Think about the headline and subhead. Then consider the emotional and practical outcomes this product enables. Think about how this fits into the intended SlotRight experience. Think about what kind of language best resonates with this audience.
Then, and only then, develop html prototypes for 5 different versions of the landing page, each with a slightly different angle (e.g. confidence, calm, focus, simplicity, momentum). Choose color themes that fit both the tone of the landing page and our branding. Use natural, benefit-forward language. Don’t be clever at the expense of clarity.
Take your time. Reflect before generating. If anything feels unclear, ask me questions first.”

Maybe seems weird to tell AI to slow down, but like your teenager, it’s just trying to get done. 

NOTE: Speed is also your enemy with data analysis and software development. When using AI to perform these tasks, ALWAYS tell it to be slow and methodical and use language like “accuracy is more important than speed.”

Next up: Prompt the Process, Not Just the Output