What the model needs to know.
WHY IT MATTERS
The model has no knowledge of your business, your customers, your industry position or your constraints.
Without context, it produces the average answer for the average situation.
WHAT TO INCLUDE
Who you are and what you do Who the output is for What the situation is What has already been tried What constraints apply
AN EXAMPLE OF THE DIFFERENCE
"How do I get more customers?" produces a generic list.
"I run a two-person plumbing business in Ibadan. Most work comes from referrals. I have no website. I want more commercial work rather than domestic. What should I consider?" produces something useful.
HOW MUCH CONTEXT
Enough that the answer could not apply to a different business.
REUSING CONTEXT
Write it once and paste it into every relevant prompt.
That is the single highest-return habit in prompting.
WHAT NOT TO INCLUDE
Confidential information Customer personal data Anything you have not checked the provider's terms about
