A Beautiful Framework For Building Your Own AI Prompts To Solve Problems Like A Pro

RATS explained

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The RATS Framework For Building Your Own Prompts

A framework helps use an actionable formula to quickly frame the context for the problem that we're trying to solve with an AI tool.

The RATS framework, which I have built, is made up of 6 elements.

These elements, taken together, establish a structure and a context for the problem you wish to solve.

It gives the AI tool enough clues to solve the problem correctly and affords you control over the output by calibrating the inputs.

The Inputs

• R = Role = A celebrity author, or description of the role
• A = Avatar/ Persona
• T = Topic: Eg Cybersecurity & Task: Eg Create a Landing Page
• S = Structure of the task: Eg PAS formula for creating a Landing Page, Style & Tone: Eg Conversational, Persuasive.

The best way to remember this formula is t0 look at it as a sentence and an abbreviation:

1. R [Act as this Role: ]
2. A [For this Avatar: ]
3. T [On this Topic: and for this Task: ]
4. S [Using this Structure: and with this Style/Tone: ]

Where can you use RATS

RATS is a very flexible framework.

You can use it to create content: Landing Pages, Email Sequences, Newsletters, Social Media Posts, Digital Strategy, Marketing Strategy, Creative Thinking.

I have used it on Phewture on many other tasks outside of content and marketing.

Caveat: However, it cannot be used randomly to solve all problems, or just any problem. You should use it selectively.

Now let me expand each element in this framework so that using it becomes clearer to you.

Role in RATS

The Role expands the context of the problem and establishes some boundaries for the tool. Effectively, the Role tells the tool to Act As This Expert.

The Role must have expertise in 2 areas:

1. [Topic, say at a very broad level: Cybersecurity, IT Managed Services, ABM Strategy, etc]
2. [Task, say at a very specific level: Social Media Marketing, or Influencer Marketing, or Affiliate Marketing]

You can also use a celebrity persona for the Role. Try using the name of any famous Copywriter, Author, Blogger, Writer, etc. Check what happens.

Alternatively, you can write a descriptive sentence about the Role that uses 5 or more attributes of an Expert [Topic + Task + Unique Skills + Achievements]

As you can see above, you can enhance the Role by specifying not just the person's background but also their unique skills and achievements.

For instance, the facets/ attributes of a Storyteller on the Cybersecurity, could be as follows:

Imagine a consultant who combines the analytical acumen of a seasoned cybersecurity professional with the narrative flair of a master storyteller. He/she draws on a wealth of experience in technical B2B marketing, crafting messages that not only inform but also captivate and inspire action. With a deep understanding of the challenges and aspirations unique to defense contracting firms, this consultant excels in creating content that bridges the gap between technical complexity and strategic cybersecurity objectives.

Avatar in RATS

You can make the Avatar, or Persona, more descriptive by highlighting customer concerns, goals, and the context of customer in that industry.

Two examples are given below for you to understand how an Avatar should be written.

• Avatar: CISO at a Growing Defense Firm - A Chief Information Security Officer leading the cybersecurity efforts of a mid-sized defense contracting firm. Actively seeking to navigate the complexities of CMMC 2.0 to not only comply with regulations but also to leverage cybersecurity as a competitive advantage.
  
• Avatar: Innovative CTO - A forward-thinking Chief Technology Officer at a defense technology company, eager to implement cutting-edge solutions to not only meet CMMC requirements but to set new standards in secure, efficient operations within the defense sector.

While this avatar version works, you should ideally use the summary of Empathy Map Canvas, or Persona Description, or Audience Experience Map that you have made for your brand in the Avatar section for a better, more nuanced definition and ergo, results.

Task In RATS

Detail the Task, by clarifying the end goal and the medium through which it's achieved.

See the two examples below.

• Task 1: Create a Landing Page - Design a landing page that not only informs defense contractors about CMMC 2.0 but also convinces them of your consultancy's unmatched expertise in ensuring their firm's compliance and securing their operations.
  
• Task 2: Create A Social Media Campaign - Launch a social media campaign targeted at defense contracting firms, providing valuable insights into CMMC 2.0 challenges and solutions, showcasing your company's role as a thought leader in cybersecurity.

Topic In RATS

Specify the Topic, to offer a focused lens through which the content is created, or the state problem you need the tool to solve.

• Topic: CMMC 2.0 Overview - An essential guide to understanding the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification 2.0, tailored for defense contractors looking to navigate new regulations.
  
• Topic: Advanced Threat Protection - Insight into cutting-edge cybersecurity technologies and methodologies that offer defense contractors advanced protection and compliance with CMMC 2.0.

Structure In RATS

Refine the Structure by using templates or formulas specific to the task at hand.

This is an important step in th use of the RATS framework.

Unless you specify the structure, ChatGPT and other tools tend to default to the structure that it thinks you should use.

When you don't specify the structure, you are at the mercy of the tool.

Expert users always specify this structure and don't rely on ChatGPTs default, or the-first-warm-structure-that-it-can-find for the output.

Some specific structures/formulas that you can experiment with in copy are below.

• PAS (Problem-Agitate-Solve) - For a social media post: Highlight a common cybersecurity challenge defense contractors face. Agitate it by discussing the potential risks of non-compliance with CMMC 2.0. Solve it by introducing your consultancy as the solution.
  
• BAB (Before-After-Bridge) - For a landing page: Paint a picture of the 'before' scenario facing defense contractors who struggle with CMMC 2.0. Show the 'after' where challenges are overcome through your services, and bridge the gap with a call-to-action inviting them to consult with you.
  
• You can try-out the structures in any of the copy formulas mentioned here.

Style & Tone In RATS

Style and tone defines how the output content should be written. There are many ways to use this effectively. Use what works for you best.

1. First generate 10, or 20 style and tone combinations that are popular in writing. Use ChatGPT itself to generate this descriptively for you.
2. Another way, is to use the Brand Voice guidelines for Tone & Style here, if you have it with you.
3. You can also feed ChatGPT a couple of samples of your own writing, or that of someone else. Then ask ChatGPT to descriptively summarize the style and tone of the inputted text.
   

I have a detailed article on Styles and Tones which you can refer. This includes the brand voice, styles and tones of 10 B2B and Consumer brands.

Let's Bring It All Together

Now, use RATS framework, with its expansions, on some of the problems you have with content, or even other things:

[Role] =
Act as a Expert [5 key attributes of Topic + Task + Achievements + Unique Skills]

[Avatar] =
[Insert you Empathy Map Canvas, Persona, Audience Map, or brief description here]

[Topic] =
[Broad subject: Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, AI in Marketing, etc]

[Task] =
[Problem Statement Headline]

[Structure] =
[Structure of the Task. Use a Model/ Framework, ideally with an example for AI to follow]

[Style/ Tone/ Voice] =
[Specify this from the Brand Guidelines, or glean from existing marketing collateral samples, or take it from here]

Additions That You May Include

[Length] =[X characters, or Y words]

[Meta Description]= [150 characters long]

[Meta Title] =[60 characters long]

[Keywords] = [List of primary and secondary keywords]

[Call to Action] = [Specific action you want the audience to take]

[References] = [List any sources or references to be used]

[Deadline] = [Specify the deadline for the task]

[Success/Metrics] = [Define how the success of the task will be measured]

[Additional Notes] =[Any other relevant information or special instructions, eg formatting rules]

But how do I know if this actually works for me?

Ha, good question.

Let's create a fictional product brief, for a B2B Social Media App, driven by AI, and targeted at agencies and clients, to test the RATS framework.

[Role] = Act as an expert AI-powered social media strategist with 5+ years experience developing successful campaigns for top agencies and brands. Highly skilled at audience targeting, content optimization, and performance analytics. Uniquely able to leverage AI and machine learning to uncover deep customer insights and automate campaign management. Winner of the "AI Innovator of the Year" award.

[Avatar] = Jessica is the social media director at a mid-sized digital agency. She manages a team of 5 and is responsible for delivering results for the agency's top clients. Jessica is always looking for ways to gain an edge and impress clients with cutting-edge strategies. She needs tools that will help her team work smarter, uncover unique insights, and demonstrate clear ROI.

[Topic] = AI in B2B Social Media Marketing

[Task] = Develop a go-to-market strategy and key messaging for launching an AI-powered social media management platform aimed at agencies and brands. The platform should emphasize its ability to drive better results through predictive analytics, intelligent automation, and deep audience insights.

[Structure] =

• Executive Summary
• Market Opportunity
  • Target Audiences
  • Key Challenges
  • AI-Driven Solutions
• Product Positioning & Differentiation
  • Core Features & Benefits
  • Competitor Comparison
  • Proof Points/Case Studies
• Go-To-Market Plan
  • Messaging & Creative Strategy
  • Demand Generation Tactics
  • Sales Enablement
  • KPIs & Measurement
• Summary & Next Steps

[Style/Tone/Voice] = Use a professional yet energetic and visionary tone that gets the reader excited about the transformative potential of AI for social media marketing. Provide tangible examples and proof points to build credibility. Messaging should balance technical sophistication with an understanding of agencies' business needs and challenges. The voice is authoritative and confident, but also approachable and partnership-oriented.

Now let's put this prompt into Perplexity

You can expand sections of this answer by copying it into the chatbot and asking the chatbot to expand it further. Or you can can use it, as it is.

Now, say I wish to expand the section called Product Positioning & Differentiation. Let's see what happens when I ask the chatbot to do this. You may want/ need to modify the final answer.

Why use the RATS Framework?

The objective behind using RATS should be clear to you now:

1. It offers a detailed, step-by-step approach to crafting prompts that resonate deeply with your audience while being easy to recall and implement.
   
2. You need to specify everything to the tool if you wish to control the output. Leave nothing for the tool to interpret and answer on its own.
   
   The structure/ model is something that you need to know before you use the formula. Structures are available all over the web if you care to look for it.
   
   Hint: I often use Google Images to understand and create structures. Often, I use existing frameworks available. Search for "Content Frameworks" and you'll understand what I mean and how to do this.
   
3. You can use the tools to learn, to write, to generate ideas, to solve problems, translate, extract information and more... It's only when you become proficient in many of these that you become an expert with that tool and be able to create your own prompts.
   
4. If you are constantly using other people's prompts, you become dependent on these, and don't enhance your own thinking skills. As a result, you embrace outcomes which are sub-optimal for you. Many are happy to do just that - that's not a judgement call, just an observation.
   

It's possible to create your own framework, prompt library for content, or decision-making with just one or two tools such ChatGPT, or Perplexity, or POE.

You don't need the help of rigid software that hides prompts, dumbs them down, and makes you walk along a narrow path. See this article.

Software and AI Agents are invariably meant for lazy writers and marketers wishing to produce sub-optimal content.

In fact, once you discover your own method for creating content, generating business ideas, and solving business problems, you will never use other tools.

What makes the recipes at Phewture different?

The prompts at Phewture are handcrafted, intelligence-filtered, and tested for content generation, branding, audience research strategies, run through creative thinking, mental models, storytelling, and more, by experienced practitioners.

The key thing about these prompts is the emphasis on the structure of the task.

Structures, models and frameworks abound on the web and it's easy to substitute any structure that's available, or ones that you create, with these prompts.

This means that you can modify the prompts on Phewture with your own structure, or any that you know of, with ease.

To sum up, the prompts at Phewture:

1. Are highly structured to deliver enhanced outcomes
2. Use models and frameworks that are the best in the business
3. Consider actionable creative and decision models to craft a superior output and add to your content outcomes
4. Use workflows with multiple prompts strung together to achieve awesome results.

Notes

• The RATS Framework is an elegant method I have developed for writing prompts that provide context clues and structure to help GPTs frame and answer problems.
• Before using RATS prompts, ensure you have clearly defined the problem and constraints using the Problem Statement or Product Brief Methods from Phewture.
• If this this your first foray on Phewture, do familiarize yourself with the Basics of Prompting.

All this makes so much sense to join Phewture now, right?

AI Tools that you can use

The prompts on Phewture are AI tool agnostic.

They should work on GeminiPro, ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity. Even on free tools such as llama3 by Meta which you can install on your desktop.

• ChatGPT and Gemini Pro can read Google Files by way of attachment
• Claude can read PDFs.
• Perplexity can read text files and PDFs.

Use these capabilities to upload your prompts and get the best out of these tools.

Next Steps

1. To help you find your way around Phewture, I have put together a set of AI Recipes under Wayfinding. Do go through these and you'll navigate like a pro through this stream of consciousness. 😄
   
2. The Learning Methods are exercises that I'd recommend if you wish to wrap your head around the possibilities of using AI Recipes at work, or for play.
   
3. Don't forget to leave your comments below and share your joy with your friends on social media. Use the share icons below this post to gain some good karma.

Wish to train your in-house team on AI techniques?

Phewture offers AI-spurred training for teams. Do check out the Training Services.