A prompt is simply the instruction you give AI, guiding it to produce the results you want. Done well, prompting can help you draft business plans, prepare interview answers, polish proposals, or even calculate budgets for projects. Instead of asking vaguely, “Help me with a business plan,” try: “Give me a simple business plan outline for a small catering company in Eswatini, including sections on background, target market, budget, and marketing strategy.” This turns a blank page into a clear, structured roadmap you can work with.

Clarity and specificity are key. For example, if you run a poultry project in Matsapha and want help marketing, don’t just ask, “Write a post.” Instead, prompt: “Write a 150-word Facebook advert for a small poultry business in Eswatini, highlighting affordable prices, fresh chickens, and delivery in Mbabane and Manzini.” Suddenly, you get a practical, ready-to-use draft.

Defining format and tone also matters. Job seekers preparing for interviews can ask: “Give me five common interview questions for a Swazibank teller position, with sample answers in a professional tone.” Entrepreneurs might say: “Draft a one-page business proposal for a piggery in rural Eswatini, suitable for submission to a microfinance institution.”

You can also guide AI by adding constraints. For example: “Write a radio jingle script in siSwati for a youth savings club, 30 seconds long.” With practice, you’ll discover how AI can generate practical outputs tailored to your work or studies.

Like any skill, prompting improves with experimentation. Try out different ways of phrasing, review what works, and refine. Before long, you’ll be using AI not just for quick answers, but as a reliable partner for employability, creativity, and problem-solving.