Mistake 1: Vague Prompts
The most common problem. Vague in = vague out.
❌ "Write a follow-up email for a roofing estimate"
✅ "Write a follow-up text to Mike who got a $14,500 roof estimate 3 days ago. Friendly, not pushy. Mention storm season. Under 60 words."
Fix: Include the customer name, the amount, the timeline, the tone, and a word count target.
Mistake 2: Sounding Corporate
Generic AI output sounds corporate. Add your voice.
"Write this in the same casual, direct tone as these examples I've sent to customers before: [PASTE 2–3 REAL MESSAGES]. Now write [TASK]."
Mistake 3: Only Using It for Emails
AI can also write: safety briefings, incident reports, job descriptions, supplier emails, scope of work documents, change orders, and social media posts.
Mistake 4: Quitting After One Bad Result
If the first result isn't right, say: "Make it shorter / more casual / less like a sales pitch." AI improves within the same conversation.
Mistake 5: Not Saving What Works
Every prompt that works well — save it. Notes app. Google Doc. Anywhere. Building a prompt library is the difference between using AI occasionally and using it daily.
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