The One Simple Prompt Engineering Trick to Stop Getting Generic Results

Let’s be real for a second.

A lot of AI output feels disappointing at first.

It can sound generic, “fluffy,” or weirdly robotic—like it’s trying to imitate a corporate brochure from 1998.

If you’ve ever asked ChatGPT for a marketing plan or a client email and thought, “Nope, I’m not sending that,” you’re not alone.

I see this all the time.

People tell me, “Jackie, I tried the AI thing. It’s just not that smart.”

Most of the time, the tool is capable—you just need to give it a clearer path to follow.

As an AI Trainer, I spend a lot of time helping teams make that shift.

So here’s the simple trick: no fluff, no jargon—just one change that helps you get cleaner, more useful output.

Let’s dive in.

Stop Asking for the Answer

Here is the biggest mistake you’re making.

You are asking for the final result immediately.

"Write me a blog post about productivity."

"Give me five ideas for a social media campaign."

"Summarize this meeting."

Stop. Doing. That.

When you ask for the "answer" right away, the AI takes the shortest path possible. It grabs the most common, generic, overused patterns it has seen and drops them onto the screen.

That’s not because you did anything wrong—it’s just how these tools behave when the request is vague.

If you want higher-quality output, you need to guide the AI to work through the problem.

Instead of treating it like a vending machine, treat it like a helpful junior teammate: smart, fast, but it needs clear instructions and a bit of context.

If you give a human intern a vague task, they’ll probably miss the mark. AI is similar.

The trick isn't some complex coding language. It’s a simple logic shift.

The "Chain-of-Thought" Trick (aka Thinking Out Loud)

The big fancy term for this is "Chain-of-Thought Prompting."

But since I hate fancy terms, let’s just call it: Asking the AI to show its work.

Think back to 4th-grade math. Remember how your teacher would get annoyed if you just wrote "42" as the answer without showing the long division?

The teacher wasn't being a jerk. They wanted to see the logic.

AI needs that same structure.

When you force the AI to "think through this step-by-step," you are literally forcing its "digital brain" to process logic in a sequence.

Instead of jumping to a conclusion, it has to build a foundation.

It sounds too simple to be true.

It’s not.

It is the difference between generic copy and clear, strategic thinking.

How to Actually Use It (The Simple Way)

So, how do you do it?

You add one specific phrase to your prompt:

"Think through this step-by-step."

That’s it.

But let’s kick it up a notch. Because I want you to get great results, not just "okay" ones.

Instead of just saying "Write a summary," try this:

"I’m going to give you notes from a meeting. First, identify the three most important goals discussed. Second, list the specific action items for each team member. Third, write a 3-sentence summary that highlights the biggest win. Think through each step before writing."

See what happened there?

You gave it a path.

You didn't just ask for a summary. You told it how to get to the summary.

I call this "logic-pathing."

When the AI has to explain its reasoning, it catches its own mistakes. It stops hallucinating (making stuff up) because it’s tethered to the steps you provided.

It works every. single. time.

Why Context is Your New Best Friend

If "thinking step-by-step" is the engine, Context is the fuel.

Most people are stingy with context. Why?

Are you afraid of hurting the AI’s feelings by talking too much?

It’s a computer. It doesn’t get bored.

If you are an entrepreneur trying to manage your schedule with a tool like Motion or Reclaim.ai, you don't just tell the AI "make me a schedule."

That’s useless.

You tell it: "I am a high-energy morning person. I hate meetings after 2 PM. I need 2 hours of deep work for creative projects. Use the 'think step-by-step' method to prioritize my tasks for tomorrow based on these rules."

Now, you’re getting somewhere.

Now, the AI is working for you, not just guessing what you want.

If you’re using Superhuman to blast through emails, don’t just use the built-in "reply" button blindly.

Tell the AI: "This client is high-priority and slightly annoyed. Use a tone that is professional but empathetic. First, acknowledge their frustration. Second, offer a solution. Third, suggest a time to talk. Think through the tone before you draft the response."

The result?

Clear, human-sounding communication that fits the situation.

Integrating This Into Your Workflow

Look, I’m all about productivity hacks.

If a tool doesn’t save me time, I don’t use it. Period.

That’s why I love things like Zapier.

Imagine you have a Zap that sends customer feedback from a form into a Slack channel.

If you just send the raw text, it’s noise.

But if you use an AI step in the middle and tell it to "Analyze this feedback step-by-step: 1. Sentiment, 2. Main Complaint, 3. Urgency," you’ve just turned noise into data.

Automated.

Fast.

Clean.

This is how real corporate teams are winning with AI. They aren't playing with it. They are directing it.

Are you directing? Or are you just hoping for the best?

Hoping isn't a strategy.

The Power of Persona-Setting

One more thing before I let you go.

If you want to stop those generic results for good, tell the AI who it is.

I call this the "Persona Punch."

Don't just say "Write a blog post."

Say: "You are a world-class copywriter who hates jargon and loves blunt, honest communication. Write a blog post about..."

Combine that persona with the "think step-by-step" trick, and you are literally in the top 1% of AI users.

I’m serious.

Most people will never do this. They’ll keep complaining that AI sounds like a robot.

But you?

You know better now.

You have the keys.

Stop Settling for Mediocre

The world is full of mediocre content.

Don’t add to the pile.

Using AI shouldn't make your work worse; it should make your thinking faster.

By forcing the AI to slow down and follow a logic chain, you’re actually speeding up your own workflow.

Why?

Because you won’t have to spend ages editing out the “fluff” from what it gave you.

You get what you ask for.

Ask for logic. Ask for steps. Ask for the "how."

I promise you, the results will blow your mind.

I LOVE seeing people have that "aha!" moment when their AI finally starts sounding human.

It’s not magic. It’s just good communication.

Go try this.

Open up ChatGPT (or your tool of choice) and add “Think through this step-by-step” to your next prompt.

Then notice what changes: clearer structure, fewer generic phrases, and output that’s much easier to use.

Jackie

Disclaimer: If you are governed by GDPR, please check your company’s internal AI policies and data restrictions (e.g., for Microsoft Copilot) before using these tips. Jackie Dunn AI Workshops is not liable for your organizational compliance.