AI can dramatically enhance professional productivity. This chapter covers prompts for business communication, analysis, planning, and workflow optimization.

<Callout type="info" title="AI for Business">
AI excels at drafting, analysis, and structuring—freeing you to focus on strategy, relationships, and decisions that require human judgment.
</Callout>

## Business Communication

### Do's and Don'ts: Business Emails

<Compare 
  before={{ label: "❌ Vague request", content: "Write an email to my boss about the project." }}
  after={{ label: "✓ Complete context", content: "Write an email to my manager (Sarah) updating her on the Q4 marketing project.\n\nKey points: We're on track for the Nov 15 deadline, resolved the vendor issue, need her approval on the $5K budget increase.\nTone: Professional but friendly (we have a good relationship)\nKeep under 150 words with a clear ask at the end." }}
/>

### Email Drafting

<TryIt compact prompt={`Write a professional email.

Context:
- To: [recipient and relationship]
- Purpose: [request/inform/follow-up/apologize]
- Key points: [what must be communicated]
- Tone: [formal/friendly professional/urgent]

Constraints:
- Keep under [X] sentences
- Clear call-to-action
- Subject line included`} />

**Examples by purpose:**

<TryIt compact prompt={`\${emailType:Meeting Request}: Write an email requesting a meeting with a potential client to discuss partnership opportunities. Keep it brief and make it easy for them to say yes.`} />

<TryIt compact prompt={`\${emailType:Difficult Conversation}: Write an email declining a vendor's proposal while maintaining the relationship for future opportunities. Be clear but diplomatic.`} />

<TryIt compact prompt={`\${emailType:Status Update}: Write a project status email to stakeholders. The project is 2 weeks behind schedule due to scope changes. Present the situation professionally with a recovery plan.`} />

### Presentation Content

<TryIt compact prompt={`Create presentation content for \${topic:Q4 sales strategy}.

Audience: \${audience:executive leadership}
Duration: \${duration:15 minutes}
Goal: \${goal:persuade to approve budget increase}

Provide for each slide:
- Title
- Key message (one main point)
- Supporting points (3 max)
- Speaker notes (what to say)
- Visual suggestion (chart/image/diagram)

Structure:
1. Hook/Attention grabber
2. Problem/Opportunity
3. Solution/Recommendation
4. Evidence/Support
5. Call to action`} />

### Report Writing

<TryIt compact prompt={`Write a \${reportType:recommendation} report on \${topic:expanding into European markets}.

Report type: \${type:recommendation}
Audience: \${audience:C-suite}
Length: \${length:5 pages}

Structure:
1. Executive Summary (key findings, 1 paragraph)
2. Background/Context
3. Methodology (if applicable)
4. Findings
5. Analysis
6. Recommendations
7. Next Steps

Include: Data visualization suggestions where relevant
Tone: \${tone:formal business}`} />

## Analysis & Decision-Making

<Callout type="tip" title="Analysis Principle">
AI can structure your thinking, but **you provide the real-world context**. The best analyses combine AI's frameworks with your domain knowledge.
</Callout>

### SWOT Analysis

<TryIt compact prompt={`Conduct a SWOT analysis for \${subject:launching a new mobile app}.

Context:
\${context:We're a mid-size fintech company considering a consumer banking app}

Provide:

**Strengths** (internal positives)
- At least 4 points with brief explanations

**Weaknesses** (internal negatives)
- At least 4 points with brief explanations

**Opportunities** (external positives)
- At least 4 points with brief explanations

**Threats** (external negatives)
- At least 4 points with brief explanations

**Strategic Implications**
- Key insight from analysis
- Recommended priorities`} />

### Decision Framework

<TryIt compact prompt={`Help me make a decision about \${decision:which CRM to choose}.

Options:
1. \${optionA:Salesforce}
2. \${optionB:HubSpot}
3. \${optionC:Pipedrive}

Criteria that matter to me:
- \${criterion1:ease of use} (weight: high)
- \${criterion2:integration with existing tools} (weight: high)
- \${criterion3:cost} (weight: medium)

Provide:
1. Score each option against each criterion (1-5)
2. Weighted analysis
3. Pros/cons summary for each
4. Risk assessment
5. Recommendation with rationale
6. Questions to consider before deciding`} />

### Competitive Analysis

<TryIt compact prompt={`Analyze \${competitor:Slack} compared to \${ourProduct:our team communication tool}.

Research their:
1. **Products/Services** - offerings, pricing, positioning
2. **Strengths** - what they do well
3. **Weaknesses** - where they fall short
4. **Market position** - target segments, market share
5. **Strategy** - apparent direction and focus

Compare to us:
- Where we're stronger
- Where they're stronger
- Opportunity gaps
- Competitive threats

Recommend: Actions to improve our competitive position`} />

## Planning & Strategy

### Goal Setting (OKRs)

<TryIt compact prompt={`Help me set OKRs for \${scope:Q1 marketing team}.

Context:
- Company goals: \${companyGoals:increase revenue 25% YoY}
- Current situation: \${currentState:brand awareness is low in new markets}
- Key priorities: \${priorities:lead generation, content marketing}

Create 3 Objectives with 3-4 Key Results each.

Format:
**Objective 1:** Qualitative goal - inspiring
- KR 1.1: Quantitative measure (Current: X → Target: Y)
- KR 1.2: Quantitative measure (Current: X → Target: Y)
- KR 1.3: Quantitative measure (Current: X → Target: Y)

Ensure KRs are:
- Measurable
- Ambitious but achievable
- Time-bound
- Outcome-focused (not tasks)`} />

### Project Planning

<TryIt compact prompt={`Create a project plan for \${project:website redesign}.

Scope: \${scope:new homepage, product pages, checkout flow}
Timeline: \${timeline:3 months}
Team: \${team:2 developers, 1 designer, 1 PM}
Budget: \${budget:$50,000}

Provide:
1. **Project phases** with milestones
2. **Work breakdown structure** (major tasks)
3. **Timeline** (Gantt-style description)
4. **Dependencies** (what blocks what)
5. **Risks** (potential issues and mitigation)
6. **Success criteria** (how we know we're done)`} />

### Meeting Agenda

<TryIt compact prompt={`Create an agenda for \${meetingType:quarterly planning}.

Purpose: \${purpose:align on Q2 priorities and resource allocation}
Attendees: \${attendees:department heads, CEO, COO}
Duration: \${duration:90 minutes}

Format:
| Time | Topic | Owner | Goal |
|------|-------|-------|------|
| 5 min | Opening | Facilitator | Context |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |

Include:
- Time allocations
- Clear owner for each item
- Specific outcomes expected
- Pre-work required
- Follow-up action item template`} />

## Productivity Workflows

### Task Prioritization

<TryIt compact prompt={`Help me prioritize my tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix.

My tasks:
\${tasks:1. Prepare quarterly report (due Friday)\n2. Review job applications\n3. Reply to vendor emails\n4. Plan team offsite\n5. Update LinkedIn profile}

Categorize each into:
1. **Urgent + Important** (Do first)
2. **Important, Not Urgent** (Schedule)
3. **Urgent, Not Important** (Delegate)
4. **Neither** (Eliminate)

Then provide:
- Recommended order of execution
- Time estimates
- Suggestions for delegation or elimination`} />

### Process Documentation

<TryIt compact prompt={`Document this business process: \${processName:customer refund request}.

Create:
1. **Process overview** (1 paragraph)
2. **Trigger** (what starts this process)
3. **Steps** (numbered, with responsible party)
4. **Decision points** (if X then Y format)
5. **Outputs** (what this process produces)
6. **Systems involved** (tools/software)
7. **Exceptions** (edge cases and handling)

Format: Clear enough for new employee to follow`} />

### Standard Operating Procedure

<TryIt compact prompt={`Write an SOP for \${task:onboarding new employees to Slack}.

Audience: \${audience:HR administrators}
Complexity: \${complexity:basic users}

Include:
1. Purpose and scope
2. Prerequisites/requirements
3. Step-by-step instructions
4. Screenshots/visual placeholders
5. Quality checkpoints
6. Common errors and troubleshooting
7. Related SOPs/documents
8. Version history`} />

## Communication Templates

### Stakeholder Update

<TryIt compact prompt={`Write a stakeholder update for \${project:CRM migration project}.

Status: \${status:at risk}
Period: \${period:Week of Jan 6-10}

Format:
## Project Name Update

**Status:** 🟢/🟡/🔴

**Progress this period:**
- Accomplishment 1
- Accomplishment 2

**Next period goals:**
- Goal 1
- Goal 2

**Risks/Blockers:**
- If any

**Decisions needed:**
- If any`} />

### Feedback Request

<TryIt compact prompt={`Write a message requesting feedback on \${deliverable:the new product roadmap document}.

Context: \${context:This will guide our Q2 priorities, I want to make sure I haven't missed anything}
Specific areas for feedback: \${feedbackAreas:timeline feasibility, resource allocation, missing features}
Timeline: \${deadline:by Friday EOD}

Tone: Professional but not overly formal
Make it easy to respond with specific questions`} />

## Prompt Templates from prompts.chat

### Act as a Business Consultant

<TryIt compact prompt={`I want you to act as a business consultant. I will describe business situations and challenges, and you will provide strategic advice, frameworks for thinking about problems, and actionable recommendations. Draw on established business principles while being practical and specific.`} />

### Act as a Meeting Facilitator

<TryIt compact prompt={`I want you to act as a meeting facilitator. Help me plan and run effective meetings. Create agendas, suggest discussion frameworks, help synthesize conversations, and draft follow-up communications. Focus on making meetings productive and action-oriented.`} />

## Summary

<Callout type="tip" title="Key Techniques">
Specify the audience and their needs, define the desired outcome clearly, include relevant context and constraints, request specific formats and structures, and consider professional tone requirements.
</Callout>

<Quiz 
  question="What should you always include when asking AI to write a business email?"
  options={[
    "Just the topic you want to discuss",
    "Recipient, purpose, key points, and desired tone",
    "Only the recipient's name",
    "A template from the internet"
  ]}
  correctIndex={1}
  explanation="Effective business emails need context: who you're writing to, why, what must be communicated, and the appropriate tone. AI can't infer your professional relationships or organizational context."
/>

AI can handle routine business communication while you focus on strategy and relationships.
