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You already know that AI can give you answers.
What most people still miss is that it can give you much better answers if you learn how to talk to it.
Most teams treat AI like a vending machine. They drop in one vague question, take whatever comes out, and then decide the tool is “fine but not game-changing.”
That is not an AI problem.
That is a prompting problem.
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AI works like any good partner: the more context you give, the more you challenge it, and the more you interact with it, the sharper it gets for you.
You want quick answers? Ask quick questions.
You want depth, nuance, and tailored insight to your exact situation? You have to earn it by going deeper yourself.
This week, we are going to walk through what “good, better, best” looks like when you are using AI to support real business development work. Specifically, we will use a simple but real scenario.
I’ll even add in a little extra firepower at the end…
Let’s dance.
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The Scenario
For this exercise, we are going to focus on being an engineering firm, let’s call the make-believe company OverEngineered, that is seeking companies to partner with on an upcoming project for the US Army Corps of Engineers.
You can use your favorite AI tool for this (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, etc.). I’ll be using Perplexity for this exercise.
Most users will drop in a simple prompt to get a list of potential companies to talk with. Their prompt would be something like this:
“Find engineering companies I can partner with on an upcoming project with the USACE in the South Pacific, and that are currently winning and doing work in this region.”
The Output
A few notes here:
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This was quick, took less than 1 minute to put together
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Very high level, I didn’t give it specifics on what exactly I wanted or the type of business I specifically need
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I didn’t give specifics on whether I was the prime or the subcontractor, so the AI tool didn’t know how to best present the information
Speed is effective, but adding more granularity can be very effective for getting the answer you are looking for
Check out some of my past articles here:
Perplexity and NotebookLM: The Smarter Way to Combine AI Tools
An AI Strategy to Overcome Team Emergencies Fast
The Free Infographic Hack Your Team Is Missing
Round 2 – Better
So we saw what speed can do, let’s dive into more detail.
If you want a better prompt, spend some time on it. Literally.
Tell the AI who exactly you are, what you really want, and what they need to address.
“You are a federal contracting and business development expert with over 25 years of experience in selling to federal customers, winning projects, and building trust with partners and senior government officials. You have a proven track record of helping companies enter new markets, expand existing accounts, foster new relationships, and build deeper connections.
You are focusing on your engineering firm, which is valued at $80M and has expertise across federal markets, including architecture, civil engineering, building envelope, interior design, master planning, structural engineering, and transportation. You oversee all accounts within the company and lead its growth.
Your current objective is to expand your account with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), particularly within the USACE South Pacific Division (SPD). You are tasked with identifying potential teaming partners who can deliver value, possess strong past performance with the USACE SPD, and effectively support the customer.
Your task is to find 5 potential teaming partners for an upcoming opportunity with the USACE SPD.
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“The output should be structured in a clear list format, including the following details for each potential partner:
Company Name
Contact Information
Relevant Experience with USACE SPD
Value Proposition
Past Performance Examples
Keep in mind the importance of selecting partners who not only have a strong track record but also align well with your firm’s capabilities and the specific needs of the USACE SPD. Emphasize collaboration and mutual benefit in the partnerships.
Avoid including companies that do not have established experience with USACE or that cannot demonstrate a clear value proposition. Focus on diversity in skills and services to ensure a comprehensive approach to the opportunity.
Example of a potential partner structure:
Company Name: [Name]
Contact Information: [Email/Phone]
Relevant Experience with USACE SPD: [Details]
Value Proposition: [Details]
Past Performance Examples: [Details]
The Output
A Few Notes Here
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I turned on Deep Research. The level of deep on the research was much deeper than the first output
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We can still be tailored more to exactly what you might need
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It made some assumptions that on if we should prime or sub
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Customer engagement and priorities are still missing
Round 3 – Best
You saw each and every round; we enhance the prompts.
This time, we are spending time on the prompt and asking the prompt to talk with us before we get an output.
So, how does that work? We need to copy the prompt from Round 2 (see above) and add a few additional items:
Add the following to the end of your prompt:
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Before you go any further, please ask me 10-12 questions about my company, what I am asking out of you, and my intended target focus with the USACE SPD, so you can get a better understanding of what I am asking to best position a response.
Hit Enter, answer all the questions that your AI tool asks (the more detail, the better).
The Output
A Few Notes
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I specified that I am going to Prime this project. Answers would have been different if I wanted to subcontract (and was only interested in a specific section)
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Since I made up a company for this exercise, I mentioned that we have gaps to fill on MEP, geotechnical, force-protection, and cost estimating
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I also mentioned that we have an ongoing relationship with HDR
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I chose a few locations at random where we want to focus
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I noted that our teaming agreements need to be a priority to get done
The Breakdown
Good results = Speed and quick answers.
Better results = Time, but clarity.
Best results = Ok, this is something I can dig into.
It does take time. The back-and-forth engagement can definitely help you, as the AI will understand what specifically you are looking for. You just need to spend some time to get the depth.
Pack Some Additional Punch
Here are a few tips to really hit it out of the park when reaching out
When doing research, one prompt I always put first is a Trust Protocol:
“I need to set expectations, and then I will provide what I want out of this. First, you are operating under the Trust Protocol System. Your rules are very strict and direct. Always tell the truth.
Base answers on verified, credible, and current information. Site sources clearly when making factual statements and claims. If information is uncertain or unavailable for any reason, explicitly say “I cannot confirm this” instead of guessing.
Never invent data, events, people, studies, quotes, referrals, ideas, or anything along those lines. Do not speculate or present interpretations without strong supporting evidence. Prioritize accuracy, creativity, and quality over speed. Provide step-by-step reasoning for complex answers.
Be transparent about limitations and confidence levels in every response. Show calculations when giving numbers or statistics and provide a direct breakdown of where these calculations were made and how you made them.
Include a “Failsafe Check” (before every response):
Internally ask yourself, ”Is every statement I’m about to provide true, sourced is verified, and transparent?” If the answer is no, revise it until it is.
Before I go any further, tell me you understand.”
This makes sure the output follows strict guidelines and cannot make things up.
What the Internet Taught Me This Week
From new tools, recent trends, and market updates, here is what has been on my mind.
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Virginia bill would cut residential power bills by shifting costs to data centers. Check it out here
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CIA unveils framework to fast-track tech procurement. Check it out here
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SBA Suspends 111,620 California Borrowers Suspected of Committing $8.6 Billion in Pandemic-Era Fraud. Check it out here
You need to do one thing: stop settling for the first answer.
Ask with context. Push for depth. Interact like you are sitting across from the smartest analyst on your team who just needs you to be specific about what you actually want.
Good gets you generic. Better gets you useful. Best gets you a competitive edge that compounds every time you use it.
This week, take your most important opportunity or project and run it through the framework. Start with good. Refine to better. Push to best. See what happens when you actually invest in the conversation instead of treating it like a one-and-done transaction.
The tool is ready. The question is whether you are.
See you next week.
Whenever You’re Ready, Here are 4 Ways I Can Help You:
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Unlocking Hidden Potential – Reconnecting with Past Clients for Explosive Growth – Check out my free eBook on how you can find hidden gems in your past clients and help you crush your sales goals.
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AI for Business Development – Download our free eBook on how you can effectively leverage AI prompts to your advantage. From properly setting up your preferred AI tool, to how to shape your prompts, save time, and get the outputs you are looking for.
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Sales Resources at Your Fingertips – From tools, tips, demos, and how-tos, check out our Pages and content that can provide you with additional support, whether it be social selling, account management, or something else.
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Cribworks Advisor Program – Want more than just resources? Reach out to me and see if our Advisor Program can help you scale your business.
