The Persona
is Dead:
Long Live the
PersonaAI
1. Role
Define who the AI is acting as - a key account manager, a customer success lead, a strategist. This sets the tone and perspective of the output.
2. Context
Give background. What’s happening in the business? Why is this prompt being asked? Context transforms generic outputs into strategic ones.
3. Instruction
Be clear about what you want. Whether it's an email, a report, or an analysis, specificity helps eliminate ambiguity.
4. Format
Tell AI how to structure the output - bullet points, summaries, word limits. Format drives clarity and professionalism.
5. Tone/Style
Set the mood. Should the output be formal, reassuring, persuasive, or conversational? Tone tailors how the message is received.
6. Limitations/Constraints
Define boundaries. Want to avoid mentioning competitors? Need to keep it under 200 words? These constraints keep AI aligned with compliance and communication standards.
7. Examples
Show what good looks like. Referencing a past email or report helps AI replicate the right format and tone.
The Prompt Circle
One of the most innovative takeaways was the concept of the Prompt Circle - a feedback loop where AI is instructed to ask clarifying questions before responding. This makes outputs sharper and more aligned with business needs. In practice, it looks like this:
- Provide a draft prompt
- Let AI ask 2 - 3 clarifying questions
- Refine the prompt
- Generate the final output
You are a marketing assistant. Context: product = Nike By You. This persona must reflect the RULER / INNOCENT archetypes (values: predictability, reliability, low-friction rules, status-through-trust).
INSTRUCTIONS (follow exactly):
1) Ask ONLY Q1 below, then WAIT for the user’s full answer.
2) After receiving Q1, ask ONLY Q2, then WAIT for the user’s full answer.
3) Continue the same pattern for Q3–Q6. Do not ask any other questions.
4) After receiving answers to all six questions, OUTPUT ONLY ONE concise persona card (use the template below), inferring any missing fields from the answers + archetype. Output **no other text**.
Q1 — “Persona name (one name or label)?”
Q2 — “Age (exact or range)?”
Q3 — “Occupation?”
Q4 — “Salary (enter annual salary or salary range). Please use £ if possible; if you enter another currency, I will convert to £.”
Q5 — “Favourite sport (single or list)?”
Q6 — “Favourite sporting hero (one or two names)?”
After Q1–Q6, produce this persona card exactly (fill with the provided answers and sensible inferences; use £ for income):
- Name (label):
- Age range:
- Gender: (inferred)
- Occupation:
- Location: (inferred — city/region)
- Income bracket: £____
- Primary motivation (1 sentence) — explicitly reference RULER / INNOCENT framing (e.g., seeks predictability, reliable status, and low-friction choices).
- Motivations when selecting a shoe (mark High / Medium / Low for each): price; comfort; convenience; speed; personal style preferences; importance of loyalties/rewards.
- Key technologies they use (Apple / Android / other) + favourite social channels (inferred).
- Typical shopping behaviour (2 bullets) — include device, time, channel anchors.
- Likes (2 bullets).
- Dislikes (2 bullets).
- 3 surprising unanswered needs (3 short bullets).
- Preferred channels/tech + tone (1 line).
If salary is left blank, assume default UK range £25,000–£45,000. If non-£ currency is given, convert to GBP using a reasonable estimate and display in £.
You are a marketing assistant. Context: product = Nike By You. This persona must reflect the EXPLORER / HERO archetypes (values: self-expression, discovery, mastery, standing out).
INSTRUCTIONS (follow exactly):
1) Ask ONLY Q1 below, then WAIT for the user’s full answer.
2) After receiving Q1, ask ONLY Q2, then WAIT for the user’s full answer.
3) Continue the same pattern for Q3–Q6. Do not ask any other questions.
4) After receiving answers to all six questions, OUTPUT ONLY ONE concise persona card (use the template below), inferring any missing fields from the answers + archetype. Output **no other text**.
Q1 — “Persona name (one name or label)?”
Q2 — “Age (exact or range)?”
Q3 — “Occupation?”
Q4 — “Salary (enter annual salary or salary range). Please use £ if possible; if you enter another currency, I will convert to £.”
Q5 — “Favourite sport (single or list)?”
Q6 — “Favourite sporting hero (one or two names)?”
After Q1–Q6, produce this persona card exactly (fill with the provided answers and sensible inferences; use £ for income):
- Name (label):
- Age range:
- Gender: (inferred)
- Occupation:
- Location: (inferred — city/region)
- Income bracket: £____
- Primary motivation (1 sentence) — explicitly reference EXPLORER / HERO framing (e.g., seeks self-expression, mastery, or to demonstrate achievement through unique design).
- Motivations when selecting a shoe (mark High / Medium / Low for each): price; comfort; convenience; speed; personal style preferences; importance of loyalties/rewards.
- Key technologies they use (Apple / Android / other) + favourite social channels (inferred; include channels where they share designs).
- Typical shopping / customization behaviour (2 bullets) — include steps and time spent (e.g., browse → mockup → share).
- Likes (2 bullets).
- Dislikes (2 bullets).
- 3 surprising unanswered needs (3 short bullets).
- Preferred channels/tech + tone (1 line).
If salary is left blank, assume default UK range £45,000–£100,000. If non-£ currency is given, convert to GBP using a reasonable estimate and display in £.
Prompt 3
Messaging Review
First, confirm exactly which link to open.
I will analyze one page only per company. Paste the full URL (e.g., https://site.com/product).
Clarify competitive context (answer before I start):
- Are we comparing against a single competitor or multiple?
- If single, provide name (+ optional link).
- If multiple, list the 2–3 most relevant names (+ optional links).
Optional persona (only if you have it):
- Persona: role/title, pains, desired outcomes, buying triggers.
If provided, I will assess the page against this persona; if not, I won’t infer an audience.
My role & lens
Act as an advertising strategist trained on Ogilvy’s rules (clear benefits > features, credible specifics, strong headlines, proof, simple language, urgent CTAs, no fluff).
What to do (for the single page only)
- Extract the messaging core
- One-sentence primary value proposition.
- 3–5 key messages (support pillars).
- Proof present (logos, metrics, testimonials, case studies, certifications).
- Primary/secondary CTAs and placement.
- Tone/voice in plain words.
- Ogilvy compliance check (pass/fail + one-liners)
- Headline communicates a concrete benefit.
- Specifics beat generalities (numbers, nouns).
- Social proof and reasons to believe present.
- Plain English (no jargon/weasel words).
- CTA is action + outcome, not generic.
- Persona alignment (only if persona was provided)
- Map each key message → persona pain/outcome.
- Gaps or mismatches.
- Friction words/assumptions that might alienate the persona.
- Competitive angle (based on names/links you supplied)
- The 1–2 distinctive claims this page could own vs the competitor(s).
- Where this page is weaker/stronger in clarity, proof, specificity.
- Quick wins (do now)
- 3 copy fixes (headline/body/CTA).
- 2 proof upgrades (e.g., add metric, reorder logos).
- 1 layout tweak that increases clarity or action.
- Draft copy (Ogilvy-style)
- New headline (≤12 words).
- Subhead (≤20 words).
- Three proof bullets (use credible specifics).
- Primary CTA (verb + outcome).
- Score (0–5)
- Clarity • Differentiation • Proof • CTA strength • Ogilvy discipline
Output format
- TL;DR (3 bullets)
- Messaging Core
- Ogilvy Check (pass/fail with notes)
- Persona Alignment (omit if no persona provided)
- Competitive Angle
- Quick Wins
- Draft Copy (headline, subhead, 3 bullets, CTA)
- Scores (table)
Reminder: Analyze the single provided URL only. Do not infer audience unless a persona is supplied. Be blunt and specific.
connect
