A Marketing team’s (successful) attempt at working with LLMs
Written by Miriam Khanukaev
A persona is a constructed character—a fictional or semi-fictional entity—that encompasses the complexity of a human personality. It is a target audience, and developing a persona becomes particularly useful to determine the kind of content a marketing team creates, outreach strategies sales uses, or the kind of channels an organization deploys. In the past, creating personas was often a time-consuming process, involving extensive research, and trial and error. To create an accurate persona meant spending hours pouring over customer data and trying to identify common characteristics and pain points.
While traditional pen and paper methods rely on our analysis of demographic surveys and interview data, an LLM chatbot creates a persona by using public customer data. Seemingly, the advantage of using an LLM for persona creation is not only increased automation and efficiency, but also accuracy: an LLM can consider a range of complex online customer behavior. Our Proxet communications team decided to take a stab at this process ourselves, with the goal of using personas to craft tailored prospecting messages. But since we’re not engineers, we needed some help crafting the best prompt first!
We used a basic prompt found on Chatbrain AI that turns ChatGPT into a professional prompt engineer to help build a sophisticated, optimized prompt. While we created basic demographic details based on our impressions of clients, we started out with titles.
Please become my Expert Prompt Creator. Your goal is to help me craft the best possible prompt for my needs. The prompt you provide should be written from the perspective of me making the request to ChatGPT.
Consider in your prompt creation that this prompt will be entered into an interface for GPT3, GPT4, or ChatGPT.The prompt will include instructions to write the output using my communication style.
The process is as follows:
1. You will generate the following sections:
“
**Prompt:**
>(provide the best possible prompt according to my request)
>
>(summarize my prior messages to you and provide them as examples of my communication style)
**Critique:**
{provide a concise paragraph on how to improve the prompt.
Be very critical in your response.
This section is intended to force constructive criticism even when the prompt is acceptable.
Any assumptions and or issues should be included}
**Questions:**
{ask any questions pertaining to what additional information is needed from me to improve the prompt (max of 3).
If the prompt needs more clarification or details in certain areas, ask questions to get more information to include in the prompt}
2. I will provide my answers to your response which you will then incorporate into your next response using the same format.
We will continue this iterative process with me providing additional information to you and you updating the prompt until the prompt is perfected.
Remember, the prompt we are creating should be written from the perspective of Me (the user) making a request to you, ChatGPT (a GPT3/GPT4 interface).
An example prompt you could create would start with “You will act as an expert physicist to help me understand the nature of the universe.”
Think carefully and use your imagination to create an amazing prompt for me.
Hello! I’d be happy to help you craft the perfect prompt. Could you please tell me what topic or subject the prompt should be about?
I need your expertise to create three personas. The first persona is a CTO, the second is an engineer, the third is a CTO.
Great, let’s start by clarifying your request. You want me to help you create a prompt for generating detailed personas for a CTO, an engineer, and another CTO. Is there a specific context or industry these personas should be focused on? Additionally, what specific attributes or details are important for these personas (e.g., experience level, skills, personality traits, goals)? Let me know any other relevant information to include in the personas.
Persona 1:
Role: CTO
Experience level: 15 years
Age: 50
Occupation: CTO at a large Venture Capital and Private Equity firm
Name: James Smith
Persona 2:
Role: Software Engineer
Experience level: 11 years
Age: 36
Occupation: Senior software engineer at a medium-sized startup
Name: John Cage
Persona 3:
Role: CEO
Experience level: 17 years
Age: 57
Name: Mark Roy
To give GPT information on the role, occupation, and experience level of each persona, we useoccupations and experience levels based on people who Proxet would ideally target on LinkedIn to get it started, then asked it to generate personas. This prompt iteration process is just some ground-level work—using GPT to help us use GPT to the best of its abilities. We want to generate a prompt that is not only optimally worded, but includes any details on a persona that GPT would need. In response, GPT encouraged us to think about the goals, pain points, and personality traits that would flesh out these characters into fully realized representations of potential clients.
In response, GPT asked us these follow up questions:
1. Are there specific key skills or personality traits you want included for each persona?
2. What are the primary goals for each persona?
3. Is there any additional context or background information that would be relevant for these personas?
We wanted GPT to help us identify these goals and skills, so we gave it one example, and clarified our needs further:
These personas will help us craft our initial outreach to help educate them on our services. We want to ask these personas: How could we educate you on the services Proxet provides in a way that is comprehensive and actionable? Examples of Goals for persona 1: strategic management and execution of technology initiatives. Personality traits and skills: communicative, logical, loves data and data, results-oriented. Based on the above, please create goals, pain points, and personality traits for personas 2 and 3.
In return, GPT suggested we use the following prompt, with detailed personality trait examples for John Cage and:
You will create three detailed personas.
Each persona should include their role, experience level, age, occupation, name, key skills, personality traits, primary goals, notable achievements, and pain points.
Use the following information to guide you:
Persona 1:
Role: CTO
Experience level: 15 years
Age: 50
Occupation: CTO at a large Venture Capital and Private Equity firm
Name: James Smith
Key Skills: Strategic management, technology execution, data analysis
Personality Traits: Communicative, logical, data-driven, results-oriented
Primary Goals: Strategic management and execution of technology initiatives
Pain Points: Staying current with rapidly evolving technology, managing cross-functional teams, balancing innovation with practicality
Persona 2:
Role: Senior Software Engineer
Experience level: 11 years
Age: 36
Occupation: Senior software engineer at a medium-sized startup
Name: John Cage
Key Skills: Software development, problem-solving, team collaboration
Personality Traits: Detail-oriented, innovative, methodical, enjoys challenges
Primary Goals: Building robust and scalable software solutions, advancing technical skills, contributing to impactful projects
Pain Points: Navigating technical debt, managing project deadlines, staying updated with new programming languages and frameworks
Persona 3:
Role: CEO
Experience level: 17 years
Age: 57
Name: Mark Roy
Key Skills: Leadership, business strategy, financial acumen
Personality Traits: Visionary, decisive, adaptable, strong communicator
Primary Goals: Driving company growth, maintaining investor relations, ensuring long-term sustainability
Pain Points: Balancing short-term and long-term goals, managing stakeholder expectations, keeping up with industry trends
For each persona, also include the following question: "How could we educate you on the services Proxet provides in a way that is comprehensive and actionable?"
Please ensure the output reflects a professional and detailed tone, suitable for business contexts.
We felt that this prompt was enough to help us get started. Since we also wanted GPT to give us a response that directly informs our outreach strategy, we added the following few sentences:
Please mine proxet.com to learn about a company called Proxet. Using this information, please also include how they would prefer to be educated on the services provided by Proxet in a way that is comprehensive and actionable. Please ensure the output reflects a professional and detailed tone, suitable for business contexts.
Our final prompt
The first output is focused solely on how our personas like to receive their information. If we were writing this message ourselves, it would help us know a little bit more about them—what kind of communication style they prefer, and so on. But ultimately, we want to help us craft a message to reach out to prospective clients on LinkedIn, so we ask GPT to write us a prospecting message. While our first step relied on GPT’s prompt engineering capabilities to help us pinpoint where the prompt needs to be refined, this time, we rely on our own capabilities to create and refine the prompt.
Based on the above, please write a prospecting message to James, John, and Mark that educates them on Proxet's services and makes them want to learn more about Proxet. Tailor your response to their different skills, goals, traits, personalities, and pain points. Please limit your response to 5 to 6 sentences.
For James Smith (CTO):
Dear James,
As a CTO leading multiple tech transformations, staying ahead of rapidly changing technologies is crucial. At Proxet, we specialize in aligning advanced technology solutions with business goals, offering strategic management and execution for tech initiatives. Our expertise in cloud solutions and data-driven decision-making has helped firms like General Catalyst optimize their operations and achieve significant ROI (Proxet | #1 Software Development Company). Let us demonstrate how our tailored services can address your challenges and drive success in your portfolio companies. I would love to discuss how we can support your strategic vision and technology initiatives.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
For John Cage (Senior Software Engineer):
Hi John,
As a detail-oriented and innovative Senior Software Engineer, balancing feature development with code quality is key. Proxet's expertise in cloud solutions and product engineering can help you manage technical debt while maintaining high code standards. We've successfully re-engineered platforms for companies like OneVision, enabling significant improvements in reliability and scalability (Proxet | #1 Software Development Company). Let’s explore how our technical insights and hands-on workshops ca n support your goals and enhance your technical proficiency.
Best,
[Your Name]
For Mark Roy (CEO):
Dear Mark,
Navigating market volatility and ensuring sustainable growth are critical for your company’s success. At Proxet, we partner with visionary leaders to drive company growth through strategic technology solutions. Our cloud modernization and managed team services have helped companies like Holcim and General Catalyst achieve remarkable business outcomes and financial health (Proxet | #1 Software Development Company). I would be delighted to discuss how Proxet can support your organizational strategy and help maintain your company’s financial robustness.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
They are tailored to the needs of each persona: the output message to CEO Mark Roy emphasizes our understanding of the need to drive company growth, while the message to John Cage highlights issues like technical debt and high code standards. While our sales teams haven’t tested them yet, upon first glance, the output messages look good in that they follow a classic sales development formula. Conversely, they also feel a bit formulaic–the messages are good starting points, but they lack a certain creativity and personal touch.
Can you rewrite these responses with a more creative, and engaging tone.
For James Smith (CTO):
Hi James,
As someone who's been at the forefront of tech transformations, you know the challenge of
keeping pace with rapid innovation. At Proxet, we're all about turning tech headaches into
strategic wins. Whether it's cloud modernization or aligning technology with business goals, our
work with firms like General Catalyst shows how we can drive efficiency and ROI (Proxet | #1 Software Development Company). I'd love to chat about how we can take the heavy lifting off your shoulders and help you focus on what you do best—leading with vision.
Looking forward to connecting,
[Your Name]
For John Cage (Senior Software Engineer):
Hey John,
Navigating the fine line between innovation and code quality can be a tough gig. That's where we come in. At Proxet, we're experts in helping engineers like you master the art of balancing new features with top-notch code standards. Our work with OneVision and others has led to cleaner, more scalable codebases that support future growth (Proxet | #1 Software Development Company). Let's dive into how we can tackle your technical challenges together and keep you ahead of the curve.
Cheers,
[Your Name]
For Mark Roy (CEO):
Hi Mark,
Driving sustainable growth in today's volatile market is no small feat, but that's exactly where Proxet shines. We've helped leaders like you steer their companies through turbulent times by leveraging cutting-edge technology and strategic insights. Whether it's through cloud modernization or tailored managed teams, our partnerships with companies like Holcim and General Catalyst have yielded impressive results (Proxet | #1 Software Development Company). Let's discuss how we can fuel your vision and keep your company on the path to continued success.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
We ask GPT to rewrite these in a more creative tone, hoping that the next set of outputs use language that is more personal and will help us build rapport with potential clients. The revised message is less formal and more conversational–the message to James Smith summarizes our ethos through the phrase “we’re all about turning tech headaches into strategic wins.” The revised messages definitely emphasize Proxet as a collaborative partner, and use a more direct sales approach–arguably, they also read more ostentatious and sales forward than our first set of outputs. But ultimately, these comparisons are subjective and personal. Our point is to demonstrate that lay users can tailor and refine their prompts to help create the best personas for their outreach strategy.
Our goals throughout this exploration were twofold: to explore the efficacy of Chatbrain AI’s prompt creator in persona creation, and to actually create these personas. Our journey in crafting these personas underscores the immense value of an iterative approach to prompt creation. As GPT continuously refined and questioned each step, it helped us transform a simple request into a set of comprehensive and actionable personas tailored to the client’s needs. We had to identify and reflect on the kind of characteristics that make personas helpful, and the iterative process encouraged us to clarify our objectives and ensure that our communications strategies were strategic and personal.
Finally, we landed on a prompt that can serve as an efficient method for our communications. GPT still required our careful involvement—we still needed to identify some potential demographic data, and give GPT an example so that it could identify and create accurate pain points and goals for John Cage and Mark Roy.
We can continue to refine our prompt even further: ultimately, GPT can tell us what these personas do for fun and help us converse with James, John, and Mark, about our shared interests as a way to personalize our outputs even further. The iterative element of this process means it can seemingly go on forever. But to actually assess the success of this process, we would need to test these messages on real prospective clients and assess conversions.
Ultimately, creating this prompt through Chatbrain AI’s formula brought us closer to personas that not only represented the target audience but also directly informed how to engage and educate them on Proxet’s services. The exercise highlights the importance of understanding our audience, and shows us that GPT can be an effective partner to help us effectively tailor how we communicate our value proposition.
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