Let me guess.
You turned on AI inside HighLevel.
You expected magic.
And instead, you got answers that were kind of right, sometimes weird, and occasionally flat-out wrong.
If that sounds familiar, here’s the good news 👉 your AI isn’t broken.
Most of the time, the issue comes down to one thing: how you’re telling it what to do.
AI doesn’t think.
It follows instructions.
And the way you give those instructions matters way more than people realize.
Think Like You’re Explaining Something to a Toddler
This analogy changed how I look at AI prompts forever.
When you explain something to a toddler, you:
- Use simple language
- Give one instruction at a time
- Avoid jumping between ideas
- Keep things logical and sequential
AI works the exact same way.
When prompts get cluttered, overloaded, or contradictory, the AI doesn’t “figure it out”. It’s just a guess.
That’s why you’ll see inconsistent responses even when using the same setup.
One Job Per Prompt (This Is Huge)
One of the biggest mistakes I see is people asking AI to do everything at once.
Stuff like:
- Greet the caller
- Ask for their name
- Explain services
- Qualify the lead
- Book an appointment
All in one block of instructions.
That’s chaos.
Instead, think in linear steps.
👉 Step 1 happens
👉 Then Step 2
👉 Then Step 3
When AI knows exactly what comes first, everything downstream gets cleaner.
Priority Matters More Than Length
Here’s a simple example.
If you want your Voice AI to greet a caller by name before anything else, that instruction needs to be crystal clear and placed at the top.
Not buried halfway down a paragraph.
AI follows order. What comes first gets handled first.
If something is important, treat it like it’s important.
What I’d Do to Write Better AI Prompts
If you want prompts that actually work, here’s the framework I follow 👇
✅ Write instructions in clear, sequential steps
✅ Remove overlapping or redundant directions
✅ Focus on one outcome at a time
✅ Keep language simple and direct
✅ Review prompts like a checklist, not a paragraph
If it feels “clever”, it’s probably wrong. If it feels boring and obvious, you’re doing it right.
Use Tools to Tighten Your Prompts
You don’t have to do this alone.
Tools like ChatGPT are great for:
- Cleaning up prompt logic
- Making instructions more linear
- Spotting conflicting directions
- Turning messy ideas into structured steps
I also recommend using markdown-style formatting (headings, bullet points, clear sections) when possible. It forces clarity and helps AI stay on track.
Why This Actually Impacts Clients
This isn’t just a nerdy optimization.
Better prompts mean:
- More accurate AI responses
- Fewer awkward conversations
- Better customer experiences
- Less manual cleanup for your team
And as you scale AI across more accounts, this becomes non-negotiable.
Bad prompts don’t scale. Clean ones do.
The Takeaway
If AI feels unpredictable, don’t add more prompts. Simplify them.
If responses feel off, don’t blame the tool. Check the order and clarity of your instructions.
When you treat AI like a system that needs structure, it finally starts acting like one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I know about think Like You’re Explaining Something to a Toddler?
This analogy changed how I look at AI prompts forever. When you explain something to a toddler, you: Use simple language Give one instruction at a time Avoid jumping between ideas Keep things logical and sequential AI works the exact same way. When prompts get cluttered, overloaded, or contradictory, the AI doesn’t “figure it out”. It’s just a guess. That’s why you’ll see inconsistent responses even when using the same setup.
What should I know about one Job Per Prompt (This Is Huge)?
One of the biggest mistakes I see is people asking AI to do everything at once. Stuff like: Greet the caller Ask for their name Explain services Qualify the lead Book an appointment All in one block of instructions. That’s chaos. Instead, think in linear steps. 👉 Step 1 happens👉 Then Step 2👉 Then Step 3 When AI knows exactly what comes first, everything downstream gets cleaner.
What should I know about priority Matters More Than Length?
Here’s a simple example. If you want your Voice AI to greet a caller by name before anything else, that instruction needs to be crystal clear and placed at the top. Not buried halfway down a paragraph. AI follows order. What comes first gets handled first. If something is important, treat it like it’s important.
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