Congratulations, Shari!
First things first: A huge shoutout to everyone who played "Spot the Slop" last week. You all have a sharp eye for generic AI filler.
Our winner is Shari! A sticker pack is heading your way.
Now, let’s talk about how to stop the slop before it starts.
Stop using AI as a content factory
If you’ve used AI to write a social post, blog, or ad lately, you’re not alone. Most people use AI for:
Social media posts
Blog content
Ad headlines and body copy
But almost everyone is using it the same way. They tell AI what to make… but not what problem they’re trying to solve.
That’s why so much AI-generated content feels fast—but flat.
The Shift: Co-pilot vs. Factory
AI works best as a co-pilot, not a content factory. The difference is how you prompt it.
Most prompts sound like this: “Write a Facebook post about our spring sale.”
AI will happily comply, but it has no idea who you’re talking to or why this sale matters. It fills those gaps with generic marketing fluff. That’s a prompting problem.
From Output Prompts to Thinking Prompts
1️⃣ Social Media Posts
The Old Way: “Write 3 Facebook posts for my business.”
The Co-pilot Way: “I run a local [type]. My customers care about [trust/expertise]. Help me outline 3 posts that sound like a real owner—not a brand.”
2️⃣ Ad Headlines
The Old Way: “Write Google ad headlines for my service.”
The Co-pilot Way: “My best customers usually hesitate because of [common objection]. Help me brainstorm headlines that directly address that hesitation.”
3️⃣ Blog Posts
The Old Way: “Write an SEO blog about [topic].”
The Co-pilot Way: “Before writing, help me outline the real question customers are asking and the one takeaway they should remember.”
Prompt of the Week (My "Secret" Prompts)
Use these anytime you’re stuck. These are the "thinking partner" prompts I use to get AI out of "robot mode":
"I don't need a cheerleader. I need real, actionable advice."
or...
"Ask me 5 questions about [X], one at a time, before you start writing."
These force the AI to stop guessing and start collaborating.
I want to know how you talk to your co-pilot.
What is your "Secret Prompt"? Is it a specific instruction you give every time? A way you tell it to stop being boring? A specific persona you ask it to play?
Hit reply and share your favorite prompt. I’ll feature the best ones in next week's newsletter so we can all stop writing slop together.
The Big Idea
AI doesn’t replace your judgment. It amplifies it.
When you give AI direction and constraints, it becomes a co-pilot that saves time and sharpens thinking. When you don’t… it just fills space.
Until next time— Use AI to think better, not just write faster.
— Ryan