Prompts for marketing research and project planning
This resource is based on A decade-long VA on how AI makes you harder to replace, featuring Jess Tyson of Don't Panic Management, featured on the AI Lab by ActiveCampaign.
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How to use these prompts
These are ready-to-use prompts based on the AI workflow that Jess Tyson and her team at Don’t Panic Management use for client work. Copy, paste, and swap in details where you see [BRACKETS]. Every AI tool and model behaves a little differently, so treat what comes back as a starting point—review the output and refine from there.
Prompt 1: Audience and market research
Best for: Learning about a target audience’s communication style, common campaigns, and frequently asked questions before launching a new project or client engagement
Use with: ChatGPT, Claude, or any large language model (LLM)
Audience and market research prompt
I’m a marketer working with a [TYPE_OF_BUSINESS] in the [INDUSTRY] space. Our target audience is [TARGET_AUDIENCE].
Help me understand:
- How do other businesses in this industry communicate with their customers?
- What kinds of drip campaigns or email sequences are common in this space?
- What are some effective lead magnet ideas for this audience?
- What questions are potential customers in this market frequently asking?
Be specific with examples where possible.
Variables to fill in:
- [TYPE_OF_BUSINESS]—the business model or type, e.g., “B2B SaaS company” or “e‑commerce brand selling outdoor gear”
- [INDUSTRY]—the sector, e.g., “health and wellness,” “financial services,” “home improvement”
- [TARGET_AUDIENCE]—who you’re trying to reach, e.g., “small business owners with 5–20 employees” or “marketing managers at mid-size companies”
What to expect: A structured overview of how your market communicates, what campaigns are common, and what questions customers are asking. Use this as a research foundation, not a finished strategy. Cross-reference the output against what you already know about the market.
Follow-up prompt
Based on those findings, suggest 5 specific email campaign ideas that would resonate with [TARGET_AUDIENCE]. For each one, include a subject line, a brief description of the campaign flow, and what makes it relevant to this audience.
Prompt 2: Content topic ideation
Best for: Generating a batch of content ideas when you’re starting a new blog, social media calendar, or content strategy for a client
Use with: ChatGPT, Claude, or any LLM
Ideation prompt
I manage content for a [TYPE_OF_BUSINESS] that serves [TARGET_AUDIENCE]. We publish on [CHANNELS].
Generate 15 content topic ideas that:
- Address common challenges or questions this audience has
- Are practical and how-to focused (not thought leadership fluff)
- Could work as blog posts, social media series, or newsletter content
For each topic, include a one-sentence description of the angle and why it matters to this audience.
Variables to fill in:
- [TYPE_OF_BUSINESS]—your company or client’s business type
- [TARGET_AUDIENCE]—who reads your content
- [CHANNELS]—where you publish, e.g., “a company blog, LinkedIn, and a biweekly newsletter”
What to expect: A list of 15 topic ideas with angles. Some will be obvious, and some will spark new directions. Pick the 3–5 that feel most relevant and develop those further.
Follow-up prompt
Take topic [NUMBER] and expand it into a detailed blog post outline with 4–6 sections, a suggested headline, and 2–3 key takeaways for the reader.
Prompt 3: Project timeline generation
Best for: Building a project plan with subtasks and due dates when you know the deliverable and the deadline but need help structuring the work in between
Use with: ChatGPT, Claude, or any LLM
Project timeline prompt generator
I’m planning a [TYPE_OF_PROJECT] that needs to be completed by [DEADLINE]. The project involves [BRIEF_DESCRIPTION].
Create a project timeline working backward from the deadline. Include:
- Major phases of the project
- Specific subtasks within each phase
- Suggested due dates for each subtask
- Any dependencies (tasks that need to be finished before others can start)
Assume a [TEAM_SIZE]-person team with [HOURS_PER_WEEK] hours per week available for this project.
Variables to fill in:
- [TYPE_OF_PROJECT]—e.g., “product launch campaign,” “webinar series,” “website redesign”
- [DEADLINE]—the final delivery date
- [BRIEF_DESCRIPTION]—a 1–2 sentence summary of what’s involved
- [TEAM_SIZE]—how many people are working on it
- [HOURS_PER_WEEK]—available bandwidth per person
What to expect: A reverse-engineered project plan that you can import into Asana, ClickUp, or any project management tool. Review the timeline for realistic estimates, since AI tends to underestimate creative and review cycles.
Prompt 4: Integration and tool setup research
Best for: Getting step-by-step instructions for setting up a specific integration or tool configuration instead of spending time searching documentation
Use with: ChatGPT, Claude, or any LLM
Tool setup prompt
I need to [SPECIFIC_TASK] using [TOOL_OR_PLATFORM]. Walk me through the exact steps to set this up, including:
- Where to find each setting or feature in the interface
- Any prerequisites (accounts, API keys, permissions) I need first
- Common mistakes to avoid during setup
- How to test that the setup is working correctly
Variables to fill in:
- [SPECIFIC_TASK]—e.g., “set up a Zap that adds new email subscribers to a specific ActiveCampaign campaign”
- [TOOL_OR_PLATFORM]—e.g., “Zapier and ActiveCampaign,” “ClickUp,” “Google Analytics”
What to expect: Step-by-step instructions that get you 80% of the way there. Tool interfaces change frequently, so verify each step against the current UI. This prompt is the one that Jess says saves her about 75% of the time she would otherwise spend on research.
Follow-up prompt
I followed those steps but I’m stuck at [SPECIFIC_STEP]. What I see on my screen is [WHAT_YOU_SEE]. What might be going wrong?
Tips for better results
- Start with one prompt per session and iterate rather than front-loading everything into a single massive prompt
- Always review AI output against your own knowledge of the market and audience before using it in client-facing work
- Save your best prompts as templates in a shared team doc so everyone benefits from what works
- When AI gives you generic answers, push back with a follow-up that asks for specific examples, tools, or numbers
Ready for the full story?
Read A decade-long VA on how AI makes you harder to replace on the AI Lab by ActiveCampaign to learn how Jess Tyson’s team uses AI to free up time to think more clearly and do the work that actually requires a human touch.
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