Conquering the blank page: your AI brief for every draft. If everyone in your business uses AI differently, every first draft of letters, emails and proposals will sound different too. One simple AI brief, written once and reused every time, helps create more consistent business communications, whoever creates the draft.
What you get
First drafts of proposals, letters, emails and reminders that sound like your business, whoever prompted the AI. A brief you write once, four prompts for specific tasks to try and an example of how it works in practice.
How it works
The brief captures what stays consistent about your business, then every prompt can be short, and every draft starts from the same foundation.
What to check
The facts, and whether it sounds like you. Whoever asked the AI tool for the draft reviews it before it goes anywhere. Client details should only be entered into AI tools your business has approved.
What you get
First drafts of proposals, letters, emails and reminders that sound like your business, whoever prompted the AI. A brief you write once, four prompts for specific tasks to try and an example of how it works in practice.
How it works
The brief captures what stays consistent about your business, then every prompt can be short, and every draft starts from the same foundation.
What to check
The facts, and whether it sounds like you. Whoever asked the AI tool for the draft reviews it before it goes anywhere. Client details should only be entered into AI tools your business has approved.
First drafts that sound like your business, every time
People in your business are probably already using AI to write first drafts: maybe for a proposal, a client letter or the email they’ve been putting off sending. But, without the right guidance, everyone will be writing prompts differently, so drafts will vary in style and tone. The result is often more editing and rewriting before you can send anything out.
To create a more consistent voice across your business, write a short brief once and ensure everyone adds it to every prompt. Every draft will then start from the same foundation and sound much closer to the way your business already communicates.
AI can help produce the first version. But the final judgement should always rest with you and your team: you or a colleague should decide what the final version says, check the facts and approve it before it goes anywhere. Remember, you’ll always remain responsible for everything your business shares.
What you'll be setting up
This guide walks you through three things:
Your standing brief
Who you are, how you sound and what you never do – written once and added to every AI task.
Use AI for routine first drafts of things like emails, letters and proposals. Advice, discussion of fees and significant business commitments should remain with a person – and the brief makes that clear.
This is the part that stays the same every time you use AI. If you’ve already written it for another prompt pack, use the same version. Otherwise, complete the sections in brackets, then add it to every prompt or save it as standing instructions in your approved AI tool. Use that tool through work accounts only, so client information is protected in the way your business has agreed it should be.
Copy this prompt
We are [business name], a [kind of business] with [number] people based in [location]. Our [clients or customers] are [who they are]. People know us as [plain-speaking and friendly / formal and precise].
We will never ask AI to [what the business never does in AI tasks, for example: give advice, mix one client’s information with another’s, or quote fees before they are agreed]. Work from the information we provide first. If you use any additional information, say where it came from.
If you are unsure, or the information doesn’t cover it, say so. A person checks everything before it is used.
Tips:
AI works best when it understands your business. Detailed context about your customers, services, tone of voice and business rules will usually have a bigger impact on the quality of the output than switching to a different AI tool. A well-written standing brief gives AI that context every time.
Step 2: Add a task brief for first drafts
The standing brief above should cover every task. The following task brief adds instructions that only apply to first drafts, including the tone to use and how to handle missing information.
Copy this prompt
For first drafts: write in plain English, in short sentences, [warm / formal] but never stiff. Say what we mean and never promise what we haven’t agreed.
Leave gaps for names, dates and figures rather than guessing. [The person who signs] checks every draft.
Step 3: Pick a prompt and run it
Paste in both briefs. Then, depending on your line of business, we've drafted some prompts you can use below, completing the sections in brackets. Change the prompt to suit the task. The briefs can stay the same.
1. Consultancy: A proposal draft
Draft a proposal for a [kind of client] that needs [the work, in one line]. What matters most to them is [speed / cost / getting it right first time].
Explain what we’d do, how we’d work with them and what they’d receive at the end. Around 400 words. Fees as a heading only.
2. Legal: A client letter that needs to be accurate
Write a letter to a client explaining [what has happened or what they must decide]. Keep it under 250 words.
Set out the options and invite them to get in touch. Do not tell them what decision to make.
3. Recruitment: The email you’ve been meaning to send
Draft a short email to a hiring manager we placed [how many] people with last year and haven’t spoken to since [when].
Ask about any roles coming up this [season]. Use three short paragraphs, no sales pitch and one question they can answer in a sentence.
Step 4: Check it before you use it
Whoever requested the draft should review it carefully before they send it anywhere. A simple checklist can help:
Check:
Is the information accurate?
Is anything confidential included?
Does it sound like your business?
Taking a few minutes to check the draft can prevent mistakes and unnecessary rework later.
Step 5: Keep one version, and keep it up to date
Keep the briefs in a shared document or your AI tool’s standing instructions, so there is one version. Give one person responsibility for them. They should update the briefs when someone finds better wording, and whenever your business changes how it works or communicates. That way, you’ll keep improving it as your AI usage, and your business, evolves.
How it works: a real-world walkthrough
We've used a 30-person accountancy practice as an example. Follow the steps as they write their standing brief, add the task brief for first drafts and use Prompt 4 from our list above. You can see below the two briefs, the prompt as well as the output that their AI tool generated.
Step 1: Their standing brief input
We are a 30-person accountancy practice in the Midlands. Our clients are owner-managed businesses and their directors. Most of them are not accountants. People know us as plain-speaking and friendly. We never ask our AI tools to give tax advice, mix one client’s information with another’s, or quote fees before they’re agreed. Work from the information we provide first. If you use anything else, say where it came from. If you are unsure, or the information doesn’t cover it, say so. A person checks everything before it is used.
Step 2: Their task brief input
For first drafts: write in plain English using short sentences. Be warm but never chatty. Never promise what we haven’t agreed. Leave gaps for names, dates and figures. The client manager checks every draft.
Step 3: The prompt input
Write a reminder to limited-company clients with a VAT return due on 7 November. Explain what we need and when we need it. Keep it under 120 words with one clear action. Create two versions: one for clients who have already sent everything, and one for those who have not.
Step 4: Checking the AI output
You haven’t said what information is outstanding or which period the return covers, so I’ve left gaps for both. A 7 November deadline often relates to a quarter ending on 30 September, but I haven’t assumed that.
The AI outputs
Version 1: Clients who have sent everything
------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Your VAT return: everything received
Hi [Name],
Thank you for sending everything we need for your VAT return due on 7 November. We have all the information required.
We’ll send the return for approval by [date]. There’s nothing else you need to do for now.
Best wishes,
[Client manager]
-------------------------------------------------------
Version 2: Clients who have not sent everything
------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Your VAT return: information still needed
Hi [Name],
Your VAT return is due on 7 November. To prepare it, we still need [what is outstanding].
Please send this by [date], either by replying to this email or through [how clients send documents].
Best wishes,
[Client manager]
-------------------------------------------------------
Tips:
The client manager fills in the gaps, checks the dates and sends both versions.
What to do next
Not sure what your business should hand to AI, and what should always stay with people?
Practical AI guardrails for UK SMEs is a simple starting point, with ready-to-use guidance for legal, accountancy, recruitment and consultancy businesses.
