AI Quick Tips 14: Have it ask YOU questions

I know, I know, it seems backwards.  It doesn’t have to be though and it can help you get past writer’s block, idea block, or whatever block is holding up your progress.

You can give a small amount of context and ask the AI tool to ask you questions about it to gather information.  Then it can use that information to create the output that you want.

This is easier to grasp with an example.  

I used Perplexity AI for this (also works with ChatGPT, CoPilot, Gemini, etc.)

Input prompt

“Can you ask me 5 - 10 questions and use the answers to help me create a SWOT analysis for my business?”

Output - “

Certainly! I'll ask you a series of questions to help create a SWOT analysis for your business. Please answer each question, and I'll use your responses to formulate the analysis.

1. What unique products, services, or features does your business offer that set you apart from competitors?
2. What are your company's main strengths in terms of resources, skills, or market position?
3. What areas of your business do you feel need improvement or are currently underperforming?
4. Are there any external factors or trends in your industry that could create new opportunities for your business?
5. What potential threats or challenges does your business face in the near future?
6. Who are your main competitors, and what advantages do they have over your business?
7. What is your company's financial position, and do you have access to necessary capital for growth?
8. Are there any emerging technologies or innovations that could impact your business, either positively or negatively?
9. How would you describe your current customer base and their loyalty to your brand?
10. Are there any upcoming changes in regulations or legislation that could affect your industry?

Once you provide answers to these questions, I'll use the information to create a comprehensive SWOT analysis for your business.
“

The next step is providing the answers to the questions in a follow-up message.  Even if I didn’t want to go through the whole process with Perplexity AI, I could use the questions that it asked to spark my own ideas.  That might be enough to get me past the idea block that I started with.

This structure can be used for a wide variety of topics.  

(“Can you ask me questions and use the answers to help me create {something}”)