The Art of Discovery: How Your Clients’ Prompts Reveal Hidden Needs Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: Issue 628

AI has transformed how businesses strategize, market, and deliver value. But for those leading the charge—coaches, consultants, corporate advisors, thought leaders, and influencers—the real game-changer lies in mastering the art of prompts. Prompts that ask the right questions can lead to powerful insights, strategic breakthroughs, and game-changing solutions. It’s not just about using AI effectively; it’s also about discovering the prompts your clients rely on. By understanding the questions they ask, you gain insight into their biggest challenges, enabling you to create targeted content, solutions, and offerings that resolve their most pressing needs. In this, prompts become both a tool for your growth and a window into your clients’ world.

With this in mind, I recently posed a challenge to both ChatGPT and Claude:
“What are the ten most impactful prompts that professionals such as coaches, consultants, corporate advisors, global thought leaders, and influencers are effectively using with AI to elevate their practices?”


The responses revealed not just a list of powerful tools, but a roadmap for accelerating growth and thought leadership in any industry.

Top 10 Impactful Prompts from ChatGPT

1. “Help me create a strategic action plan for [business goal] over the next 6 months, considering challenges such as [specific obstacles] and opportunities in [industry].” Impact: Focuses efforts with a clear, goal-oriented plan.
2. “Generate a detailed outline for a [webinar, workshop, keynote] on [topic]. Include an engaging introduction, key points, practical takeaways, and a call to action.” Impact: Positions professionals as thought leaders by delivering high-value content.
3. “Create a compelling personal brand story that emphasizes my expertise in [field], with a narrative arc that resonates with [target audience] and highlights my unique value proposition.” Impact: Strengthens emotional connection with the audience.
4. “Provide coaching questions to help a client struggling with [specific challenge] related to [leadership, business growth, mindset, productivity, etc.].” Impact: Enhances coaching with deep, reflective questions.
5. “Write an engaging thought leadership article about the future of [topic, e.g., AI in consulting], discussing trends, opportunities, and actionable insights.” Impact: Increases visibility and authority in the marketplace.
6. “Analyze multiple scenarios for [business decision], including potential risks, benefits, and alternative strategies to mitigate risks.” Impact: Improves decision-making through scenario analysis.
7. “Suggest 10 creative marketing strategies to increase engagement and leads for [business or product]. Focus on [social media platforms, digital campaigns, community building, etc.].” Impact: Fuels innovative marketing strategies that attract and engage audiences.
8. “Develop a crisis communication plan to handle [specific issue]. Include messaging frameworks, audience segmentation, and immediate action steps.” Impact: Provides a roadmap for high-pressure situations.
9. “Create a weekly productivity schedule to optimize time for [key activities, e.g., content creation, coaching sessions, marketing, networking].” Impact: Maximizes efficiency and focus on priorities.
10. “Generate a comprehensive client progress report template for [consulting, coaching, or advising services], including sections for key achievements, goals, challenges, and next steps.” Impact: Elevates client experience by tracking and communicating progress effectively.

Additional Insights from Claude

1. “Review this [client proposal/presentation/report] and identify areas for improvement, specifically focusing on clarity, persuasiveness, and potential client objections. Provide specific suggestions for strengthening each section.” Impact: Refines deliverables by getting detailed, objective feedback.
2. “Help me develop a framework to assess [specific business challenge] by identifying key variables, potential metrics, and critical success factors. Consider both quantitative and qualitative aspects.” Impact: Structures thinking and creates reproducible methodologies.
3. “Based on this client situation [description], generate 5 probing questions that will help uncover deeper underlying issues and unstated needs. Explain why each question is strategically important.” Impact: Prepares for crucial conversations and discovers hidden opportunities.
4. “Analyze these industry trends [data/description] and help me identify three non-obvious implications for my clients in the [specific sector]. Include potential risks and opportunities.” Impact: Assists in developing unique insights and thought leadership.
5. “Create a diagnostic tool for assessing [specific business function/process], including key questions, metrics, and warning signs to look for. Format it as a practical framework I can use with clients.” Impact: Systematizes consulting approaches.
6. “Help me translate this complex [concept/methodology/framework] into simple, relatable language and analogies that will resonate with C-level executives.” Impact: Aids in making sophisticated ideas accessible.
7. “Based on this client feedback [summary], help me identify patterns and develop actionable recommendations for improving our service delivery. Include both quick wins and long-term strategic improvements.” Impact: Supports continuous service improvement.
8. “Review this training curriculum and suggest ways to incorporate more interactive elements, real-world applications, and knowledge retention techniques. Include specific examples and exercises.” Impact: Enhances educational content development.
9. “Help me develop a decision matrix for [specific business decision], including key criteria, weightings, and considerations. Structure it so it can be customized for different client contexts.” Impact: Creates reusable tools for client guidance.”
10. “Take this client success story and help me identify the key learnings, success factors, and replicable elements that could benefit other clients. Include potential pitfalls to avoid.” Impact: Helps in knowledge capture and transfer.

Reviewing and refining prompts is not just an exercise in efficiency—it’s a blueprint for your innovation. Prompts reveal the questions driving today’s most successful professionals. Yet, the most effective way to identify these prompts is through direct communication—actively listening to your clients’ needs, wants, challenges, and aspirations. By combining this deep listening with prompt development, you can formulate AI prompts that dive deeper into identifying possible solutions, guide content creation, and inspire future offerings. This approach strengthens your ability to anticipate client needs, uncover new opportunities, and stay one step ahead.

As world-renowned thinker Peter Drucker once said, “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” Well-crafted prompts do just that—they surface hidden challenges and ideas that can shape business growth. Identifying your clients’ prompts gets you even closer to hearing what isn’t said or heard, allowing you to anticipate their needs and uncover opportunities that might otherwise remain hidden.

Consider prompts as a reflection of your business strategy. The right question can lead to the next great innovation.

Let’s connect and help you craft prompts that unlock new possibilities, improve decision-making, and drive growth. Reach out today, and let’s transform your business strategies, one prompt at a time.

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