7 Prompting Formulas for Immediate Results

You know that the quality of a prompt determines the quality of the response. But how do you structure an effective prompt every time, without guessing? The answer: use a prompting formula.

A formula is a framework that you fill in. Like an email template or a business plan canvas. You plug in your information, and the structure does the rest. No more reinventing the wheel with every AI conversation.

In this article, you'll discover 7 proven formulas, each adapted to a different type of need. For each one: an explanation of the framework, a ready-to-copy template, and a concrete example. It's up to you to choose the one that best fits your situation — or combine them.

Why use prompting formulas?

Without structure, a prompt often looks like this:

Help me write an email.

The result will be generic. With a formula, you guide the AI precisely:

You are an expert in professional communication. I need to follow up with a client who hasn't responded to my quote for 10 days. Write a polite but firm follow-up email, maximum 150 words, with a catchy subject line and a clear call to action.

The difference? The formula forces you to provide the elements that matter: context, role, format, constraints. Result: relevant responses on the first try.

Let's now explore the 7 formulas you can use daily. If you want to apply them directly, try our prompt builder.

1. The RACE formula

RACE is one of the simplest and most versatile formulas. It breaks down into 4 elements:

• R — Role: What expert should the AI embody?
• A — Action: What specific task should it accomplish?
• C — Context: What background information is necessary?
• E — Execution: What format or constraints for the result?

RACE Template

Role: You are [role/expert].
Action: [Specific task to accomplish].
Context: [Relevant background information].
Execution: [Format, length, tone, constraints].

Concrete example

Role: You are a certified sports nutritionist.
Action: Create a 7-day meal plan for a 30-year-old man who trains 4 times a week in weight training.
Context: Goal: lean muscle gain. Budget: 60 euros per week. No food allergies but preference for simple and quick cooking (max 30 min preparation).
Execution: Present the plan as a table (day, breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner) with daily macros. Add a weekly shopping list.

When to use it: RACE is ideal for daily tasks — writing, planning, content creation. Its simplicity makes it perfect for getting started with prompting formulas.

2. The RODES formula

RODES adds an additional dimension: defining the expected result before even launching the task.

• R — Role: The expert character
• O — Objective: The goal to achieve
• D — Details: Specific information
• E — Examples: References or models to follow
• S — Style: The desired tone and format

RODES Template

Role: You are [role].
Objective: [What I want to accomplish].
Details: [Specific information and constraints].
Examples: [References, models or examples to follow].
Style: [Desired tone, format, length].

Concrete example

Role: You are a copywriter specialized in e-commerce sales pages.
Objective: Write the product description for a 40L travel backpack.
Details: Recycled polyester bag, 15" laptop compartment, anti-theft pocket, cabin-compatible, 1.2 kg. Target audience: digital nomads 25-40 years old.
Examples: Inspired by Peak Design and Aer product page style — concise, benefit-oriented, with technical bullet points.
Style: Dynamic and aspirational tone. Structure: 2-line hook, 5 key benefits in bullets, storytelling paragraph, technical specifications.

When to use it: RODES excels when you have a reference model in mind. The "Examples" element allows the AI to align its style with what you already like.

3. The CO-STAR formula

CO-STAR is a comprehensive framework developed for high-precision prompts. It covers 6 dimensions:

• C — Context: The background of the situation
• O — Objective: What you want to obtain
• S — Style: The voice or writing style
• T — Tone: The emotion or attitude
• A — Audience: Who the result is for
• R — Response: The expected format

CO-STAR Template

Context: [Background and situation].
Objective: [What I want to obtain].
Style: [Voice, writing style or expert to imitate].
Tone: [Emotion: professional, casual, persuasive...].
Audience: [Who this content is for].
Response: [Format: list, paragraph, table, email...].

Concrete example

Context: I'm launching an online course on personal productivity. The launch is in 2 weeks. I have an email list of 3000 subscribers who downloaded my free guide "5 habits to better manage your time".
Objective: Write the course launch announcement email.
Style: Conversational style like Tim Ferriss — direct, personal examples, anti-corporate.
Tone: Enthusiastic but not aggressive. Create urgency without artificial pressure.
Audience: Professionals 30-45 years old, overwhelmed, who want to regain control of their schedule.
Response: Complete email with subject, pre-header, body (500 words max), main CTA and PS.

When to use it: CO-STAR is perfect for marketing content and communication. The Style/Tone/Audience distinction allows very fine control of the result.

4. The APE formula

APE is the minimalist formula par excellence — only 3 elements. Ideal for quick tasks.

• A — Action: The action to perform
• P — Purpose: Why this action
• E — Expectation: The expected result

APE Template

Action: [What the AI should do].
Purpose: [Why — the final goal].
Expectation: [What the result should look like].

Concrete example

Action: Rewrite these 5 blog article titles to maximize click-through rate.
Purpose: Increase the CTR of my newsletter whose open rate has dropped from 35% to 22% in 3 months.
Expectation: For each original title, provide 3 variants that use curiosity, urgency or direct benefit. Present everything in a table (original title | variant 1 | variant 2 | variant 3).

When to use it: APE is your express formula. Perfect for micro-tasks: reformulation, quick brainstorming, data transformation. When you don't need to specify a role or elaborate context.

5. The RISEN formula

RISEN is an advanced framework that structures the task methodically, with very detailed instructions.

• R — Role: The AI's identity
• I — Instructions: Precise directives
• S — Steps: The sequence to follow
• E — End goal: The targeted result
• N — Narrowing: Limits and constraints

RISEN Template

Role: You are [specific role].
Instructions: [Clear directives on the task].
Steps: [Numbered sequence of actions to perform].
End goal: [Description of expected result].
Narrowing: [Constraints, limits, what NOT to do].

Concrete example

Role: You are a digital strategy consultant specialized in B2B SaaS.
Instructions: Perform an audit of my landing page positioning and propose improvements.
Steps: 1) Analyze the value proposition (headline and subtitle). 2) Evaluate the page structure (hero, benefits, social proof, CTA). 3) Identify friction points. 4) Propose concrete reformulations.
End goal: An audit report with a score out of 10 for each section and actionable recommendations.
Narrowing: The page targets marketing directors of SMEs (50-200 employees). Don't propose graphic redesign, only copywriting. Max 800 words for the report.

When to use it: RISEN is ideal for complex and multi-step tasks. The "Steps" element guides the AI through a logical process, and "Narrowing" avoids off-topic responses. Check our cheat sheet to quickly find this formula.

6. The TRACE formula

TRACE emphasizes the task and context, with fine control over the output format.

• T — Task: What needs to be done
• R — Request: The details of the request
• A — Action: The specific expected actions
• C — Context: The background
• E — Example: A model to follow

TRACE Template

Task: [What needs to be accomplished].
Request: [Details and specifications].
Action: [The concrete expected actions].
Context: [Background information].
Example: [Model or reference to follow].

Concrete example

Task: Create an 8-minute YouTube video script.
Request: The topic is "5 mistakes that kill your productivity (and how to fix them)". The video must be engaging from the first 10 seconds.
Action: Write a complete script with: opening hook (pattern interrupt), introduction, 5 sections (mistake + solution for each), conclusion with CTA. Indicate key moments for visuals and transitions.
Context: Personal development YouTube channel, 15K subscribers, audience mainly male 25-35 years old. Most viewed videos deal with time management and habits.
Example: Inspired by Ali Abdaal's style — casual tone, personal anecdotes, references to scientific studies, light humor.

When to use it: TRACE is particularly suited for multimedia content creation (videos, podcasts, presentations). The "Example" element with a stylistic reference greatly helps the AI find the right tone.

7. The CREATE formula

CREATE is the most complete formula. With 6 elements, it leaves nothing to chance and suits ambitious projects.

• C — Character: The AI's identity
• R — Request: The main request
• E — Examples: Models or references
• A — Adjustments: Preferences and customizations
• T — Type of output: The precise format
• E — Extras: Bonuses, additional constraints or clarifications

CREATE Template

Character: You are [detailed role with expertise and experience].
Request: [Clear and specific main request].
Examples: [References, models, inspirations].
Adjustments: [Preferences: what I want and DON'T want].
Type of output: [Precise format of expected deliverable].
Extras: [Additional constraints, bonuses, clarifications].

Concrete example

Character: You are a senior content strategy consultant with 10 years of experience in B2B tech. You've worked with SaaS startups from Series A to Series C.
Request: Create a 3-month editorial calendar for a project management tool blog.
Examples: Inspired by Notion, Asana and Monday.com blogs — mix of SEO articles, case studies and thought leadership.
Adjustments: No bland "corporate" content. Each article must have an original angle or a strong opinion. Favor actionable formats (guides, templates, checklists) rather than opinion pieces.
Type of output: Table with: week, article title, target keyword, angle/hook, format, funnel stage (TOFU/MOFU/BOFU), CTA.
Extras: Include 2 guest articles per month. Plan 1 "data-driven" article per month based on internal data. Each month must have a guiding theme.

When to use it: CREATE is your formula for strategic projects and complex deliverables. It takes longer to fill out, but guarantees a near-final result from the first prompt.

Which formula to