How To Ask AI Better Questions: Better Prompts, Better Profits

Written by Simon Mwangi

The real difference between biz people who win or lose by following AI advice?

Asking the right questions (also known as prompts)

✨ Asking the right questions (also known as prompts).

✨ Knowing how to judge the answers.

Studies show that underperforming entrepreneurs get worse results with AI. High performers get even better, because they’ve mastered these two skills.

So - what are the right questions to ask AI to boosts your hustle?

Let’s break it down, MESH-style.

You might have noticed – there is a recipe to the examples above.

Usitype: "Help my business."

AI sio mganga na haiwezi read into your intentions or desires.

You need a strong prompt, yenye inafaa kukua na four steps crafted in neat layers:

• CLEAR – Start with a clear problem

• SITUATION – Tell AI about your situation

• GOAL – Give AI a goal to hit

• LIMITS – Tell AI about your limits (budget, time, place skills etc.)

Ndio hizi insights into each layer na venye each one works.

Be exact.

Not: Help my business ❌

But: My sales dropped from 20 to 8 per day in 2 weeks ✅

Not: Fix my marketing ❌

But: My Instagram viewers are 3k but DMs are 2 a day. Why no conversion? ✅

AI huinterpret numbers better than feelings, na details husaidia sana to paint the perfect picture. AI needs a situation, sio a prayer request.

Sasa hapa ndivo unasaidia AI to smell the environment. What do you sell? Where do you sell it? (CBD, Rongai, Silicon Savannah, online shop) Who is your customer? What do they earn? Why do they buy from you? How do they pay? (M-Pesa only? Card? Cash?)

Nenye utaexplain context yako ndio italeta the what you need from AI.

For example, you will get different responses from:

"How do I sell more smokies" or "How do I sell more smokies to the people who walk by my spot on the main street in Nanyuki daily."

Tell AI the finish line.Kama unataka more sales, say it. Kama unataka kuimprove content yako, Spell it. Correct pricing? Itisha hesabu, not magic.

Kama unataka a 7-day experiment plan? Hand it the stopwatch.

AI works backwards from your goal. Ipatie goal, juu ukikosa, itainvent a goal that might not align with yours.

For example: I sell thrift hoodies at 600 KES at the Bus Park in Nakuru. Campus students buy from me. I sell 5 a day. I want to sell 12 a day in 21 days. What can I do to get there?

Mention limitations zako, since life sio kama free Wi-Fi.

Uko na budget? Mention it.

Uko na timeline? Mention it.

Skill gaps zako ni gani? Mention them.

Una work only 3 hours a day because unajuggling side-quests? Mention it

Kama hautamention constraint, AI will suggest a Super Bowl ad for your smokie cart.

Constraint makes the ideas realistic, na realistic ideas hugrow biashara.

For example: I sell thrift hoodies at 600 KES at the Bus Park in Nakuru. Campus students buy from me. I sell 5 a day. I want to sell 12 a day in 21 days. I can invest 1000KES in marketing. What is the best way to invest the money?

Weak prompt: How can I grow my business? ❌

Strong prompt: I run a smokie and eggs cart outside a high school in Rongai. My sales dropped from 20 to 8 per day in 2 weeks. My budget is 1,000 KES. What 3 things can I test this week to restore daily sales? 💰

Weak prompt: Give me marketing ideas ❌

Strong prompt: I sell thrift hoodies at 600 KES at the Bus Park in Nakuru. Campus students buy from me. I sell 5 a day. I want 12 a day in 21 days. I can only use posters and WhatsApp status. No shop. No videos. What can I test? 📲

Weak prompt: What price should I sell with? ❌

Strong prompt: My cost per bracelet is 120 KES. Competitors are at 250–350 KES. Customers are teens earning 200 KES pocket money daily. Suggest a fair profit-friendly price range. Show the math. 💡

Weak prompt: Create content for my clients ❌

Strong prompt: I bake cakes in Kahawa Sukari. Customers can’t find birthday cakes under 2k. Create 5 Instagram post ideas that speak to that pain. Use sheng + Nairobi spice. 🔥

Here are three AI prompt examples to use in your Kenyan biz. Just fill in your own details.

I sell [product] at [price] in [location]. My main customer is [person]. Right now I sell [number] per day. I want [number] per day in 30 days. My budget is [KES].

Give me 3 things I can test this week to increase sales.

My business is [ ]. My customer struggles with [ ]. Create 5 Instagram post ideas that hit their pain points. Use simple Kenyan language + sheng.

My cost per product is [ ]. My competitors sell at [ ]. My customer earns about [ ]. Suggest a fair but profitable price range. Explain why.

Show the math behind your answer.

AI can definately cook, lakini sometimes it can burn the ugali 😭

Check out hii 5-step truth detector for AI answers:

1️⃣ Sense check — hiyo jibu inakaa kama a real founder ama inasound kama a confused bot doing freestyle?

2️⃣ Source check — kama imemention some facts, ask it kwenye imezitoa. Find out kama izo sources ni recent ama prehistoric?

3️⃣ Math check — redo the math ama uiulize ikuexplainie the math step by step. AI = 98% accurate, 2% creative accounting.

4️⃣ Reality check — jiulize ama unaweza ifanya within your budget, skills na tools? If not, iyo tu ni fantasy Premier League.

5️⃣ Testability check — kama hauwezi ijaribu this week, iyo sio advice. It's a TED Talk.

Enough talk.

Fungua one of the AI bots right now. Copy template yenye inakufuraisha apo. Paste. Edit. Ask like your rent this month depended on the answers. Then test the ideas this week.

And btw, you can try out one of Mesh’s experimental AI chatbots built to help you start or scale your biashara. 🤖

👉 ASK MESH Ai Anything.

👉 MESH Brand Booster Ai

So MESHERS, remember:

Ask better. Build better. Win better. 💰