Unleash the Power of Claude AI: Expert Prompts & Techniques for Every Scenario

In this article, we'll be diving into how to use Claude, which is considered to outperform ChatGPT as of March 2024.

We'll primarily focus on the practical steps, so if you're looking for a general overview like "What is Claude anyway?", be sure to check out this article as well.

What is Claude?

Claude is the name of a generative AI powered by a Large Language Model (LLM).

LLM might sound complicated, but it simply refers to a generative AI that can engage in conversations and provide assistance via text, similar to ChatGPT.

The latest version, Claude 3, released in March 2024, is a noteworthy generative AI that has demonstrated superior performance across various metrics compared to ChatGPT.

It's also incredibly user-friendly. If you're already familiar with using tools like ChatGPT, you'll be able to use Claude without any hassle.

There are several ways to use Claude, but in this guide, we'll focus on using the official website.

3 Claude Prompt Examples for Different Scenarios

If you're new to generative AI, here are some helpful prompt templates to get you started.

Searching for Information

The first example is searching for information.

This is similar to using a regular search engine. Simply type "Tell me about [topic]" and you're good to go.

The AI will then provide information it knows. If the answer seems accurate, you're done! If the response is slightly off, try asking follow-up questions to refine the results.

Getting Solutions to Problems

The second format is for getting potential solutions to problems.

Try using the following template:

"You are a professional [Job Title].

Please provide concrete solutions to the following problem, adhering to the following conditions:

[Problem]

[Conditions]

* [Condition 1]

* [Condition 2]

* [Condition 3]"

For example, let's imagine you're a salesperson who wants to increase sales.

Avoid using prompts like this:

"I want to increase sales. How can I do it?"

This is too abstract. The AI's response will likely be generic and won't provide concrete, actionable advice.

Instead, provide specific details to help the AI understand the context.

Example:

Product category and price, size of potential client companies, current sales methods (cold calling or email), sales process from initial contact to closing, etc.

By providing more information, the AI can offer more specific and relevant advice.

Give it a try!

Code Generation

The third example is code generation.

There are many approaches to this, but using images or other files can be effective.

For example, if you're working on web design, you can upload an image of the desired design and ask, "Please provide the HTML, PHP, and JavaScript code for this design." The AI will then generate the corresponding code.

How to Use Claude: A Practical Guide (Official Website)

Let's break this down into preparation and practical steps.

[Preparation] Search for "Claude"

First, search for "Claude" using your preferred browser.

You should see search results like the one below. Click on the appropriate link.

If it doesn't appear at the top, try searching for "Claude AI" to find it quickly.

[Preparation] Log In

Once you're on the homepage, you'll see a login page. Create an account or, if you have a Google account, you can log in using SSO. Once logged in, you're ready to go.

[Practical] Information Retrieval

Now, let's move on to the practical part.

Simply type your text (prompt) into the box at the top of the screen that says "What can I help you with?".

*The user interface is in English, but it supports multiple languages, so you can use prompts in your preferred language.

However, be aware that AI cannot answer questions about real-time information.

Example: What's the weather in Tokyo today?

I've recently become interested in history, so I asked about the origins of Japan.

This is the kind of information I received.

Unlike search engines, it can't provide the latest information, but it excels at summarizing information in an easy-to-understand way. Keep this in mind to use it effectively.

[Practical] Exploring Solutions to Problems

Next, let's try discussing potential solutions to problems.

The key here is to define conditions to make it easier for the AI to understand.

Similar to human-to-human communication, it's difficult to answer the question "How should I increase sales?" without further context.

The answer will vary depending on the industry, job title, and whether you're a manufacturer or a software developer.

So, try to provide Claude with as much context as possible when writing your prompt.

In this example, I pretended to be a business planner in the SaaS industry and asked a question.

The answer was surprisingly relevant, and the generation speed was only a few seconds. It felt like I was consulting with a reliable management consultant.

You can further explore the topic by asking follow-up questions, turning a simple consultation into a discussion. Feel free to try it out.

[Practical] Creating Program Code

The third example is creating program code.

Let's imagine a salesperson wants to generate a list containing only company names and phone numbers from a virtual company list (Excel) with a single click. Here's how you can write the prompt.

It not only generated the code but also provided instructions on how to implement it.

Since I don't have a technical background, I find it very helpful that it provides easy-to-understand implementation instructions.

System engineers can directly leverage this to improve work efficiency, and even non-engineers can generate program code to build mechanisms to streamline their own tasks.

Tips for Using Claude

I've found Claude to be extremely useful, and here are some tips for using it effectively.

Provide Detailed Conditions

The first tip is to provide as much detail as possible when asking Claude for help.

As mentioned in the practical examples, the more specific the conditions you provide, the more concrete the solutions it will offer.

It can be challenging to articulate detailed conditions for abstract problems, but it's a matter of practice. Try to define conditions that make it easier for the AI to answer.

Understand the AI's Thought Process and Tendencies

The second tip is to roughly understand the AI's thought process and tendencies.

ChatGPT and Claude each have their own tendencies and patterns in their responses.

By understanding these, you can use Claude more effectively. Even if you don't get the expected answer, reflect on why that happened and experiment with different approaches.

Finally, let's talk about pricing plans.

Claude Pricing Plans

Claude has a single pricing plan, which costs $20 per month.

There's no need to purchase the paid version unless you feel the free version is insufficient or you want to use it more extensively. In that case, consider upgrading.

Summary

This article introduced how to use Claude, a recently popular LLM-powered generative AI.

If you're interested in learning more about the general concepts, check out this article.