Playing Dress-Up

(aka: The Fastest Way to Get Better AI Output Without Buying Anything)

Let’s get one thing straight—AI is not psychic. It’s not reading your tone. It’s not “getting
your vibe.” It’s just doing what you tell it.

And here’s the trick nobody teaches first: you need to tell it who to be.

Seriously. Pretend the AI is auditioning for a role in a play you’re directing. You can cast
it as a cranky CFO, a caffeinated barista, a Star Trek character—whatever makes sense
for the scene you’re writing.

That’s “Playing Dress-Up.”

Why Bother?
Because when you say “write me a welcome email,” AI plays it safe. Middle-of-the-road.
Beige. It doesn’t know if it’s talking to a finance bro, a 5th grader, or a field medic in
Mozambique.

But when you say:

“You’re a sarcastic life coach with a soft heart, writing to a burned-out manager who just
got promoted.”

Now we’ve got a scene. The lines write themselves. You’ve built context. You’ve dressed
the actor and handed them the script.

Real World Example
Prompt:

You’re an over-caffeinated indie coffee shop owner writing a welcome email to a quirky
new subscriber who just joined your weird little club. Be warm. Be weird. Be honest. Goal:
make them laugh and feel like they’re in the right place.

AI Output:

“Hey there, Bean Dreamer—

You’ve made the best impulsive decision since that time you bought a kazoo at 2am.
Welcome to our jittery little tribe of misfits and moka-makers. First box ships soon. Pace
yourself.”

See the difference?

What You’re Really Doing
You’re not pretending. You’re framing. You’re giving the AI a lens to look through so the
results are tighter, funnier, more useful, more you.

That’s the whole point.

A Few Notes Before You Start Putting Hats on Everyone
The AI doesn’t become the character. It just performs. You’re still the director—if the
tone’s off, give it better direction.

Avoid caricatures. Don’t say “act like a millennial.” Say “a design-obsessed YouTuber
who reviews fountain pens.” Give texture.

Be explicit about the audience. If you’re writing for busy managers who hate fluff, say so.
The AI will tighten up.

Try This Mad-Libs Style Prompt:
“You are a [persona/role]. Speak to a [audience]. Use a [tone] tone. Your goal is to
[desired outcome]. Keep it under [word count/time].”

Example:

You are a witty therapist speaking to someone who just got ghosted by their dream
client. Your tone is supportive with dry humor. Goal: help them laugh, reframe, and keep
moving. Keep it under 150 words.

The Takeaway
This one trick—telling the AI who to be—can turn boring responses into compelling ones
with almost no extra work. It’s like putting glasses on your GPS so it can actually read the
road signs.

So go ahead—play dress-up. You’ll be amazed how much better your results get when you
stop asking “what should I say?” and start asking “who should say it?”