I Was Building a Short-Form Video Tool. AI Handed Me the Solution to a Problem I’d Been Trying to Solve About Expert Audiences for Years.
I'm Gobsmacked.
For years, I’ve been trying to articulate why engagement strategies that work for beginner audiences completely bomb with experienced coaches.
You know the feeling. You post something vulnerable, relatable, real - and crickets from the people who actually have money to spend. Meanwhile, the newbies are all over it.
I’ve fumbled through explanations about status, positioning, professional image. Never quite nailed it.
Then last week, while building a short-form video AI tool using Prompt Whispering™, my AI team member handed me the answer I’d been chasing - as a complete byproduct of a different conversation.
Not because I asked for it.
Because I treated AI like a strategic partner instead of a summarizer.
Here’s what I’m going to show you in this article:
First - the actual coaching insight about high-status audience engagement that emerged from this process. You can use this immediately if you're creating a Bingeable Body Of Work™ on LinkedIn.
Second - the exact Prompt Whispering™ methodology that made this breakthrough possible. The messy first prompt. The conversation. The pushback. The “teachable moment” question that unlocked everything.
Third - how to use this approach to build AI tools for your clients and your business (because the video tool I was building is pretty damn cool too).
You’re getting the fish AND the fishing lesson.
By the end, you’ll either be ready to start building your own AI team members using this process, or you’ll realize you want help installing this powerful capability into your coaching business.
Either way, you’ll see what’s possible when you stop treating AI like a fancy search engine and start treating it like a genius team member.
Let me show you what happened.
The three files that turn generic AI into a strategic team member
This all started when I was designing an AI Prompt for a “short-form video producer” team member, based on the session Jordan from One Peak Creative gave at the Blackbelt Intensive I recently attended.
You should sign up for One Peak Creative’s short-form video course. It’s a great introduction.
I grabbed the session transcript, created a summary, and uploaded my handwritten notes from my Workbook into a Claude Project in preparation for prototyping the prompt for my team member.
Your specific IP is your key to Prompt Whispering™ - the key to making tools your clients and prospects can’t live without, without producing AI slop.
Pick a training you’re going to create an AI tool for. If there’s a transcript, awesome. If not, create one.
Cool Tip: I make a point when I’m watching video training of any kind to record the audio using MacWhisper as I’m watching it so I can create checklists and add it to my Digital Zettelkasten.
Be Cool PSA: If I’m using someone else’s training, I’ll never publish it for profit or make it a publicly accessible GPT. It’s for my own use.
Why don’t I use their prompts? Well, I sometimes do, and I’m passably okay at Prompt Whispering™, so I’ll add my herbs and spices to make a prompt sing and ensure it’s my voice and style.
It also allows me to better understand the material.
Stephen Covey wrote in “The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People” that the best way to learn something is to teach it.
I think we could add: a great way to learn something is to create a prompt for it.
Why I give my AI team member a summary to check first, then a transcript to dig deeper
I upload a summary and a transcript because we’re treating AI like a team member. I want them to have the summary to check first, and when they don’t know what to do from the summary (or I ask a clarifying question), they can go to the transcript (or an accompanying PDF) for further depth.
PDFs, worksheets, and diagrams: Multimodal is a fancy way of saying AI understands video and audio (and in what is the most extraordinary feat of modern technology, my drawings and diagrams), and is getting pretty damn good at creating them too. Any PDFs, worksheets, and diagrams relevant to your training that are worth adding to the project files.
We won’t need all of them for the final tool, but while prototyping, it’s useful to have them available.
Tip: Don’t just dump everything in. Add files to the project when you reference the document. Each project has a capacity limit and it can slow down your tool.
The messy 10-minute prompt I was almost too embarrassed to show you (spelling mistakes and all)
Would you ask your intern to create your most valuable IP and processes, or is that your job?
Spoiler Alert: It’s your job (or a key person on your team familiar with your work).
For my prompt prototyping, I watched a training, transcribed and created a summary, then hand-rolled this first set of dodgy instructions.
Nothing like getting into the field to get some results and feedback.
When I say dodgy, I mean dodgy.
Look at the number of spelling mistakes - the grammar is awful. It doesn’t matter. (Sorry AM!)
I’ve left my example unedited, as painful as that is, so you can see how imperfect the first draft is. I want you to see the raw process, so spelling and grammar nerds - strap in.
I set a timer and did a ten-minute freewrite of my first set of instructions.
Here’s my first attempt:
I’m looking at Creating Short Form Videos to create outreach to my coaching audience for my AI content Articles on https://ai30dc.substack.com/
I want you to use the best practice training I’m uploading here to help me create Hooks and storyboards for my short form video.
I’ll be giving you example articles that I’ve published and using your exstensive knowledge of how to create extrodinary hooks and short form video that has people watching to the end.
We are going to spend a lot of time focusing on the Hook for each video that we are working with because if my audience doesnt stop to watch. i’m sunk.
Our goal is to create a video with an awesome hook that we pay off in the video itself.
We’ll experiment with formats initially with an aim to figuring out which formats work for my niche.
Once we have the hook and the format we will create a storyboard and script to guide the filming.
We really want the hook to be amazing so don’t be afraid to push back and question my thinking. When you are asking questions pleas only ask one question at a time and don’t be afraid to ask for further information if it’s unclear.
When I was thinking about this team member, I wanted them to work from articles I create in the “Little Blue Report.” This won’t be the final prompt by any means - I just want you to see how the cake is baked.
As you’ll see in an upcoming part of this series, we’ll get my AI team member to help me with prompt creation after we have some things for it to look at.
So with my first set of files in the project and my dodgy first set of instructions - let’s roll.
A note on ChatGPT: It has a restrictive size limit on project instructions, so I’ll include my draft prompt in the files section and tell the project instructions to run it based on that file.
The first conversation: building a video tool that actually understood my coaching audience
Here’s my first session:
Here’s What Happened (Unedited😱):
Prompt:
11/17/2025, 9:31:42 AM
Hey There Claude!
I want to create a short form video based on the article I just published on my Substack - Little Blue Report. I’ve attched the article here.
Response:
11/17/2025, 9:32:49 AM
I need to read your article first to understand the content we’re working with. Let me check that out.
Excellent! I’ve read your article about the AI paradigm shift from “tool” to “team member” and that 285% engagement boost. This is powerful material with a clear transformation story.
Let’s craft an amazing hook that will stop your coaching audience dead in their scrolling tracks. Based on the training, the hook is EVERYTHING - it determines whether your video hits 2,000 or 200,000 views.
Hook Options (Let’s test these):
Option 1: The Shock Number “I was using AI completely wrong for 3 years... then one quote from NVIDIA’s CEO made my engagement jump 285% in 24 hours.”
Option 2: The Controversial Statement “You can’t mastermind with Excel... and that’s exactly how you’re using AI right now.”
Option 3: The Curiosity Gap “The billionaire CEO of NVIDIA just revealed why 99% of coaches are using AI wrong... and it has nothing to do with prompts.”
Option 4: The Relatable Problem “I spent 3 years being an AI expert, then realized I was treating Claude like a calculator instead of... [pause]”
Which of these grabs you? Or should I generate more options with different angles?
Prompt:
11/17/2025, 9:36:08 AM
I reckon option 1 is the winner BUT I want to tweak the video.
The “Coaches are using AI like Excel” is SO true and I want to start with that angle and pay it off with the insight from Huang
Could you give me different Hook and Structure options using that frame
Response:
11/17/2025, 9:37:17 AM
BRILLIANT pivot. You’re stacking the problem (Excel metaphor) with the solution (Huang insight) - way more teaching value.
Hook + Structure Options:
OPTION A: Problem → Quote → Transformation
Hook: “You can’t mastermind with Excel... and that’s exactly how you’re using AI right now.”
Structure:
Hook (3 sec): Excel line
The Problem (10 sec): “For 3 years I treated Claude like a spreadsheet - input data, get output, close the tab”
The Quote (8 sec): “Then Jensen Huang said something that flipped everything: ‘AI is not a tool, AI is work’”
The Shift (10 sec): “I started treating AI like a strategic partner - asking questions, pushing back, collaborating”
The Result (7 sec): “My engagement jumped 285% in 24 hours because the content was BETTER”
The Takeaway (5 sec): “Stop using AI like Excel. Start using it like a mastermind partner.”
OPTION B: Statement → Story → Payoff
Hook: “Excel can’t argue with you... and that’s the problem with how coaches use AI.”
Structure:
Hook (3 sec): Excel line
The Mistake (8 sec): “I was an AI expert treating Claude like a calculator - put in prompt, get output”
The Quote (10 sec): “Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA: ‘AI is not a tool, AI is work’ - that hit different”
What Changed (12 sec): “I started having CONVERSATIONS. Pushing back. Asking ‘how could I explain this better?’”
The Proof (8 sec): “One post went from typical engagement to 285% better - same audience, different approach”
Your Move (5 sec): “The coaches winning with AI aren’t prompting better - they’re collaborating.”
OPTION C: Question → Discovery → Application
Hook: “Would you use Excel for strategic planning? Then why are you using AI that way?”
Structure:
Hook (3 sec): Excel question
The Realization (10 sec): “3 years of ‘AI expertise’ and I was still treating it like software - input, output, done”
The Quote (8 sec): “Huang’s quote changed everything: ‘AI is not a tool, AI is work’”
The Method (12 sec): “I started treating Claude like a team member - real conversations, strategic questions, back-and-forth”
The Win (8 sec): “Result? 285% engagement increase because the insights got DEEPER”
The Challenge (5 sec): “Try this once: have a conversation with AI instead of giving it commands.”
Which structure feels most natural for your delivery style? The story arc (B) or the direct teaching (A) or the question-based (C)?
A Brief Interlude to Introduce Prompt Wrangling™
Up to this point the vomit freewriting prompt was doing ok. At this point, I’d identified an issue with the Engagement Angle.
This allows me to introduce Prompt Wrangling™ as a key part of building a prompt that will drive our tool. We’ll go into this in more detail as I want to show you how the breakthrough happened…
Let’s continue;
Prompt:
11/17/2025, 9:39:51 AM
These are cool - something is off - the article is about a paradigm shift and my coaching audience are experienced business owners - can you help me understand what may be off for this audience - what engagement opportunities might increase the views and comments
Response:
11/17/2025, 9:41:23 AM
You just identified something crucial - your audience is high-status, established coaches. They’re not looking for basic tips. They’re looking for strategic advantage.
The current hooks are too “confessional” for that audience. Experienced coaches won’t publicly comment:
“Yes, I’ve been using AI wrong!” (looks incompetent to clients)
“I made this mistake too!” (damages professional credibility)
What WOULD Make Them Engage:
STRATEGY 1: Status & Sophistication
Idea 1A - The Strategic Question
“Most coaches are still in the AI tool phase. The winners have moved to the AI team member phase. Which one are you?”
This lets them SELF-IDENTIFY as advanced, not admit a flaw.
Idea 1B - The Prediction Debate
“In 2 years, will coaches who treat AI as a tool even be competitive?”
Opens strategic debate - they can share insights, not admit failures.
Idea 1C - The Investment Reframe
“Would you rather hire a $50K junior strategist or spend $20/month on an AI team member that never sleeps?”
Business decision framework - they look smart commenting on this.
STRATEGY 2: Intellectual Curiosity
Idea 2A - The Counterintuitive Insight
“The engagement boost didn’t come from better prompts - it came from treating AI like it could be WRONG.”
Sparks debate about methodology. They can share THEIR approach.
Idea 2B - The Prediction Debate “In 2 years, will coaches who don’t make this shift even be competitive?”
They’ll share predictions and insights that demonstrate their strategic thinking.
Idea 2C - The Investment Question
“Would you rather spend $50K on a junior strategist or $20/month on an AI team member that never sleeps?”
Opens debate where they can share business acumen.
STRATEGY 3: Relatability
Idea 3A - The Recognition (REVISED) “You’re at your best answering questions, not staring at blank pages.”
This RECOGNIZES their genius without asking them to admit flaws. They’ll comment “exactly!” and share examples of their brilliance.
Idea 3B - The Hidden Advantage (REVISED) “The coaches getting 2-3X engagement have figured out something most haven’t...”
Invite them to share what THEY’VE figured out. They look like insiders.
Idea 3C - The Mastermind Principle Reference Napoleon Hill’s 1+1=3 and ask “who’s in your mastermind?”
They’ll flex their network and connections - makes them look well-connected and strategic.
The key shift: Stop asking them to admit struggles. Start giving them opportunities to demonstrate expertise, share wins, and position themselves as ahead of the curve.
Which of these revised approaches feels more aligned with how your coaching audience actually behaves?
WOW. What if I had just treated my AI team member as a tool and told it it was wrong and to do it again?
But wait, there’s more.
Strap yourself in because we have a BANGER alert.
The one question that changed everything (and most people never ask)
Most people would just move on. However, if I have a genius team member in front of me and their response improved that much...
Isn’t this a teachable moment - FOR ME?
Here’s where the magic happens:
You are COOKING now - How can I modify the project instructions around this section of identifying engagement opportunities for experienced coaches
Some praise and “how could I do this better?”
You might be reading this and thinking - Ed, it’s a machine, why are you speaking to it like a human? You’re wasting time and tokens.
Simple.
It’s a key reason why I consistently get better outputs from AI than most people, and if you want your AI tools to be exponential for your coaching business... well.
You might want to try it, because can your AI team member do this?
My AI team member just articulated something I’ve been trying to teach for years - better than I ever could
You just uncovered something crucial that should be in those project instructions. Let me draft the addition:
ADDITION TO “Creating Engagement For The Post” Guidelines:
Audience Status Considerations
Before generating engagement ideas, identify your audience’s status protection needs:
Low-Status/Learning Audiences (beginners, students, people seeking help):
WILL admit struggles and flaws publicly
WANT to connect through shared pain
Engagement prompts: “Do you feel this too?” “Share your biggest struggle”
They bond through vulnerability
High-Status/Expert Audiences (established coaches, business owners, executives):
Will NOT reveal flaws where clients/peers can see them
WANT to demonstrate expertise and strategic thinking
Engagement prompts: “What level are you at?” “Share what you’ve discovered”
They bond through sophistication
For Established Business Coaches specifically:
Instead of asking them to reveal:
❌ “Do you struggle with this too?”
❌ “Share your biggest failure”
❌ “Admit what you don’t know”
Invite them to demonstrate:
✅ “Which approach are you taking?”
✅ “What have you figured out?”
✅ “Where are you ahead of the curve?”
The Relatability Shift:
For beginners: Relatability = “You struggle with this too, right?”
For experts: Relatability = “You’ve noticed this pattern too, haven’t you?”
Both create connection. One through shared pain. One through shared insight.
When crafting engagement for high-status audiences:
Give them the upgrade, not the admission
Bad: “I was doing this wrong”
Good: “I just unlocked the next level”
Create intellectual debates, not vulnerability confessions
Bad: “Does anyone else feel like an impostor?”
Good: “In 2 years, will this approach even be competitive?”
Let them flex knowledge, not expose gaps
Bad: “What don’t you understand about AI?”
Good: “What’s your current AI stack?”
The test: Would commenting on this make them look SMARTER or WEAKER to their peers and clients?
If weaker → revise the engagement prompt. If smarter → you’ve nailed it.
Does this capture what you just taught me? Any refinements to make it even more useful?
Did it get dusty in here?
I (and many others) have been trying to articulate this distinction for different engagement strategies for different audiences on social platforms for years.
And I got this as a byproduct of treating the AI like a team member, not a tool.
I work with many coaches who primarily market on LinkedIn, and this insight is key to engagement.
I didn’t just get a prompt addition - I got, as a bonus, a brilliant way to articulate a key issue for coaches attempting to work with expert audiences.
You’ve just seen Prompt Whispering™ in action.
In Part 2 of this newsletter, we’re going to convert our project into an AI tool. Sure, GPTs are cool and we’ll make a GPT.
Annnddddd...
What if we did something just a bit more awesome so you stand out from the crowd... for hardly any more effort?
The Prompt Whispering™ process I used (so you can build your own strategic AI team members)
Identify the training you want to add an AI tool to, then follow these steps:
Watch the lesson and create a transcript
Create a summary note of the training
Upload both to the project file, along with supporting PDFs, worksheets, and images (as long as they’re relevant)
Do a vomit draft of what you want this part of the prompt to do based on the training
Test the vomit draft of the prompt with the same input (in my case, an article) so you can:
See how the prompt runs on the same material - each run will be different, which is good, as long as it’s good
You’ll see how your addition to the prompt is doing
If you need to have a conversation to get the output you want:
When you get good output - high five your AI and ask how you could rewrite the instructions to make it easier
Make the edits and rerun in a fresh session
Rinse and repeat as you add steps to your training.
When you follow this process, you’ll have a project in Claude, ChatGPT, or AI Studio (Google) that will give you awesome output, and you’ll have cool conversations.
Hey, could I ask you for some feedback? Is this style of article useful for you? Leave a comment or reply to the email. I read them all.
See you for Part 2.
Ed
Thanks Ed, Seeing it laid out warts and all is really useful. Certainly it’s a massive shift for Me in appreciating how to master AI. Suddenly I can see how to build and develop dynamic AI team members that can work for me.
Yes - yet again leading the way in AI Thought Leadership!! Love it! Many thanks. But forget about this Prompt Whispering, I need your Nano Banana prompt for the Huang photo - that is deep, insightful pure gold!