# Prompt of the Day: Ask a Happy Customer for a Referral

> A visual prompt card for a short, personal referral ask: thank the customer for real work, describe who you help, and no reward you haven't decided on.

Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual/prompt-ask-for-a-referral · Updated 2026-10-01 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com)

[Prompt to copy](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual#format-prompt-of-the-day) · 4 slides · [ChatGPT](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/tool/chatgpt)

By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about) · Published October 1, 2026 · From the free lesson [Prompt Writing 101: Role, Context, Task, Format](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompt-writing-101-role-context-task-format)

A visual prompt card for a short, personal referral ask: thank the customer for real work, describe who you help, and no reward you haven't decided on.

Swipe or scroll sideways for all 4 slides. The whole guide is written out below.

## Ask a happy customer for a referral

Copy it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Copilot and replace every `[BLANK]` with your own details.

Copy prompt

```text
Role: You are [YOUR NAME] at [BUSINESS], writing a personal note to a customer we've worked with.
Context: The customer is [CUSTOMER], and we recently [RECENT WORK]. The kind of people we can help most: [IDEAL REFERRAL]. Referral reward: [REWARD]. If the reward is "none," don't mention one. Don't promise discounts, priority service or anything else not listed here.
Task: Write a short note thanking them and asking, without pressure, whether they know anyone who could use our help. Tell them the easiest way to pass us along.
Format: Under 100 words. Warm and plain, no emoji. If it's an email, put a plain subject line first.
```

Works in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Copilot.

## Check every promise

- Anything about rewards, discounts or response times must match your Context. AI often adds a reward on its own.
- Make sure the note doesn't mention other customers or their jobs.
- Send it only to customers who were clearly happy.

**The full template:** [Referral request prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/referral-request-prompt), with every blank explained, a filled-in example and how to check the answer.

Businesses and people in the examples are made up. The steps, screens and wording come from the free lesson and the Stepthrough glossary and prompt library.

## Do it yourself, free

**Prompt Writing 101: Role, Context, Task, Format**. Ask ChatGPT for the same customer email twice, once vaguely and once with a four-part prompt, and see exactly why structure gets a better answer. You do every step yourself in a practice copy of ChatGPT, it checks your work as you go, and “Do it for me” finishes any step you get stuck on. Free, and nothing touches your real accounts.

[Start the free lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/modules/prompt-writing-101)

[Or read the full step-by-step guide](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompt-writing-101-role-context-task-format)

## Related terms

Plain-English definitions, each with an example from a free lesson.

[Prompt constraints](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/prompt-constraints) · [Follow-up email](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/follow-up-email) · [ChatGPT](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/chatgpt) · [Generative AI](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/generative-ai) · [Prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/prompt) · [Prompt template](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/prompt-template) · [Role, Context, Task, Format](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/role-context-task-format) · [ChatGPT memory](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/chatgpt-memory)

[The full AI glossary](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary)

## Related prompts

- [Buyer inquiry reply prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/buyer-inquiry-reply-prompt): Reply to a buyer's listing inquiry from your facts sheet: fees, rules and showing times, with sources instead of opinions on…
- [Listing description prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/listing-description-prompt): Write listing remarks and a social caption from your verified property facts, describing the home and never who should live…
- [Neighborhood guide prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/neighborhood-guide-prompt): Turn neighborhood facts you checked yourself into a buyer-friendly guide with sources: parks, errands, transit and events. No…
- [New service announcement email prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/new-service-announcement-email-prompt): Copy a four-part ChatGPT prompt that announces a new service to existing customers: real price, real dates, one call to action…

[All free prompt templates](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts)

## From the blog

- [AI Training for Employees: A Free Plan for Small Teams](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/ai-training-for-employees): AI training for employees on a small-business budget: one rule set, three shared ChatGPT lessons, then role-based picks, all free in practice copies.
- [ChatGPT Tone of Voice for Business Emails: Lines That Work](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/chatgpt-tone-of-voice): Set ChatGPT's tone of voice for business emails with one Format line, a "sound like" comparison and specific fixes, using tone lines from real lessons.
- [AI for Lawn Care Businesses: 3 Off-Season Projects](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/ai-for-lawn-care-business): AI for lawn care and landscaping owners: three off-season projects, from ChatGPT customer emails to morning crew job emails and an online estimate form.

## More visual guides

- [Mistake to Avoid: Not Setting a Length in Your Prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual/mistake-no-length-in-your-prompt): A visual tip: say the length in the Format part of your prompt, like under 120 words, instead of trimming a 300-word reply by hand.
- [Myth: ChatGPT Already Knows My Business](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual/myth-chatgpt-already-knows-my-business): Myth vs fact: ChatGPT knows the current chat, its general training and what you set up. Your current prices and policies still have to come from you.
- [Myth: There Is a Magic Wording for ChatGPT Prompts](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual/myth-magic-prompt-wording): Myth vs fact: "act as an expert" helps far less than plain facts. Say what you need, give the details only you know and say how it should look.

[All visual guides](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual) · [All free tutorials](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content)
