In the generative AI era, producing polished content is no longer the mark of a professional. The real challenge lies in crafting something that matters, something that reflects smart thinking rather than just surface-level gloss. While AI can assist in nearly every stage of content development, it is the strategy that comes before the first pixel or paragraph that separates the professionals from the rest of the crowd – the knack for framing the problem and deciding why a piece of content should exist at all. 

At Avalere Health, we understand that real magic happens when genuine human expertise guides AI. To us, prompting is not a mechanical step in using AI – it’s a strategic exercise akin to writing a creative brief for a human team. And like any good brief, it should be informed by a robust framework. 

Below, we outline our Link, Exact, Nuance, Scenario (L.E.N.S) framework for prompting in healthcare marketing. These four prompting techniques will help teams achieve better results with AI, especially when quality, not just quantity, matters. 

The framework, developed by our AI innovation leads, capitalizes on the team’s deep experience leveraging our Sense/AI proprietary generative AI platform to securely interact with a variety of leading models and drive exceptional results for our clients. 

The Link approach

Bridge the gap between today and your future goals.  For fast reasoning models.   

AI is powerful at connecting the dots when you clearly define where you are and where you want to go. Fast reasoning models are especially good at this, being able to handle multi-step reasoning and tackle a complex or open-ended problem with reasonable speed. By describing the current state and the desired outcome, the Link approach challenges the model to generate actionable, forward-looking ideas. It’s particularly useful for fast-moving innovation sprints. 

 

The Exact approach

Be specific and flexible. For all reasoning models and some generalist models. 

This approach gets you what you need on the very first try for a wide range of tasks, from simple, everyday scenarios (ideal for generalist models) to complex, multi-task challenges that require thinking (ideal for reasoning models). Precision is crucial for obtaining accurate results: frame a clear, structured request that provides the relevant context without overloading the model, and specifies your desired format, length, and tone to ensure you receive the response you are looking for. 

The Nuance approach 

Add context and consequence. For advanced reasoning models.

Great prompting is about why, not just what. This framework helps you take advantage of advanced reasoning models that excel at complex, multi-step tasks. It ensures the model understands the context (background information), the objective, and the stakes. Think of it as giving the AI a seat in the team meeting where decisions are being made. 

By setting the scene, stating the goal, and explaining why it matters, you nudge the AI into prioritizing what matters, not just what’s most obvious.

 

The Scenario approach

Focus the model. For non-reasoning, or “chat” models.

AI is great when it understands the role it’s meant to play. Instead of simply assigning it a task, have the model follow in the footsteps of a well-defined persona, a clear identity that guides its tone, priorities, and approach. 

This narrows the scope, aligns the tone with the audience, and eliminates ambiguity. By defining the AI’s character up front, you unlock greater emotional intelligence and its ability for collaborative brainstorming. 

 

Bring strategic prompting to the mainstream 

Prompting is no longer a fringe skill for early adopters. As AI tools become foundational to marketing and content workflows, teams that use them strategically will create better work, faster. But speed without strategy is just noise. 

Owning how we prompt means owning the ideas that follow. At Avalere Health, we’re shaping how AI works for healthcare. If you’d like to explore how our AI approach can support your next campaign or strategy sprint, let’s talk. 

 

Our AI philosophy 

At Avalere Health, we view AI as a collaborative partner that elevates our creativity, deepens our expertise, and sharpens our analytical precision.  

We have developed our own closed-loop generative AI platform, Sense/AI, which provides secure insights that elevate our expertise and fuel the creative and strategic approaches needed to reach every person. 

We are committed to empowering our people to embrace AI, enabling us to think bigger, move faster, and tackle healthcare’s most complex challenges with greater insight.​ Our “experts-in-the-loop” approach ensures that human judgment remains at the heart of every decision, guiding AI with deliberate intent and purpose. ​ 

As we shape the future of healthcare, we do so with a clear plan for progress: using AI to unlock new opportunities that help us achieve our mission of reaching EVERY PATIENT POSSIBLE, always guided by purpose and integrity.​