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Work out a gala's break-even guest count with a sponsor
Practice: Giving the right context. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
Your board asked how many guests the gala needs to break even. A board member is paying for the band directly, so leave the band out of costs. Write exactly 3 numbered lines (fixed costs, margin per guest, break-even guests), each showing the math, then one unnumbered last line with the net at 130 guests. Plain text, under 70 words.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Not mentioning the sponsor. The AI counts the band, so break-even jumps to 140 guests. Try: Add: "A board member pays the band. Leave it out."
- Not asking to see the work. The board will ask how you got the number. Try: Add a line to copy: "2. Margin: $75 − $45 = $30"
- Counting maybes. The AI adds auction hopes or the $95 idea. Try: Add: "Use the $75 ticket. No auction money."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each line: "each line under 14 words."
- Forgetting where it goes. AI loves markdown tables and bold, which show up as clutter in a board email. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold, headings or tables."
What a strong prompt includes
- Leaves out the band
- Asks for break-even
- Asks to show the math
- Sets a word limit
- Asks for plain text
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