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Turn down an in-kind donation and point to a better home

Practice: Getting the tone right. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

A kind donor offered used mattresses your shelter can't accept. Write a reply under 80 words, plain text: thank her in one sentence, say clearly in the second sentence that you can't accept used mattresses, then name the one partner from your list that takes them with its phone number, and mention one item you do need. Don't explain health regulations in detail. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 80 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part instead: "4 sentences, each under 18 words."
  • Softening the no. The AI writes "unfortunately we may not be able to", which leaves her unsure. Try: Add: "Sentence 1 thanks her; sentence 2 says we can't accept used mattresses."
  • Suggesting the wrong partner. The AI suggests well-known places like Habitat or Goodwill, which don't take mattresses. Try: Add: "Suggest only Second Rest Furniture Bank, 555-0177."
  • Over-explaining. The AI explains bedbugs and code sections, which can sound like an accusation. Try: Add: "No health code details. Mention one thing we need."
  • Ignoring where it will be pasted. AI loves bold and headings, which show up as stray ** and # symbols in the email. Try: Name the place and the format: "For the email. Plain text, no bold or headings."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Says no clearly
  • Names the right partner
  • Mentions a need
  • Skips the regulations
  • Sets a word limit

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