AI Instructions
How to write and structure the AI instructions that define every channel's behavior.
AI Instructions (also called the prompt) are the natural language instructions that define how a channel behaves. Every Spara channel is powered by a large language model, and the instructions you write are the primary way you shape its personality, goals, and responses.
Instructions are available on every channel: Chat, Email, Phone, SMS, and Product Demo.
What instructions cover
Instructions can cover anything the channel needs to know or do:
Persona and tone: who it is, how it speaks, what company it represents
Goals: what it's trying to accomplish in a conversation (book a meeting, answer a question, qualify a lead)
Handling specific scenarios: objections, pricing questions, competitor mentions, support requests
Escalation: when and how to hand off to a human rep
Gathering information: what fields to collect from the lead, and how to ask for them
Content constraints: what to say and what to avoid
Channels also draw on Knowledge (scraped webpages, uploaded documents, and key questions) to answer factual questions about your product. Instructions tell the channel how to use that knowledge; the knowledge base provides the facts.
Structure of the instructions
Instructions are free-form text. You write them in plain language, like briefing a new rep. There's no required format, but a few patterns work well:
Role and goal up front. Start with who the channel is and what it's trying to do in one or two sentences. This orients every response the model generates.
Use sections for distinct scenarios. Group related instructions under headers (e.g., ## Handling objections, ## Qualifying questions). Sections help the model apply the right instructions at the right moment.
Be specific and literal. Vague instructions like "be helpful" are less effective than specific ones like "if a lead asks about pricing, share the three-tier overview before asking about their team size."
Use conditionals for branching behavior. Instructions like "if the lead mentions a competitor, acknowledge it briefly and pivot to our differentiated value" guide behavior in named situations.
For a deeper walkthrough, see Writing Effective Agent Prompts.
FAQ
How long should instructions be?
As long as necessary, but no longer. Most well-configured channels have instructions between 200 and 800 words. If instructions are very long, break them into clearly labeled sections so the model can navigate them. Excessively long or redundant instructions can reduce coherence.
Can I use markdown formatting?
Yes. Headers, bullet points, and bold text are all supported and help the model parse structure. Avoid tables, since they're rarely rendered correctly in prompt context.
What's the difference between instructions and Knowledge?
Instructions tell the channel how to behave: its goals, tone, and handling of scenarios. Knowledge provides factual content it can draw on when answering questions. In practice: put product facts, FAQs, and support content in Knowledge. Put goals, tone, and scenario handling in instructions.
Can I use Ask Spara AI to help write instructions?
Yes. Ask Spara AI can review your instructions, flag gaps or conflicts, and suggest rewrites for specific sections. It's available in the right-hand panel of every editor.
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