How to Write Great AI Context

The AI Instructions field (called description in the API) is the most powerful field in the SkipUp Zapier connector. It tells SkipUp’s AI how to write the scheduling email, what tone to use, and what context to reference. This guide shows you how to use it effectively.

Why AI context matters

Without context, SkipUp’s AI sends a generic scheduling email:

“Hi Bob, I’m reaching out on behalf of Alice to find a time for a meeting. What times work for you?”

With good context, the AI sends a personalized email:

“Hi Bob, I’m reaching out on behalf of Alice Chen at Acme Corp. Alice mentioned you’re evaluating scheduling solutions for your sales team and would love to set up a 30-minute demo. She’s flexible on timing — what works best for you this week or next?”

The difference in response rates is significant.

The template structure

A great AI Instructions field has four parts:

1. WHO — Prospect identity and company
2. WHY — What prompted the meeting request
3. WHAT — Any specific topics or agenda items
4. HOW — Tone and style guidance for the AI

Templates by use case

Demo request (from CRM)

Prospect: {{contact_name}} ({{contact_email}})
Company: {{company_name}}
Role: {{job_title}}
Deal value: {{deal_amount}}

This prospect requested a demo through our website.
They're evaluating solutions for {{use_case}}.

CRM notes: {{deal_notes}}

Tone: Professional but warm. Reference their specific
use case. Keep the email under 100 words.

Form submission (inbound lead)

Lead: {{form_name}} ({{form_email}})
Company: {{form_company}}
Interested in: {{form_interest}}
Message: {{form_message}}

This person filled out our demo request form.

Tone: Friendly and helpful. Acknowledge what they're
interested in. Don't be salesy — they came to us.

Customer success (QBR/renewal)

Customer: {{contact_name}} at {{company_name}}
Account type: {{plan_tier}}
Renewal date: {{renewal_date}}

This is a quarterly business review meeting.
The customer has been using our product for {{months}} months.

Tone: Warm and familiar — this is an existing customer.
Reference the QBR agenda if known. Keep it brief.

Internal meeting (team sync)

Meeting with: {{colleague_name}}
Topic: {{meeting_topic}}

Tone: Casual and direct. Keep the email short — this is
an internal meeting, not external outreach.

Field-by-field guidance

Meeting Purpose vs. AI Instructions

These two fields work together but serve different roles:

Field	What the AI does with it	Example
Meeting Purpose	Determines the overall goal — used in the email subject line and opening sentence	”Product demo for Q2 evaluation”
AI Instructions	Detailed guidance — used to personalize the body, set tone, and add context	”Prospect is VP of Sales, prefers morning meetings, evaluating 3 vendors”

Rule of thumb: Purpose is the “what,” Instructions are the “how.”

Include Introduction

Check this box when:

• The organizer and participant haven’t met before
• It’s a cold or warm outreach scenario
• You want the AI to explain who is requesting the meeting

Leave unchecked when:

• The parties already know each other
• It’s a follow-up or recurring meeting
• You want a shorter, more direct email

Duration

Common choices and when to use them:

Duration	Best for
15 min	Quick intros, check-ins
30 min	Discovery calls, 1:1s
45 min	Product demos (default)
60 min	Deep-dive meetings, workshops

Tips for Zapier automations

1. Map CRM fields directly

Don’t write static AI Instructions. Pull data dynamically from your CRM:

Prospect: {{hubspot_firstname}} {{hubspot_lastname}}
Company: {{hubspot_company}}
Deal notes: {{hubspot_deal_description}}

2. Include the source

Tell the AI how the prospect was acquired:

Source: Inbound form submission on our pricing page

This helps the AI calibrate tone — inbound leads get a warmer, more helpful tone than outbound sequences.

3. Set explicit tone

The AI defaults to professional but neutral. Override it:

• “Keep tone casual and friendly” — For startup/SMB prospects
• “Be formal and consultative” — For enterprise
• “Be brief — under 50 words” — For internal meetings
• “Write like a human, not a bot” — General good practice

4. Mention time preferences

If your CRM has timezone or preference data:

Preferences: {{contact_timezone}}, prefers afternoon meetings

5. Add a “don’t” instruction

Tell the AI what to avoid:

Do NOT mention pricing or discounts in the email.
Do NOT reference competitors by name.

Common mistakes

Too little context — An empty AI Instructions field means the AI has nothing to personalize. Even a one-line summary helps.

Too much context — Pasting an entire CRM history. The AI works best with concise, structured context. Stick to the template format.

Conflicting instructions — “Be casual and formal” confuses the AI. Pick one tone.

Including sensitive data — Don’t put passwords, internal pricing, or confidential notes in the AI Instructions. The AI may reference this content in the email it writes.

What’s next

• Your First Zap: Form to Meeting — Build your first automation
• HubSpot + SkipUp — CRM-specific templates
• Salesforce + SkipUp — Salesforce field mapping guide