AI prompts for Clay

Steps

1. 1

   Load your list into a Clay table.

   Import a CSV or pull companies and people in from one of Clay's sources. Make sure you have the columns the prompt needs, like company name, website and job title.

2. 2

   Add an AI column.

   Add a new column and choose the AI option. Clay's AI web research agent is called Claygent, and it can visit websites to answer your question.

3. 3

   Write the prompt and insert columns.

   Paste one of the prompts below. Wherever you see [Column name], insert that column from your table so each row uses its own data.

4. 4

   Ask for a fixed output.

   Tell the AI exactly what to return, like "Yes or No" or "one sentence under 20 words." Short, fixed answers are easier to filter and cost less to fix.

5. 5

   Run it on a few rows first.

   Run 5 to 10 rows and read every answer. If the answers are vague or too long, tighten the prompt and run the test again. AI columns use credits, so test small.

6. 6

   Run the rest and filter.

   Once the test looks right, run the full table. Filter on the answer column to build your final list.

Prompts you can copy

Is this company a fit? (yes or no)

You are a sales researcher. Look at the website [Website] for the company [Company Name].

Question: Does this company sell [what your buyer sells, for example industrial parts] to other businesses, and does it look like it has more than [10] employees?

Answer with exactly one word: Yes, No or Unsure. Say Unsure if the website does not load or does not make it clear. Do not explain.

What does this company sell, in one sentence

Visit [Website] for [Company Name].

Write one sentence, under 20 words, that says what this company sells and who they sell it to. Use plain words a 5th grader would know. No marketing words like "leading," "innovative" or "solutions."

If you cannot tell from the website, return exactly: Not clear.

Pull one useful fact from the website

Visit [Website] for [Company Name]. Look at the home page, the about page and any careers or news page.

Find one recent, specific fact that a salesperson could mention, such as a new location, a new product line, open jobs in sales or operations, or a service area.

Return the fact in one sentence under 25 words, then the page it came from. If you find nothing specific and recent, return exactly: None found. Do not guess.

Write a first line for a cold email

You are writing the first line of a cold email to [First Name], the [Job Title] at [Company Name].

Use this fact about the company: [Fact column].

Write one sentence under 20 words that connects that fact to their job. Sound like a real person, not a marketer. No compliments like "I love what you are doing." Do not use the word "noticed."

If the fact says "None found," return exactly: Skip.

Example

This is a made-up example. Your row has Company Name "Ridge Valley Supply" and the website shows they sell plumbing and HVAC parts to contractors and opened a second warehouse. The "what does this company sell" prompt returns: "Sells plumbing and heating parts to contractors." The "one useful fact" prompt returns: "Opened a second warehouse in Dayton this year, from the about page." The first line prompt then returns something like: "A second warehouse usually means more orders to track and more people to train." Short, true, and about them.

Tips

• One question per column. If you want three answers, make three columns. Big prompts that ask five things give messy results.
• Always give the AI a way out, like "Unsure" or "None found." Without one, it guesses.
• Put your yes or no fit column first, then only run the more expensive columns on the Yes rows.
• Keep your list fresh. The data health guide covers how to spot old or wrong records.

What not to do

• Do not run a new prompt on thousands of rows before you test it. You can burn a lot of credits on bad answers.
• Do not paste AI first lines into emails without reading a sample. Check at least 10 before you send.
• Do not ask an AI column for emails or phone numbers. Use a data provider for contact info and AI for reading and writing.

FAQ

What is Claygent?

Claygent is Clay's AI research agent. It can visit a website or search the web for each row and answer the question in your prompt.

Why are my Clay AI answers so long?

Your prompt did not set a limit. Add a rule like "one sentence under 20 words" or "answer Yes or No only," and give an exact fallback answer.

Can I use the same prompts in ChatGPT?

Yes. Paste a few rows from a spreadsheet and the prompt, and ChatGPT or Claude will answer for each row. Clay is faster when you have hundreds of rows.

How do I know if a prompt is good?

Run it on 10 rows you already know the answer to. If it gets 9 or 10 right, run it on the rest. If not, make the question smaller.

Rather have it done for you? We build the system that handles your outreach, one time, and you own it. See how it works.

First posted October 28, 2026. Last updated October 28, 2026. Free to copy and use, CC BY 4.0.