Use these Kindergarten AI Hacks to Understand Almost Anything

You know what I hate?

I hate it when I’m the only one in the room that doesn’t understand.

Even though I read the material, even though I studied, even though I was actively listening, I still didn’t understand.

Ever felt that way?

Maybe we just learn differently or something.

You’re not dumb, you’re not stupid, you just learn differently.

Then to top it off, there’s that gut-wrenching fear of inching your hand up in the air and timidly saying “I don’t understand.”

That’s just terrifying.

No one wants to do that, and we’d all prefer someone else act as the sacrificial lamb.

But recently, something’s changed (at least for me).

I’m no longer afraid.

In fact, I don’t mind saying “I don’t understand” a million times until I finally get it!

What is this sorcery I’m speaking of?

Well duh, you’re taking a course on prompting: so it’s AI of course!

The AI is genius trained on the world’s information and doesn’t judge.

You can ask it to explain something once. Twice. A hundred times. It’ll never roll its eyes or sigh impatiently.

AI won’t make you feel stupid.

Think of it as the infinitely patient teacher you wish you’d had in school. One who’s ready to break down any concept until it finally clicks.

You’ve probably heard of the “ELI5” technique. That’s where you tell AI to explain like you’re five years old.

It works. But that’s just the beginning.

There are actually several powerful commands that force AI to strip away the complexity. To reveal the simple truth hiding beneath all that expert-speak.

In this lesson, I’ll show you ten ways that I speed up my learning using AI (and without the judgment).

ELI5. The 5W1H method. The Analogy approach. And seven more.

These turn AI into your patient teacher. They help you understand (and explain) just about anything with clarity and confidence.

Here are some of the simplification prompts I use when I’m struggling to learn something:

1. Explain it Like I’m Five

The “ELI5” Command (Explain It Like I’m 5) is great for radical simplicity. Use the direct phrase: “Explain [complex topic] like I’m 5.”

Explain the concept of “Marketing Qualified Lead” like I’m 5.

Imagine you have a lemonade stand! 🍋

A Marketing Qualified Lead is like when a kid walks by your stand and does something that shows they really might want to buy lemonade:

– They stop and look at your sign
– They ask “How much does it cost?”
– They say “Mmm, that looks yummy!”
– Maybe they even take one of your flyers

They’re not buying lemonade YET, but they’re showing you they’re interested! They’re more likely to buy than kids who just walk past without looking.

So your job is to be extra nice to them and tell them all about how delicious your lemonade is. Then they might become a customer!

In grown-up businesses, it’s the same thing – it’s someone who showed they’re interested in what you’re selling (by visiting your website, downloading something, or asking questions), so the sales team knows these are good people to talk to!

2. The “5W1H” Command

The “5W1H” Command (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How) is for a structured, factual breakdown. Use the prompt: “Explain [complex topic] using the 5W1H method.”

Explain “Marketing Qualified Lead” using the 5W1H method.

Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) – Explained with 5W1H

What is it? A Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) is a prospective customer who has shown interest in a company’s products or services through their engagement with marketing efforts and meets certain criteria that suggest they’re more likely to become a customer than other leads. They’ve been vetted by the marketing team as worthy of being passed to sales for further nurturing.

Who defines and uses it?
– Marketing teams identify and score MQLs based on predefined criteria
– Sales teams receive MQLs for further qualification and conversion
– Business executives use MQL metrics to measure marketing effectiveness
– Marketing automation platforms help track and categorize MQLs

When does a lead become an MQL? A lead becomes an MQL when they cross a threshold of engagement or fit criteria, such as:
– After downloading multiple pieces of content (whitepapers, ebooks)
– When they reach a certain lead score based on demographic and behavioral data
– After attending a webinar or requesting a demo
– When they visit key pages multiple times (pricing, product features)

Where is this concept applied? MQLs are used across B2B and B2C companies, particularly in:
– Software/SaaS companies with longer sales cycles
– Organizations with distinct marketing and sales teams
– Companies using marketing automation and CRM systems
– Businesses that track the customer journey from awareness to purchase

Why is it important?
– Improves efficiency by helping sales focus on leads most likely to convert
– Aligns marketing and sales around shared definitions of quality leads
– Measures marketing ROI by tracking how many MQLs convert to customers
– Optimizes resources by preventing sales from wasting time on unqualified prospects

How is an MQL identified? Through a combination of:
– Lead scoring models that assign points for demographics (job title, company size) and behaviors (email opens, content downloads)
– Engagement tracking across website visits, email interactions, and social media
– Explicit actions like filling out forms, requesting information, or engaging with sales content
– Marketing automation tools that automatically flag leads meeting MQL criteria

3. The “Analogy” Command

This is often the most powerful for marketers since it creates a memorable way to understand the concept. Use the prompt: “Explain [complex topic] using a simple analogy.”

Explain the concept of “Marketing Qualified Lead” using a simple analogy.

Think of it like fishing:

Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) is like a fish that has not only noticed your bait but has actually taken a bite and is showing real interest.

Here’s how it breaks down:

– All the fish in the lake = your total audience
– Fish swimming near your bait = people aware of your brand
– Fish nibbling and circling = people engaging with your marketing (downloading guides, attending webinars, visiting pricing pages multiple times)
– Fish that’s actually hooked = your MQL – someone who’s shown enough interest through their actions that they’re probably ready to talk to a salesperson

The key difference? An MQL has done something meaningful – like requesting a demo, downloading multiple resources, or repeatedly engaging with your content – that suggests they’re seriously considering a purchase, not just casually browsing.

So when marketing “hands off” an MQL to sales, they’re essentially saying: “This fish has taken the bait – now reel them in!”

4. The “Without Jargon” Command

This is a good technique to use when you need clarity, but the ELI5 might be too simple. It’s a good middle ground. Use the prompt: “Explain [topic] without using any technical jargon or complex terms.”

Explain the concept of “Marketing Qualified Lead” without using any technical jargon or complex terms.

A Marketing Qualified Lead is someone who has shown enough interest in what your company offers that they’re worth passing along to your sales team for a conversation.

Think of it like this: Imagine you’re selling homemade cookies at a farmer’s market. Lots of people walk by your table (those are just visitors). Some people stop to smell the cookies or ask “what flavors do you have?” (those are showing interest). But then there’s someone who asks about prices, wants to try a sample, and asks if you do custom orders for parties—that person is seriously considering buying from you. That’s your Marketing Qualified Lead.

In business terms, this might be someone who:
– Downloaded a guide from your website
– Signed up for a free trial
– Attended your online presentation
– Requested pricing information

These actions show they’re not just browsing—they’re actively looking for a solution you might provide. They’ve raised their hand high enough that it makes sense for someone from your sales team to reach out and have a real conversation about whether your product or service is right for them.

It’s basically the difference between someone casually window shopping and someone who walks into the store, tries things on, and asks the staff questions. The second person is much more likely to actually buy something.

5. The “TL;DR” Command

The “too long; didn’t read” (or TL;DR for short) command is great for quick summaries when you need the absolute essence of something. The prompt is: “Give me the TL;DR of what [topic] is and how it works.”

Give me the TL;DR of what “Marketing Qualified Lead” is and how it works.

TL;DR: A Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) is a potential customer who has shown enough interest in your company’s marketing content to be worth passing to the sales team, but isn’t ready to buy yet.

How it works:
– Marketing attracts leads through content, ads, events, etc.
– Leads engage with your content (downloading guides, attending webinars, visiting pricing pages multiple times)
– You score these interactions – when they hit a threshold (like 50 points), they become an MQL
– MQL gets handed off to sales for follow-up
– Sales qualifies them further to see if they’re actually ready to buy (becoming a Sales Qualified Lead or SQL)

Think of it as marketing saying “Hey sales, this person is interested enough that you should talk to them” – it’s the handoff point between marketing nurturing and sales conversations.

6. The “What Problem Does This Solve?” Command

Sometimes to truly understand something, it’s good to understand why it even exists in the first place. What’s the point of it? That’s how the “what problem does this solve?” command works. Use the prompt: “Explain [topic] by describing what problem it solves.”

Explain “Marketing Qualified Lead” by describing what problem it solves.

A Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) solves the problem of wasting sales resources on unready prospects.

Here’s the core issue it addresses:

Without MQLs, companies face a painful dilemma: Marketing generates lots of leads (people who downloaded something, signed up for a newsletter, etc.), but most aren’t ready to buy. If sales teams chase every single lead, they burn time on people just browsing or researching. If they ignore leads entirely, real opportunities slip through the cracks.

The MQL concept solves this by creating a middle checkpoint. It says: “This person has shown enough interest and fits our customer profile well enough that they’re worth a sales conversation—but they haven’t explicitly raised their hand to buy yet.”

MQLs typically show engagement signals like:
– Visiting pricing pages multiple times
– Downloading multiple resources
– Attending a webinar
– Matching your ideal customer criteria (right company size, industry, role)

This creates a handoff point between marketing and sales, so sales reps can focus their energy on people who are warming up rather than stone-cold contacts. It prevents the “throw leads over the wall” problem where marketing claims they delivered leads but sales says they were all junk.

Essentially, MQLs are marketing’s way of saying: “We’ve pre-qualified these people for you—they’re showing real interest and fit our target. Now it’s your turn to engage them.”

7. The “Show, Don’t Tell” Command

I’m a hands on visual type of learner, so the “show, don’t tell” prompting is great for me because it makes abstract concepts tangible. Use the prompt: “Explain [topic] using a concrete example.”

Explain “Marketing Qualified Lead” using a concrete example.

An MQL is a potential customer who has shown enough interest in your company’s marketing efforts that they’re likely worth passing to the sales team, but they’re not quite ready to buy yet.

Concrete Example

Let’s say you run a company that sells project management software.

Sarah is a marketing manager at a mid-sized tech company. Here’s her journey:

1. First touch: She finds your blog post about “10 Ways to Improve Team Collaboration” through Google
2. Engagement: She reads 3 more articles on your blog over the next week
3. Conversion action: She downloads your free “Guide to Remote Team Management” by filling out a form with her work email, company name, and job title
4. Continued interest: She opens your follow-up emails, clicks on your product demo video, and spends 5 minutes on your pricing page

At this point, Sarah becomes an MQL because:
– She’s from your target industry (tech company)
– Her job title indicates buying potential (marketing manager)
– She’s engaged multiple times with quality content
– She’s shown interest in your actual product (watched demo, viewed pricing)

However, she’s not yet a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL) because she hasn’t requested a demo, asked to speak with sales, or indicated she’s actively looking to purchase.

The marketing team would now pass Sarah to sales for gentle outreach—maybe a personalized email offering to answer questions or schedule a consultation when she’s ready. Sales knows she’s warm, not cold, but she still needs nurturing before she’s ready to buy.

8. The “Compare and Contrast” Command

The “compare and contrast” command is a great technique to use when you understand one concept but not another. It’s kind of like the analogy command, but also a little different. Use the prompt: “Explain [topic] by comparing it to [familiar concept].”

Explain “Marketing Qualified Lead” by comparing it to the stages of dating.

Marketing Qualified Lead is someone who’s shown enough interest in your company that they’re worth pursuing more seriously—like someone you’ve been flirting with who’s now clearly interested in going on an actual date.

Here’s how the lead stages map to dating:

Stranger (Cold Lead) You’ve never met. They don’t know you exist. This is everyone at the bar before you make eye contact.

Acquaintance (Lead) You’ve made contact—maybe you smiled, said hello, or they visited your website and poked around. There’s awareness, but no real interest yet. Like exchanging names at a party.

Flirting (Marketing Qualified Lead – MQL) Now we’re talking! They’ve downloaded your ebook, signed up for your webinar, or keep engaging with your content. They’re laughing at your jokes, asking questions, giving you their phone number. They meet certain criteria that suggest genuine interest—maybe they work at the right type of company, have the right job title, and have interacted with you multiple times. The marketing team says “this person is INTO you—sales should ask them out.”

First Date (Sales Qualified Lead – SQL) Sales has vetted them and confirmed they’re actually looking for a relationship (have budget, authority, need, and timeline). They’re not just window shopping—they want to seriously evaluate you as a partner.

Going Steady (Opportunity) You’re negotiating terms, meeting their parents (stakeholders), discussing the future. A deal is actively being worked.

Engaged/Married (Customer) They signed the contract. You’re committed.

The key insight: an MQL is when marketing hands off to sales saying “they’re ready for you to make your move”—but sales still needs to qualify whether it’s truly a good match.

9. The “First Principles” Command

Use the “first principles” command when you need a deep understanding and also for spotting where complexity is unnecessary. Use the prompt: “What are the basic building blocks of [topic] to better understand it?”

What are the basic building blocks of a “Marketing Qualified Lead” to better understand it?

A Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) is built on several foundational elements:

Core Building Blocks

1. Engagement Threshold
– The lead has interacted with your marketing content enough times to signal genuine interest
– Examples: downloaded resources, attended webinars, visited pricing pages multiple times, opened multiple emails

2. Demographic Fit
– Matches your ideal customer profile (ICP)
– Right job title, company size, industry, or geographic location
– Has decision-making authority or influence

3. Behavioral Signals
– Actions that indicate buying intent rather than casual browsing
– High-value content consumption (case studies, product comparisons, ROI calculators)
– Time spent on key pages, frequency of visits

4. Lead Scoring
– A point-based system combining demographic and behavioral data
– Reaches a predetermined threshold that qualifies them for sales handoff
– Can be explicit (information they provide) or implicit (their actions)

5. Stage in Buyer’s Journey
– Has moved beyond awareness into consideration phase
– Shows signs of evaluating solutions, not just learning about problems
– Demonstrates BANT criteria potential (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline)

The Key Distinction

An MQL sits between a general lead (anyone who shares contact info) and a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL). They’re “warm” enough that sales engagement makes sense, but they still need nurturing before becoming a serious opportunity. The specific criteria vary widely by company, industry, and sales cycle length.

What aspect of MQLs are you looking to understand better?

10. The “Story” Command

I love the “story” command because, well, I love stories. It’s great for having the AI explain the concept using a memorable story. Use the command: “Explain [topic] as a [type of story] story with characters and a plot.”

Explain “Marketing Qualified Lead” as a funny fantasy story with characters and a plot.

The Quest for the Golden Lead

Once upon a time, in the mystical kingdom of Saleslandia, there lived a scrappy young adventurer named Marcus the Marketer. Marcus worked in the bustling village of Content Castle, where he spent his days casting spells of engagement—email enchantments, social media sorcery, and the occasional webinar wizardry.

One day, Marcus encountered a humble peasant named Larry the Lead. Larry had stumbled into the kingdom after downloading a free map titled “10 Tips for Better Dragon Slaying” from Marcus’s magical scroll library.

“Greetings!” said Marcus excitedly. “Would you like to hear about our Premium Dragon-Slaying Sword Subscription Service?”

Larry scratched his head. “I mean, I just wanted the free map. I don’t even fight dragons. I’m a turnip farmer.”

Marcus’s shoulders slumped. Larry was just a suspect—not yet worthy of the journey ahead.

But Marcus didn’t give up. He invited Larry to attend the Grand Tournament of Value (a webinar), sent him magical newsletters about turnip-based dragon deterrent systems, and even offered him a free consultation with the wise Sage of Solutions.

Slowly, Larry became intrigued. He started opening every scroll Marcus sent. He attended not one, but three tournaments. He even filled out the Sacred Form of Intent, revealing that he had a budget of 500 gold coins and faced a serious dragon problem on his turnip farm.

Suddenly, trumpets blared across the kingdom!

Marcus raised his staff and declared: “By the power vested in me by the High Council of Lead Scoring, I pronounce you… a MARKETING QUALIFIED LEAD!“

Larry glowed with golden light. He had been transformed from a mere wandering peasant into someone actually ready to talk to Salazar the Sales Knight—a warrior who could help him slay his dragons for real.

And thus, Larry was ceremoniously handed off to the Sales Department, where his true adventure would begin.

The Moral? Not every peasant who wanders into your kingdom is ready to buy a sword. But with patience, nurturing, and a little magic, they just might become worthy of the quest.

The End.

The Story command is my favorite out of all the techniques. Sometimes you get winners and it’s super fun to play with.

What’s your favorite?