A marketing manager’s day, with Copilot.
A day getting branded swag and clothing made for the company, from deciding what to order to the post when it arrives. Every prompt says what you need, in what form, and what Copilot must not guess.
Eight moments. Nine prompts.
Copy a prompt, press Open Copilot to start Microsoft 365 in a new tab, open your file or email and paste it in. Words in [brackets] are yours to fill in.
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Copilot Chat8:00
Decide what to order
Branded items people actually use carry your name further than ones that end up in a drawer. Start with who it’s for and what it needs to do.
Merchandise shortlistAct as a brand marketing manager. I need branded merchandise for [occasion - e.g. our year-end client event and new staff welcome packs], for about [number] people, with a total budget of [amount in rand]. Suggest eight items across clothing and everyday swag. For each one: who it’s for, why they’d use it, a sensible quantity, and how the logo would go on (print, embroidery or engraving). Don’t quote prices: mark each item “quote needed”. Before finishing, check the list suits both audiences and that no two items do the same job.
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Copilot Chat9:00
Keep it on brand
Check the brand rules before anything is mocked up, then ask for a picture of each item so everyone can see what they’re approving.
Brand rules for merchandiseUsing /[brand guidelines], list every rule that applies to putting our logo on clothing and merchandise: which logo version to use on dark and on light fabric, minimum size, clear space, approved colours and anything we must never do. Say where in the guidelines each rule comes from. If the guidelines don’t cover something, say so instead of guessing.
Mock-up imageCreate an image of a [navy quarter-zip fleece] with a small [white] logo embroidered on the left chest, shown as a flat-lay product photo on a plain light-grey background. The logo is [describe your logo - e.g. a simple circle with the letters SS]. Show the whole item from the front, with no model and no other text.
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Copilot in Outlook10:30
Ask suppliers to quote
One clear request, sent to every supplier, gets you quotes you can compare like for like.
Request for quotesDraft an email to a branded merchandise supplier asking for a quote. Items and quantities: [list]. Branding: [print or embroidery, logo colours, position]. Delivery to [address] by [date]. Ask them to quote per item: unit price, any set-up or artwork cost, minimum order, delivery cost and lead time, and to send a digital proof before production. Ask for the quote by [date]. Keep it under 180 words, clear and polite.
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Copilot in Excel13:00
Compare the quotes
The cheapest unit price isn’t always the cheapest order once set-up fees, minimums and delivery are added. Let Copilot do the sums.
Quote comparisonAct as a procurement analyst. This sheet lists each supplier’s quote by item: unit price, set-up cost, minimum order, delivery cost, lead time and delivery date. Add a column for the total cost of each item at our quantity of [quantity], then a total per supplier. Flag any quote that misses our deadline of [date] or puts us over the budget of [amount in rand]. Recommend the best supplier for each item in three lines. Before finishing, check every total on at least three rows.
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Copilot in Outlook14:00
Get the order signed off
Whoever holds the budget wants the recommendation, the cost and the deadline, not the whole spreadsheet.
Approval requestDraft an email to [name], [their role], asking for approval to order the branded merchandise for [occasion]. Open with the decision and the total cost: [amount in rand] against a budget of [amount in rand]. Then list the items and the supplier for each, in one line each, and say why. End with the date I need approval by, [date], so the order arrives in time. Keep it under 150 words. I’ve attached the comparison sheet and the mock-ups.
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Copilot in Teams15:00
Collect everyone’s sizes
Clothing is ordered by size, and the order can’t go in until every size is in. Ask once, clearly, with a deadline.
Sizes messageWrite a short, friendly Teams message to [the whole team] saying branded [clothing items] are being ordered for everyone. Ask each person to fill in their size for each item at [link to form or sheet] by [day and date], and mention the size chart is at [link]. Keep it under 80 words with one clear call to action.
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Copilot in Excel16:00
Work out the size run
Turn the replies into the exact quantities per size, with a few spares, and see who still hasn’t answered.
Quantities per sizeThis sheet has each person’s name and their size for each item. Build a table of how many of each size we need per item, add [10%] spares rounded up, and show the total per item. List everyone who hasn’t given a size. Before finishing, check the totals match the number of people in the sheet before spares are added.
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Copilot Chat16:45
Announce it when it arrives
Merchandise works hardest when people see it. Tell the team it’s here, and show it off on LinkedIn.
Team note and LinkedIn postWrite two short pieces about our new branded [items] for [company name]. First, a Teams message telling staff the items have arrived and how to collect them: [collection details]. Second, a LinkedIn post of under 80 words to go with a team photo, about [what the merchandise is for - e.g. welcoming new staff or thanking our clients]. Warm and plain, no hashtags beyond [two]. Only use the details I’ve given.
Creating images, and Copilot in Outlook, Excel and Teams, depend on your Microsoft 365 Copilot licence and the features your IT team has switched on. Copilot’s mock-ups are for agreeing what to order, not artwork: send your supplier the real logo files and approve their proof before anything is produced. Copilot in Excel works on files saved to OneDrive or SharePoint.
- Items people useA shortlist built around who it’s for and what they’ll actually wear or use, checked against your brand rules.
- Quotes you can compareOne request to every supplier, and a sheet that shows the real cost of each order and who meets the deadline.
- The right sizes, first timeA clear ask for sizes, and quantities per size with spares, before the order goes in.
Three habits that make every prompt better.
- Point Copilot at your filesType / to pick your brand guidelines, a quote or the size sheet, so the answer comes from your documents and not from general advice.
- Never let it guess pricesAsk for “quote needed” instead of numbers. Prices, lead times and minimum orders come from suppliers, not from Copilot.
- Approve the proof, not the mock-upThe image gets everyone agreeing on the idea. The supplier’s proof, made from your real logo files, is what you sign off.
Prompts for other roles.
- Day in the lifeBusiness LeaderFrom the morning briefing to tomorrow’s prep.Get the prompts →
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- Day in the lifeFinancial AnalystFrom sorting cost data to what-if scenarios.Get the prompts →
- Day in the lifeFinance ManagerFrom cash runway to the board scorecard.Get the prompts →
- Day in the lifeAccount ManagerFrom prepping the pitch to the follow-up.Get the prompts →
- Day in the lifeIssues Management ManagerFrom a media enquiry to the approved statement.Get the prompts →
- Day in the lifeFashion DesignerFrom the first concept to the approved design.Get the prompts →
One day is the start, not the finish.
Get your first win with the Quick Win Checklist, then turn it into a habit across your team with The Copilot Playbook.
Want prompts like these for your own team?
We’ll look at how your people actually spend their day and build the prompts and habits that fit it.
