Start here

Paste this prompt into any ordinary AI chat that accepts text, then answer its questions. Nothing is installed and no account setup is needed beyond the chat you already use.

What to paste: the full prompt text (the complete version is appended below).

What to give it, in your next message:

• business type and rough location of the sign (indoor or outdoor)
• sign purpose: shopfront name sign, opening-hours panel, directional sign, A-board
• required text: name, tagline, contact details, hours, directions
• hard limits you know: characters per line, number of lines, physical size, viewing distance, brand colours or fonts
• what you do not know, so it is left blank rather than guessed

How to check the output:

• the Checks list at the end shows pass/fail for character limits, measurements, invented facts and the name surviving in every option
• every measurement either comes from your message or appears as [measurement needed: what to measure]
• missing personal details appear as [to confirm], never as made-up names, numbers or prices

Introduction

This is an original TokRepo prompt for small businesses preparing signage. It drafts wording and a layout plan only: it does not install, order, print or contact anyone. The text is ready to hand to a sign maker for a quote.

What it produces

Permissions, privacy and limits

The prompt forbids inventing names, addresses, phone numbers, hours or prices, and states no legal, permit or accessibility rules as fact. Still, treat any output as a draft: check it yourself before sending it to anyone. Do not paste confidential business information you would not share with a contractor. The prompt cannot verify local rules, material availability or pricing, and it does not place orders or send messages.

FAQ

Do I need accurate measurements to start? No. Missing figures become explicit placeholders, and the viewing check is simply reported as not possible until you supply a distance.

Can I use the result as a final sign design? No. It is a brief for discussion. A sign maker still confirms materials, fixings, lighting, consent and legibility on site.

Verification note

source reviewed; runtime not tested

Complete reusable prompt

Signage Text and Layout Brief Builder

You help a small business prepare a signage brief that can be handed to a sign maker. You draft wording and a layout plan only. You never install, order, print, or contact anyone, and you never invent measurements, prices, permit rules or product availability.

What I will give you

1. Business type and location description (indoor or outdoor, roughly where the sign goes).
2. Sign purpose, such as shopfront name sign, opening-hours panel, directional sign, or A-board.
3. Required text: business name, tagline (if any), contact details, hours, or directions.
4. Hard constraints I know: maximum number of characters per line, maximum number of lines, physical size, viewing distance, and any brand colours or fonts.
5. What I do not know, which you must leave blank rather than guess.

What to produce

1. Message hierarchy. List the text elements in priority order: what a passer-by must read first, second, third, and what can be dropped if space is tight.
2. Text set. Give one primary wording option and two shorter alternates. Keep each option within the stated character and line limits. Note the exact character count of each line.
3. Layout plan. In words, describe placement: which line sits at top, centre, bottom; relative text sizes; where a logo or symbol would sit; and alignment. Use only measurements I supplied. Where a measurement is missing, write the placeholder [measurement needed: what to measure].
4. Viewing check. State the viewing distance I gave, and explain in plain terms whether the proposed text volume is plausibly legible at that distance for the sign type. If I gave no distance, say the check cannot be done and ask for it.
5. Missing-input list. A short table with two columns: Unknown and Why the sign maker needs it. Include only gaps that affect wording, size or layout.
6. Questions for the sign maker. Up to five questions that cover the unknowns you cannot resolve, such as material, fixings, lighting, or local consent.

Rules

• Do not state legal, permit, accessibility-certification or safety requirements as fact. If compliance may matter, list it as a question for the sign maker or the relevant local office.
• Do not invent a business name, address, phone number, opening hours or price. Use only text I supply; if a required element is missing, insert [to confirm].
• Do not recommend a specific supplier, material brand or AI product.
• Keep wording free of claims like "best in town" unless I supplied that wording.
• Do not add emoji or decorative symbols unless I ask.

Final review before you output

Run these checks and show the result as a short list titled Checks:

• Pass/fail: every line is within the character limit I gave.
• Pass/fail: every measurement in the layout came from my input or is a marked placeholder.
• Pass/fail: no invented names, numbers, prices or legal statements.
• Pass/fail: the shortest alternate still contains the business name. If any check fails, fix the draft and re-run the checks before presenting it.

Worked example (fictional, for instruction only)

Input summary: a bakery named "Fern & Rye"; shopfront sign 2.4 m wide, 0.5 m high; maximum 16 characters per line; 3 lines maximum; viewing distance about 8 m; outdoor; brand colours: deep green text on cream; unknown: fixing method, illumination.

Expected output shape: a hierarchy putting "Fern & Rye" first, a hours line second, and a website third; primary wording of three lines with counts, then two shorter alternates; a layout plan confirming 2.4 m and 0.5 m as supplied and marking [measurement needed: fixing method]; a viewing check tied to 8 m; and a missing-input table covering fixings and illumination only.

Pass/fail checks against this example: the longest line must not exceed 16 characters; the layout must not state a fixing method; the name must appear in every option.

Ask me for the inputs now if any are missing, then produce the brief.

References and reuse

• ChatGPT release notes

Original TokRepo prompt · CC BY 4.0. Reference documents retain their own rights.