Everything you've done this week starts fresh every conversation. Projects fix that. Today you'll set up a Claude Project for recurring work, write custom instructions that make Claude an expert in your domain, and build a knowledge base it can always reference.
A Project is a persistent workspace inside claude.ai. It has three components that all conversations in the project share:
Most people's custom instructions are too vague to matter. "Be helpful and concise" is not an instruction — it's Claude's default. Good custom instructions give Claude specific, non-obvious information about your context.
Here's a full custom instructions template. Adapt it to your work:
# About Me and My Work
I'm [name], a [role] at [company/org].
My work focuses on: [1-2 sentences about what you do]
My primary outputs are: [documents, code, analysis,
communications — what you actually make]
# My Expertise Level
Things I know well (don't over-explain):
- [domain 1]
- [domain 2]
Things I'm still learning (be patient and thorough):
- [domain 3]
- [tool you're learning]
# My Working Style
When I ask for feedback, give me your honest
assessment first, then suggestions. Don't soften
bad news.
When I ask for writing help, I'm the editor — you
help me improve my draft, not replace it.
When I ask a question, answer directly. Don't
preface with "Great question!" or similar.
# My Domain Context
[Key jargon, acronyms, or context specific to your
work that Claude would otherwise get wrong]
Examples:
- In my company, "sprint" means a 2-week cycle
- "The portal" refers to [specific system]
- Our main product is [description]
# Format Preferences
- Use markdown headers to organize long responses
- Bullet points for lists, numbered for steps
- Keep responses under 400 words unless I ask
for something comprehensive
- For code: include comments, prefer readability# About Me
I'm a Customer Success Manager at a B2B SaaS company.
I manage 40 enterprise accounts, each paying $50K-$500K/yr.
My primary outputs: QBR decks, success plans, escalation
write-ups, internal handoff notes, and customer emails.
# Expertise
Know well: customer success methodology, SFDC, Gainsight,
churn analysis, executive-level communication.
Still learning: SQL for data pulls, Python for automation.
# Working Style
I need direct feedback. If a customer email sounds
weak or defensive, tell me before I send it.
For QBR content: prioritize what executives care about
(ROI, risk, roadmap) — not feature lists.
# Context
"Red account" = churn risk within 90 days
"GRR" = Gross Revenue Retention
"NRR" = Net Revenue Retention (includes expansion)
"EBR" = Executive Business Review
"CSP" = Customer Success Plan
# Format
For customer-facing content: professional, warm, concise.
For internal docs: direct, no fluff, action-oriented.
Response length: match the task. A quick answer can
be one sentence.Upload these documents to your Project's knowledge base and Claude will reference them in every conversation without you needing to paste them:
# Company Context — [Your Company Name]
# Last updated: [date]
## What We Do
[2-3 sentence plain-English description]
## Our Customers
Primary buyer: [role/title]
Company size: [range]
Industries: [list]
Key pain points we solve: [list]
## Our Product
Core value prop: [1 sentence]
Main features used by most customers:
- [feature 1]: [what it does, why it matters]
- [feature 2]: [what it does, why it matters]
## Pricing
[General structure — not sensitive details]
## Competitors
[Competitor]: stronger at [X], weaker at [Y]
[Competitor]: stronger at [X], weaker at [Y]
## Internal Terminology
[Term]: [what it means internally]
[Term]: [what it means internally]
## Key Stakeholders
[Name, role, what they care about]
[Name, role, what they care about]Pick one recurring work task that takes you more than 2 hours per week. Set up a Claude Project for it.
Build a Project custom instructions file that you could hand to a new AI model cold — and it would immediately know your role, your domain, your preferences, and how to communicate with you. Now use it for one full week. At the end of the week, note what it got right and what still needs work. That gap is your next 15 minutes of investment.