Using ChatGPT for your Small Business: Better Prompts, Better Results

Are you using ChatGPT in your small business?  AI (Artificial Intelligence) often gets a bad rap, but like so many other things in society, when used responsibly, it can do some amazing and helpful things.  I would be the last person to suggest that you can just take what it gives you and run with it, but when you work WITH it, and leverage its powerful capabilities, you can create some magic, and find yourself working smarter, not harder. I’m all for letting ChatGPT do the heavy lifting and working harder and smarter for my business!

If you’ve been using ChatGPT in your business, you probably already know it can be a game-changer— helping you generate valuable content, spark fresh ideas, and answer your marketing questions 24/7. You also know it’s only as good as the information you give it, so the real magic lies in learning how to prompt ChatGPT to create content that feels just like your brand, speaks to your ideal customers, and saves you tons of time. Let’s dig deeper into the details around what to share and how to prompt ChatGPT so you can turn it into your digital bestie!

Here are some tips to level up your relationship with ChatGPT for content creation, strategy planning, and more – along with a few examples of effective prompts to help guide your session!

Step 1: Upload the Right Information

In order for ChatGPT to give you results that are specifically tailored to your business, you need to share the right kind of information with it. Giving ChatGPT some background about your brand and target audience will make your content come out way more authentic. Think of it like an actual assistant – if you were asking your VA to write copy for you, they would also need some background information to produce the high quality results you’re after.  Using ChatGPT is the same. 

Here’s a breakdown of the type of information you’ll want to upload for the best results, and don’t worry if you don’t have it all formalized yet—these tips will help you pull together what you need!😉

1. Your Brand Guidelines and Mission Statement

• Why it helps: A little background on what you stand for helps ChatGPT understand the vibe you’re going for. Things like your brand’s voice, core values, and who you serve all help it understand more about who you are.
• What to upload: If you have brand guidelines or a mission statement, upload those. Don’t have formal guidelines? No worries! You can make a quick bullet-point list with the basics, like key values (e.g., “reliability,” “quality service”) and tone of voice (e.g., “friendly but professional”).
• Helpful tip: Think of this as giving ChatGPT a mini-intro to your business. A few key points will go a long way towards keeping content consistent with your brand!

2. Past Marketing Content (Blog Posts, Social Media, Email Campaigns)

• Why it helps: ChatGPT can look at your past work and get a feel for how you talk to your customers. It’s like giving it an example to follow, so the content it creates will be more on-point.
• What to upload: Any blogs, email newsletters, or social posts you loved or that got a lot of engagement. These are great samples of your brand voice.
• Helpful tip: If there are specific parts of posts or emails that really represent you, make a note of them. This way, ChatGPT can zero in on what makes your style unique!

3. Customer Personas or Ideal Client Avatars

• Why it helps: Knowing who you’re speaking to can make ChatGPT’s responses feel more personal and targeted. It’s like helping ChatGPT understand who’s on the other side of the screen.
• What to upload: If you have customer personas that describe your ideal clients, great! If not, jot down details like age range, values, biggest pain points, and maybe even their sense of humor.
• Helpful tip: Be as specific as you can. If your audience cares about saving time or loves a good laugh, let ChatGPT know so it can tailor the content to their interests.

4. Product or Service Descriptions

• Why it helps: This gives ChatGPT the details on what you’re offering and why people should care. Knowing the benefits and features helps it write persuasive content that highlights the best parts of your business.
• What to upload: Your product descriptions, service details, or a list of features and benefits.
• Helpful tip: If there’s a standout feature or benefit, mention it. ChatGPT will be able to bring it to the forefront of your content, making sure your value shines through.

5. Examples of Competitor Messaging or Industry Language

• Why it helps: It’s helpful for ChatGPT to understand the industry language and also see how you’re different from the competition.
• What to upload: Samples of competitor messaging or industry-standard content you like or dislike.
• Helpful tip: Point out areas where you’d like to stand out. For example, “Competitors talk a lot about discounts; we focus on quality.” This way, ChatGPT can keep your messaging on point.

Step 2: Prompting ChatGPT Like a Pro

ChatGPT is a powerful tool, but it’s only as good as the direction you give it. You’ve heard the phrase, “garbage in, garbage out“, right? When you do the work to upload and share clear business insights, context, and examples AND give it clear, direct instructions, ChatGPT can deliver content that is customized to you and your specific needs. Like any tool, a little setup goes a long way towards getting your desired results.

I believe every small business owner should have a support system that helps them thrive and grow, and ChatGPT can be part of that.

Here are a few tips to help you prompt like a pro:

1. Set the Scene – Be Direct, but Include Details.

• Start each session by describing what you need and why. Instead of “Help with marketing,” say, “I need a blog post to introduce my brand to new clients and show my commitment to providing quality products and a memorable experience.”
• Be clear about your target audience and what you want them to feel or do after reading. The more specific you are, the better. Say something like, “Write an email for parents who value high-quality, confidence-building experiences for their teenagers,” and ChatGPT can fine-tune its language to appeal to their priorities.
• If your brand has its own lingo, ChatGPT can work this in if you let it know. If you have a slogan or key phrases, ChatGPT can weave them into your content.

2. Experiment with Tone and Style

• Try out different tones! Ask for a “friendly, conversational style,” “professional and inspiring,” or even “lighthearted with a touch of humor.” See what sounds the best for your brand.
• Give feedback! ChatGPT responds well to tweaks, so don’t hesitate to ask for “a bit more energy” or “simpler language” if needed. Talk to it like you would a real person.

3. Break Down Your Request

• For complex projects, break down your request. Instead of, “Help me create a marketing plan, ” try, “What’s the first step in creating a marketing plan for my photography business?” or “Can you outline the steps of creating a marketing plan for my photography business?”

4. Clarify and Give Feedback as You Go

• After getting an initial answer, ask follow-up questions. “Can you make this more concise?”, “Can you expand on this part?”, or “Make it sound more conversational.” ChatGPT responds well to tweaks, so continue to refine until it fits just right.
• Ask for more details on each answer, similar to the back and forth conversation you’d have with an assistant. You give them an idea, they respond, you ask more questions or provide clarifying information. This back-and-forth helps ChatGPT nail down the exact tone and focus you’re looking for.
• Give feedback as you go. After it drafts something, let it know what worked or didn’t—like, “This is close, but could you make it more concise?” or “Great, but can you add a call-to-action?”

5. Create a Content Style Template

• If you use ChatGPT regularly, think about making a style template it can follow. Jot down things like preferred tone, key phrases, and structure for different types of content. This can be a quick reference in any session to keep things consistent!

Making ChatGPT Your Brand’s Best Assistant

By sharing the right info, ChatGPT can help you produce content that sounds like you and connects with your people. It’s all about giving it the background to work with and then using prompts that make your needs crystal clear. ChatGPT isn’t a one-size-fits-all tool, but with the right guidance, it can become a reliable, personalized assistant that feels like a natural extension of your business.

If you found these tips helpful, feel free to drop a comment below or let me know what other topics you’d love to see covered. My mission is to help you thrive, so let’s keep growing together.

Full Disclosure:  I use the paid version of ChatGPT, so you may not be able to do everything I talk about here, but you’ll find valuable tips you can use to get better results even if you’re using the free version.

Deb Mitzel is a Small Business Operations Consultant & Coach, as well as a 17hats Implementation Specialist. Deb is passionate about helping her clients get time back so they have the bandwidth to bring their personal and professional dreams to life. She believes that an Integrated Life – one where your life and business are designed to serve you best – is not only possible, but achievable. If you need help with your business and would like to chat with Deb, she offers a Free Discovery Call to learn more. Click below to schedule your call!

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