If you’ve ever sat staring at a blank screen wondering how to start an email, write a blog post, or get your staff handbook sorted – you’re not alone. But now there’s a smarter way to get unstuck. It’s called prompting, and it’s how you get AI tools to do the hard part for you.
What’s a prompt?
A prompt is simply the instruction you give to an AI tool like ChatGPT. The better your prompt, the better the result. Think of it like briefing a new staff member – the clearer you are, the faster they’ll get it right.
How it works for small businesses
Whether you’re running a joinery business in Timaru or a retail shop in Waimate, you can use AI prompts to get support with admin, marketing, customer service, planning, and more. It’s like having a smart assistant ready to jump in and help – any time you need it.
First, prime your AI
The easiest way to get real value from these prompts is to start by “priming” the chat with details about your business. That means providing the AI with a brief overview of who you are, what you do, the type of customers you serve, and the desired outcomes.
Once the AI has that context, the prompts will generate answers that sound more like they were written for your business rather than something generic. A few sentences at the beginning can save you a lot of re-explaining and help you get better results, faster.
Example Priming script
You can start a chat with something like this before using the prompts:
I run a [type of business] in [location]. We serve [describe your customers].
The primary services/products we offer are [list them].
My current goals are [e.g., growing sales, saving time, and improving customer service].
When you respond, please give answers that are practical for a business like mine.
Once you’ve set the scene like this, you can copy and paste any of the prompts from the list, and the responses will be far more relevant to your business.
Here are some prompts to get you started
Marketing & content
- “Write a Facebook post promoting our winter special for [product/service]”
- “Create a draft email to tell our customers about our new opening hours”
- “Give me 5 blog post ideas based on [topic]”
- “Write a product description for [product] in a casual tone”
- “Summarise this blog post into a 60-word social post”
Customer service
- “Draft a polite email response to a customer asking for a refund”
- “Create an FAQ answer for: ‘Do you do urgent jobs in South Canterbury?'”
- “Write a message confirming an appointment time for [service]”
Operations
- “Create a checklist for onboarding a new staff member”
- “Write a job description for a part-time admin assistant”
- “Draft a health and safety policy for a small construction firm”
- “Generate 5 tips for improving team communication”
Sales & quoting
- “Write a follow-up message for someone who hasn’t replied to a quote”
- “List the key features of [product/service] in bullet point format”
- “Create a price comparison table for [product range]”
Strategy & planning
- “Write a simple business plan outline for [type of business]”
- “List 10 low-cost marketing ideas for a business in Timaru”
- “Summarise the pros and cons of hiring vs subcontracting”
- “Create a SWOT analysis template I can use for my business”
Time-saving tools
- “Create a daily to-do list for a business owner who has too much admin”
- “Help me prioritise these tasks: [list of tasks]”
- “Suggest a weekly schedule for a sole trader working 4 days per week”
Tips for writing better prompts
- Be specific – include your business type, your tone of voice, and what you want.
- Include examples – if you’ve written something similar before, share it with the AI.
- Refine your results – if the first draft isn’t quite right, tell it what to change.
Real world results
One of my clients in South Canterbury runs a trade-based business. He used to spend hours a week writing quotes, follow-up emails, and newsletters. With just a few prompts, he now gets a solid first draft in minutes – and his clients are noticing the difference.
Want to build your own prompt library?
If you’d like help setting up prompt templates tailored to your business – ones your team can use easily and consistently – I can help. This is one of the fastest ways to save time without needing to overhaul your whole business.
