15 ChatGPT Prompts That Actually Work for Small Business (2026)

Published Feb 8, 2026 · 8 min read

Most ChatGPT prompt lists give you vague templates that produce vague output. Here are 15 prompts I actually use to run a small business — each one produces copy you can use immediately, not "high-level suggestions."

The difference between a bad prompt and a good prompt isn't magic. It's constraints. Tell the AI exactly what format you want, what to avoid, and who the audience is. That's it.

Every prompt below follows this pattern. Copy, paste, fill in the brackets, and use the output.

Marketing & Sales

1. Cold Email That Gets Replies

Most AI-written cold emails sound like spam. This prompt forces specificity:

I sell [PRODUCT/SERVICE] to [TARGET AUDIENCE]. Write a cold email to a [PROSPECT ROLE] at a [COMPANY TYPE]. Rules: - Subject line under 6 words - First sentence references a specific pain point, not a compliment - Body is under 80 words - No buzzwords (innovative, cutting-edge, synergy, leverage) - End with a low-friction CTA (not "book a call" — something easier) - Tone: direct, peer-to-peer, not salesy Write 3 versions with different angles.

2. Social Media Post Batch

Instead of writing one post at a time, batch a week's worth:

Create 7 social media posts for [PLATFORM] for my [BUSINESS TYPE]. Topic this week: [THEME/TOPIC] Target audience: [WHO] Brand voice: [casual/professional/witty/educational] For each post: - Hook (first line that stops the scroll) - Body (2-4 sentences max) - CTA - 3-5 relevant hashtags Mix formats: 2 tips, 1 story, 1 question, 1 behind-the-scenes, 1 myth-bust, 1 offer.

3. Landing Page Copy

Write landing page copy for [PRODUCT/SERVICE]. Target customer: [WHO] who struggles with [PROBLEM]. Main benefit: [OUTCOME THEY WANT]. Price: [PRICE] Structure: 1. Headline (under 10 words, benefit-driven) 2. Subheadline (1 sentence, expand on the headline) 3. 3 bullet points (feature → benefit format) 4. Social proof section (write 2 fake-but-realistic testimonial formats I can fill in) 5. CTA button text 6. Objection handler (address the #1 reason someone wouldn't buy) Constraints: No superlatives (best, amazing, incredible). No "unlock your potential." Write like you're explaining it to a friend.

4. Follow-Up Email Sequence

Write a 3-email follow-up sequence for [SITUATION: e.g., "prospect who downloaded my free guide but didn't buy"]. Product: [PRODUCT] Price: [PRICE] Email 1 (Day 2): Value-add, no pitch. Share a useful tip related to [TOPIC]. Email 2 (Day 5): Soft pitch. Share a result/case study. Link to product. Email 3 (Day 8): Direct pitch with urgency. Not fake urgency — give a real reason to act now. Each email: under 150 words, conversational, one clear CTA per email.

Want 220 prompts like these?

I compiled my full collection into an 85-page PDF. Every prompt is structured, tested, and organized by use case.

Get the Full Prompt Vault — $9

Operations & Productivity

5. Meeting Summary → Action Items

Here are my meeting notes: [PASTE RAW NOTES] Create: 1. A 3-sentence summary of what was decided 2. Action items table with columns: Task | Owner | Deadline | Priority 3. Any unresolved questions that need follow-up 4. One paragraph I can send to attendees as a recap email Keep the recap email under 100 words and professional but not stiff.

6. SOP Writer

Write a standard operating procedure (SOP) for: [PROCESS, e.g., "onboarding a new freelance client"] Format: - Purpose (1 sentence) - When to use (triggers) - Step-by-step instructions (numbered, each step is one clear action) - Common mistakes to avoid - Checklist version (condensed, checkboxable) Write it so a new hire with zero context could follow it perfectly on day one.

7. Weekly Planning Prompt

Help me plan my week. Here's my context: Business goals this month: [GOALS] What I accomplished last week: [LAST WEEK] What's currently stuck/blocked: [BLOCKERS] Available hours this week: [HOURS] Create a prioritized plan: 1. Top 3 priorities (must-do, revenue-impacting) 2. 3 secondary tasks (important but not urgent) 3. What to delegate or defer 4. One thing to eliminate or stop doing Be direct. If something on my list is a waste of time, say so.

Customer Service

8. Complaint Response Template

A customer sent this complaint: "[PASTE COMPLAINT]" Write a response that: - Acknowledges the specific issue (not generic "we're sorry") - Takes ownership without over-apologizing - Offers a concrete solution or next step - Ends with a way to continue the conversation Tone: empathetic but efficient. Under 100 words. Don't use "I understand your frustration" — find a better way to show empathy.

9. FAQ Generator

I sell [PRODUCT/SERVICE] to [AUDIENCE]. Common objections and questions I hear: - [OBJECTION 1] - [OBJECTION 2] - [OBJECTION 3] Generate 10 FAQ entries for my website. For each: - Question (phrased how a customer would actually ask it) - Answer (2-3 sentences, direct, builds confidence) Also suggest 5 questions I probably haven't thought of but should answer.

Content & SEO

10. Blog Post Outline

Create a blog post outline for: "[TOPIC]" Target keyword: [KEYWORD] Target audience: [WHO] Goal: [TRAFFIC/LEADS/AUTHORITY] Structure: - Title (include keyword naturally, under 60 chars) - Meta description (under 155 chars) - H2 sections (5-7 sections) - For each section: 2-3 bullet points of what to cover - Internal link opportunities (suggest where I could link to [MY OTHER CONTENT]) - CTA at the end Angle: [UNIQUE ANGLE, e.g., "contrarian take" or "beginner-friendly" or "data-driven"]

11. Email Newsletter

Write a newsletter email about [TOPIC] for my [BUSINESS TYPE] audience. Subscribers are: [DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIBERS] Goal of this email: [GOAL: engagement/click/sale] Format: - Subject line (3 options, under 40 chars each) - Preview text (1 sentence) - Opening hook (personal, relatable — not "Happy Tuesday!") - Main content (1 key insight or story, under 200 words) - CTA (one clear action) Write like a smart friend sharing something useful, not a brand broadcasting.

Finance & Strategy

12. Pricing Analysis

I'm pricing [PRODUCT/SERVICE]. Current price: [PRICE] Competitors charge: [COMPETITOR PRICES] My cost to deliver: [COST] Target customer: [WHO] Analyze: 1. Am I underpriced, overpriced, or about right? Why? 2. What pricing model would work best? (one-time, subscription, tiered, freemium) 3. Give me 3 pricing experiments I could run this month 4. What's the psychological pricing sweet spot for this market? Be specific. I don't want "it depends" — give me your best recommendation with reasoning.

13. Competitive Analysis

My business: [YOUR BUSINESS] Top 3 competitors: [COMPETITOR 1], [COMPETITOR 2], [COMPETITOR 3] For each competitor, analyze: - What they do better than me - What I do better than them - Their likely target customer vs. mine - Gaps in their offering I could exploit Then give me: - 3 differentiation strategies - 1 "steal their customers" tactic - 1 thing I should stop competing on (and why)

14. Cash Flow Scenario Planning

My monthly numbers: - Revenue: [AMOUNT] - Fixed costs: [AMOUNT] - Variable costs: [AMOUNT] - Current runway: [MONTHS] Model 3 scenarios: 1. Pessimistic (revenue drops 30%) 2. Realistic (stays flat) 3. Optimistic (grows 20%) For each: monthly cash position for 6 months, when I'd run out of money, and the #1 lever to pull. Present as a simple table. Then give me the 3 most impactful cost cuts I should consider (rank by impact, not just size).

15. Product Launch Checklist

I'm launching [PRODUCT/SERVICE] in [TIMEFRAME]. Audience: [TARGET] Price: [PRICE] Platform: [WHERE YOU'RE SELLING] Create a launch checklist with: - Pre-launch (1-2 weeks before): tasks to build anticipation - Launch day: exact sequence of actions - Post-launch (first week): follow-up tasks For each task: what to do, why it matters, and how long it should take. Also: what's the #1 mistake people make launching this type of product?

Pro tip: The best prompts tell the AI what NOT to do. "No buzzwords," "under 100 words," "don't use passive voice" — constraints produce better output than instructions alone.

These 15 prompts are just the start

The full collection has 220 prompts across marketing, operations, content, finance, hiring, and more. Each one follows the same constraint-driven structure that produces usable output.

Get 220 Business Prompts — $9

85-page PDF. Works with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and most AI tools. 7-day refund policy.