10 Essential AI Prompts Every Small Business Owner Should Know
- Alexa Hernandez
- Sep 23
- 5 min read
AI isn’t just for techies or big companies. With tools like ChatGPT, small business owners can save hours every week—if they know what to ask.
AI isn’t just for techies or big companies; with the right prompts, time‑strapped small business owners can save hours every week. The 10 AI prompts below are easy, practical, and ready to use today. Copy, paste, tweak, and watch your emails, marketing, HR, and even IT planning move faster—without losing your human touch.
Quick reality check: AI is a power tool, not a magic wand. You’re in charge of approvals, accuracy, and anything compliance‑related. (Think of it like hiring an eager intern who never sleeps—great, but please proofread.)
“Write a professional response to this customer complaint…”
Use case: Handling tricky messages with empathy and clarity.
Why it matters: A thoughtful response can turn a frustrated customer into a loyal fan.
Copy & paste prompt:
“You are my customer support assistant. Draft a calm, empathetic reply to this complaint. Keep it under 180 words, acknowledge the issue, take responsibility where appropriate, and offer 2 resolution options. Ask one clarifying question at the end. Complaint text: <insert customer message> Company context: <insert company tone, refund policy, any constraints>.”
Pro tip: Add “Suggest a short, sincere subject line.”
Skeptic’s note: Don’t let AI promise refunds or timelines you can’t honor—edit before sending.
“Summarize this email thread in 3 bullet points.”
Use case: Cut through long threads and focus on next steps.
Why it matters: Inbox archaeology is not a revenue stream.
Copy & paste prompt:
“Summarize this email thread in 3 bullet points: key decisions, blockers, and next steps with owners and dates <insert emails>.”
Pro tip: Add “Flag anything that needs my approval by end of day.”
Skeptic’s note: Redact sensitive info if the tool isn’t enterprise‑approved.
“Create a simple onboarding checklist for a new [role].”
Use case: HR, IT, or admin onboarding.
Why it matters: A repeatable checklist saves hours and avoids ‘oops, we forgot their email.’
Copy & paste prompt:
“Create a 30‑60‑90 day onboarding checklist for a new <insert role here> in a 20‑person small business using Microsoft 365. Include: accounts to provision, device setup, security steps (MFA, backups), key meetings, and success metrics.”
Pro tip: Ask for a version formatted as a table you can drop into your SOPs.
Skeptic’s note: Verify every security step with your IT policy; AI doesn’t know your environment—yet.
“Write 3 LinkedIn posts about [service or product].”
Use case: Social media and brand visibility.
Why it matters: Consistency builds trust—and pipelines.
Copy & paste prompt:
“Write 3 LinkedIn posts for a small business that offers serviceservice. Keep each under 120 words, conversational but professional. Include one practical tip, one mini‑story, and one gentle CTA to learn more.”
Pro tip: Follow with “Now adapt these for Instagram captions under 150 words and add 5 relevant hashtags.”
Skeptic’s note: Don’t outsource your voice—tweak tone to sound like your team.
“Draft a follow-up email to a lead who hasn’t responded in a week.”
Use case: Lead nurturing made easy.
Why it matters: The fortune is in the polite follow‑up.
Copy & paste prompt:
“Draft a short follow‑up email to a warm lead we spoke with last week. Recap their problem in one line, restate how we solve it, offer 2 time slots for a 15‑minute call, and include a no‑pressure ‘Is this still a priority?’ question.”
Pro tip: Add “Write 3 subject lines: friendly, direct, curious.”
Skeptic’s note: Keep it human. If it reads like a robot, trim it.
“Explain [topic] in simple terms for a client.”
Use case: Translate IT speak into human language.
Why it matters: Clear explanations speed up approvals and reduce ticket ping‑pong.
Copy & paste prompt:
“Explain <insert topics here> to a non‑technical client in 120 words or less. Use a real‑world analogy, define the term, and give one concrete benefit and one risk of not doing it.”
Pro tip: Ask for a Spanish version or a one‑slide summary for a quick Loom video.
Skeptic’s note: Double‑check technical accuracy; don’t let AI wing it.
“Create a weekly meeting agenda for our [team name] team.”
Use case: Keep meetings focused and productive.
Why it matters: Agenda = fewer tangents, fewer ‘this could’ve been an email’ moments.
Copy & paste prompt:
“Create a 30‑minute weekly agenda for our <insert team here> with time boxes, owner for each section, and a clear outcome: decisions, blockers, and next steps. Include a 3‑minute ‘wins’ round.”
Pro tip: Add “Provide a 2‑sentence meeting follow‑up template with action items and owners.”
Skeptic’s note: Delete anything that doesn’t move work forward.
“Give me 5 blog title ideas based on [topic].”
Use case: Content planning without the brainstorming fatigue.
Why it matters: Fresh angles keep your blog from sounding like everyone else’s.
Copy & paste prompt:
“Give me 5 SEO‑friendly blog title ideas on <insert topic here> aimed at small business owners. Vary the formats (how‑to, list, myth‑busting, comparison). Keep titles under 60 characters.”
Pro tip: Follow with “Draft a 6‑point outline for the strongest title.”
Skeptic’s note: Run titles through your brand filter—clarity beats cleverness.
“Generate a basic privacy policy for a small business website.”
Use case: Legal basics (review with a pro).
Why it matters: Policies set expectations and can reduce risk.
Copy & paste prompt:
“Draft a basic privacy policy for a small U.S. business website that uses contact forms and Google Analytics. Include what data we collect, why, how it’s stored, opt‑out options, and a plain‑English summary.”
Pro tip: Ask for a ‘ TL;DR for humans’ section at the top.
Skeptic’s note: Always have a qualified professional review legal text for your jurisdiction. No exceptions.
“List ways to improve productivity in a [industry]-based office.”
Use case: Custom tips to streamline operations.
Why it matters: Your processes aren’t generic—your productivity tips shouldn’t be either.
Copy & paste prompt:
“List 10 practical ways to improve productivity in a <insert industry here> office with 10–50 employees. Prioritize low‑cost, high‑impact ideas. Include a quick wins section for the first week.”
Pro tip: Add “Suggest a one‑page SOP template to standardize the best ideas.”
Skeptic’s note: If it sounds too good to be true (e.g., ‘eliminate meetings forever!’), it probably is.
Final Thoughts – AI Isn’t Magic, But It’s Close
A few good prompts can save hours and headaches—especially for AI prompts for small business owners who wear multiple hats. Pick two or three prompts that solve real pain this week, then build from there.
Ready to try AI without the chaos?
Thinking about using AI tools like ChatGPT in your business? Make sure your tech is secure, your team is supported, and your systems are ready to handle it. At Cloudigan, we manage your devices, monitor for issues, and keep your Microsoft 365 environment running like clockwork—so you can safely explore smarter ways to work.
Explore our flat, per‑device IT Management packages (Essentials, Complete, Secure+).
Or, start simple: Join our newsletter for practical tips and real examples you can steal for your next email, post, or policy.
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