MAIN Prompting Guide
100 Beginner ChatGPT Prompts for Small Business
Copy, paste, and customize. Ready-to-use prompts for marketing, email, operations, sales, hiring, finance, and more.
These beginner ChatGPT prompts for small business give you 100 ready-to-use starting points for everyday tasks. In short, you can copy a prompt, paste it into ChatGPT, and customize it for your business in seconds, with no advanced AI experience required.
How to get better results
After you paste a prompt, add one sentence about your business type, location, and tone. For example, “My business is a small bakery in a suburban area, and I want a friendly, professional tone.”
Build real AI skills, free. This guide is a free resource from the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN). MAIN’s self-paced AI courses are free and open, and Mississippi educators can earn CEUs.
Browse beginner ChatGPT prompts for small business by category
📋 Business Planning📣 Marketing✉️ Email⚙️ Operations🚀 Sales👥 Hiring, HR & Team Management💰 Financial🌐 Website⭐ Customer Retention🤝 Local Marketing
📋 Business Planning (Prompts 1–10)
First, get your foundation right. In addition, these prompts help you outline a plan, define your audience, and pressure-test an idea before you invest.
1
Business plan
Create a simple one-page business plan for a local coffee shop that explains what we sell, who our customers are, and how we will make money.
2
Mission statement
Help me write a short mission statement for a family-owned landscaping business that focuses on quality and reliability.
3
Growth plan
Create a simple three-month business growth plan for a small home repair company.
4
Sales goals
Help me create a weekly sales goal plan for a small retail shop.
5
Marketing plan
Write a simple marketing plan outline for a small photography business.
6
Time management
Create a daily time management schedule for a small business owner who handles sales, marketing, and operations.
7
Expense reduction
Create a simple plan to reduce monthly expenses for a small business.
8
Retention plan
Create a simple plan to improve customer retention for a small subscription service.
9
P&L summary
Help me create a basic profit and loss summary example for a small service business.
10
Pricing guidance
Help me set prices for handmade candles by listing common costs I should consider.
📣 Marketing (Prompts 11–20)
Next, attract customers. For example, use these prompts to plan campaigns, write ad copy, and brainstorm fresh content ideas quickly.
11
Social media plan
Create a simple weekly social media posting plan for a small bakery that wants to attract more local customers.
12
Facebook post
Write a short Facebook post promoting a limited-time discount at a retail store.
13
Instagram bio
Draft a short Instagram bio for a local handmade jewelry business.
14
Grand opening post
Write a promotional post announcing a grand opening event for a new food truck.
15
Promotional ideas
Create three simple promotional ideas for increasing weekday traffic at a restaurant.
16
Content calendar
Create a simple content idea list for one month of social media posts for a small gym.
17
Press release
Write a short press release announcing the launch of a new local business.
18
Product description
Help me write a short product description for a handmade soap line.
19
Blog post
Write a short blog post explaining the benefits of hiring a local contractor.
20
Value proposition
Help me write a short explanation of why customers should choose my local service over a large chain.
✉️ Email (Prompts 21–30)
In addition, email is where many owners spend their time. Therefore, these prompts draft clear, friendly messages in seconds.
21
Welcome email
Write a professional welcome email that I can send to new customers after they make their first purchase.
22
Complaint response
Write a polite email to a customer responding to a complaint about a delayed order and offering a solution.
23
Re-engagement email
Create a follow-up email to send to customers who have not purchased in the last six months.
24
Payment reminder
Draft a reminder email about an upcoming payment due from a client.
25
Review response
Write a polite response to a negative online review for a local restaurant.
26
Sales follow-up
Help me write a follow-up email after a sales meeting with a potential client.
27
Post-service follow-up
Draft a friendly follow-up message after completing a service job.
28
Testimonial request
Help me write a short email requesting testimonials from satisfied clients.
29
New service announcement
Draft a short email introducing a new service to existing customers.
30
Appointment reminder
Write a friendly reminder text message that I can send to clients about upcoming appointments.
⚙️ Operations (Prompts 31–40)
Meanwhile, smooth operations save hours each week. As a result, these prompts help you document processes, organize tasks, and cut busywork.
31
Opening/closing checklist
Create a simple daily opening and closing checklist for a small restaurant.
32
Return policy
Write a basic return and refund policy for a small online boutique.
33
Cancellation policy
Draft a clear cancellation policy for a small appointment-based business.
34
Code of conduct
Help me write a basic employee code of conduct for a small retail team.
35
Cash tracking checklist
Draft a simple checklist for tracking daily cash register totals.
36
Onboarding checklist
Create a simple onboarding checklist for new employees at a small café.
37
Safety policy
Draft a basic safety policy for a small construction company.
38
Training outline
Create a simple training outline for new restaurant servers.
39
Invoice template
Draft a basic invoice template layout for a small service business.
40
Inventory template
Create a simple inventory tracking template that I can use in a spreadsheet for a small clothing store.
🚀 Sales (Prompts 41–50)
Above all, sales keep the lights on. For example, these beginner ChatGPT prompts for small business help you follow up, handle objections, and close more often.
41
Sales introduction script
Write a short sales script for a home cleaning service introducing our services to potential customers.
42
Discount handling script
Create a basic script for handling a customer who asks for a discount.
43
Pricing Q&A script
Write a short script for answering common pricing questions from customers.
44
Complaint process
Create a simple three-step process for handling customer complaints.
45
Loyalty program
Create a simple customer loyalty program idea for a neighborhood bookstore.
46
Review request script
Write a short script for asking happy customers to leave an online review.
47
Referral program
Create a simple outline for a referral program for a local cleaning company.
48
Elevator pitch
Write a short elevator pitch describing a small IT support business.
49
Competitive pitch
Write a short pitch explaining what makes a local handmade goods shop special compared to online retailers.
50
In-store greeting script
Create a short script for greeting customers when they walk into a retail store.
👥 Hiring, HR & Team Management (Prompts 51–60)
As your team grows, hiring gets harder. However, these prompts make job posts, interview questions, and onboarding much easier.
51
Job description
Help me write a clear job description for a part-time cashier at a neighborhood convenience store.
52
Performance review
Create a simple employee performance review template for a small team.
53
Staff memo
Draft a short internal memo reminding staff about punctuality and professional behavior.
54
New hire announcement
Write a short announcement introducing a new team member to customers.
55
Meeting agenda
Create a simple weekly meeting agenda for a small business team.
56
Employee appreciation
Write a short message thanking employees for their hard work during a busy season.
57
Out-of-office email
Help me write a professional out-of-office email message.
58
Daily task list
Create a simple daily task list for a small business owner running a retail shop.
59
Holiday hours announcement
Write a short announcement about extended business hours for the holiday season.
60
Voicemail greeting
Write a short voicemail greeting for my small business phone line that sounds friendly and professional.
💰 Financial (Prompts 61–70)
Of course, the numbers matter. In particular, these prompts explain budgets, pricing, and cash flow in plain language. Still, verify any figures with a professional.
61
Monthly budget outline
Create a basic monthly budget outline for a small retail store, including common expenses and income categories.
62
P&L summary
Help me create a basic profit and loss summary example for a small service business.
63
Payment reminder email
Draft a reminder email about an upcoming payment due from a client.
64
Weekly invoice checklist
Write a short checklist for preparing invoices at the end of each week.
65
Price increase notice
Draft a polite message informing customers of a small price increase.
66
Pricing factors
Help me set prices for my services by listing simple factors I should consider, like time, supplies, and overhead.
67
Invoice template
Draft a basic invoice template layout for a small service business, including the key fields I should include.
68
Expense reduction plan
Create a simple plan to reduce monthly expenses for a small business without hurting customer service.
69
Pricing conversation script
Write a short script I can use to explain my pricing to a customer in a confident, friendly way.
70
3-tier pricing chart
Create a simple pricing comparison chart format for three service packages (basic, standard, premium).
🌐 Website (Prompts 71–80)
In addition, your website is often the first impression. Therefore, these prompts help you write pages, product copy, and FAQs that convert.
71
Homepage copy
Write website homepage content for a small plumbing company that focuses on trust and fast service.
72
FAQ section
Create a simple FAQ section for a small lawn care business website.
73
Google Business description
Help me write a short description of my services for a Google Business profile.
74
Booking guide
Write a short guide explaining how customers can book services online.
75
Instagram bio
Draft a short Instagram bio for a local handmade jewelry business.
76
LinkedIn post
Write a short LinkedIn post announcing that my consulting business is accepting new clients.
77
Follower welcome message
Help me write a friendly introduction message to send to new social media followers.
78
Order confirmation email
Write a short email confirming receipt of a customer’s order in a friendly, professional tone.
79
About Us copy
Create a simple one-paragraph ‘About Us’ section for my small business website that sounds trustworthy and local.
80
Contact page copy
Write a short guide telling customers how to contact us (phone, email, hours) for a website contact page.
⭐ Customer Retention (Prompts 81–90)
Furthermore, keeping customers costs less than finding new ones. For example, these prompts help you build loyalty, win back lapsed buyers, and gather reviews.
81
Customer survey
Create a basic customer satisfaction survey with five simple questions for a local service company.
82
Negative review response
Write a polite response to a negative online review for my business that acknowledges the issue and offers to make it right.
83
Win-back email
Create a follow-up email to send to customers who have not purchased in the last six months.
84
Review request script
Draft a short script for asking happy customers to leave an online review.
85
Anniversary message
Write a short customer appreciation message for the anniversary of my business.
86
Post-service check-in
Draft a friendly follow-up message after completing a service job and asking if everything looks good.
87
Refund process guide
Write a simple guide explaining my refund process in clear language.
88
Cancellation policy
Draft a clear cancellation policy for a small appointment-based business in plain language customers will understand.
89
Weekend prep checklist
Create a simple checklist for preparing a small retail store for a busy weekend.
90
Testimonial email
Write a short email requesting testimonials from satisfied clients and making it easy for them to reply.
🤝 Local Marketing (Prompts 91–100)
Finally, local visibility drives foot traffic. As a result, these beginner ChatGPT prompts for small business help you reach nearby customers and stand out.
91
Partnership outreach email
Draft an email to a local business asking about partnering for a joint promotion.
92
Event partnership proposal
Draft a partnership proposal to collaborate with a local event organizer.
93
Community event ideas
Give me three simple ideas for sponsoring or participating in local community events as a small business.
94
Community invitation
Draft a short community outreach message inviting local residents to visit our small business.
95
Award voting post
Write a short social media post asking customers to vote for us in a local award.
96
Catering proposal
Help me write a short proposal offering catering services to a local company.
97
Radio ad script
Help me write a short script for a 30-second radio advertisement for a local car repair shop.
98
Flash sale SMS
Write a short text message campaign announcing a flash sale.
99
Closure announcement
Help me write a short email announcing a temporary store closure for renovations.
100
Menu item description
Write a short description of a new menu item for a restaurant that sounds appealing and clear.
How to get better results from ChatGPT
These beginner ChatGPT prompts for small business are starting points. Therefore, a little context goes a long way.
- Be specific. Add your business type, location, and target customer. As a result, the output fits your situation.
- Set the tone. Add “use a friendly, professional tone” or “keep it short and direct.”
- Ask for options. For example, add “give me three versions” to compare choices.
- Iterate. If the first result misses, reply with “make it shorter” or “make it more formal.”
- Review before publishing. Finally, check every draft for accuracy and brand voice before you send or post it.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best ChatGPT prompts for small businesses?
The most useful prompts draft marketing copy, customer emails, social posts, and simple policies, and they also help with planning. In addition, you review and finalize the output before you use it.
Are these ChatGPT prompts free to use?
Yes. Every prompt is free to copy and paste. First, replace the bracketed details with your own information, then send it.
Can ChatGPT help with small business marketing?
It can. For example, ChatGPT can draft social posts, email campaigns, product descriptions, and promotional ideas tailored to your business.
How should small businesses use ChatGPT responsibly?
Avoid entering customer or financial personal data, verify any legal or financial output with a qualified professional, and follow applicable privacy rules.
Keep going
- Browse all MAIN prompting guides
- More guides: healthcare, K-12, higher education, and manufacturing
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