You've probably heard a lot about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and may have started to see it featured in various online programs and platforms.
For instance, Canva offers an AI tool called Magic Write and Teachable has an AI feature to help you outline new course ideas.
While I’ve tried a few different AI tools, my favorite one so far is ChatGPT. It’s easy to use, saves me time brainstorming and creating content, and best of all - it’s FREE!
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an AI language model that generates a human-like text response to a given prompt or input.
Its abilities to understand natural human language and generate coherent and contextually relevant responses make it like taking to Siri, Google, or Alexa, but in a much more advanced state.
For example, a client asked me to help write an email notifying clients of an upcoming price increase due to inflation and the rising cost of goods. I was having a hard time getting started and finding the right way to word it, so I asked ChatGPT to help me draft it and I loved what it came up with! It gave me the perfect starting point that I was able to edit and send out in a matter of minutes.
How to Use ChatGPT
Along with drafting emails, ChatGPT has the ability to help automate tasks, create content, provide language translations, gather information, and more.
Before diving in further, I want to make sure I mention these two disclaimers: 1) you never want to enter personal details or sensitive information into ChatGPT, and 2) you should always have a human verify the facts or drafts provided by ChatGPT before moving forward.
As a business owner, the value of ChatGPT comes from its ability to help you save time and streamline processes.
When you’re looking for more information on a topic, want to get recommendations, or get a starting point for your research, ChatGPT can be a valuable assistant.
It can help you streamline the research and decision-making process by:
Answering questions: ChatGPT can provide answers to a wide range of questions, from simple factual queries to complex ones that require in-depth analysis.
Providing recommendations: ChatGPT can provide recommendations on products, services, or even business strategies.
Offering advice: ChatGPT can offer advice on a wide range of topics, from personal finance to career development.
Providing insights: ChatGPT can provide insights into market trends, consumer behavior, and other topics of interest.
You can also use ChatGPT to spark creativity and help you brainstorm and develop different forms of content for your business, including:
Social media posts: ChatGPT can generate short, engaging posts for social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Email newsletters: ChatGPT can help you create newsletters that keep your customers informed about your business and any updates.
Blog articles: ChatGPT can draft blog articles on a variety of topics, from industry news to product reviews.
Product descriptions: ChatGPT can help you create informative and engaging product descriptions for your e-commerce store.
I use ChatGPT all the time as a starting point to help me brainstorm blog post content, come up with catchy titles, script social media reels, and more.
In fact, it helped me A LOT with writing this very blog post.
Writing ChatGPT Prompts
The best way for ChatGPT to understand your request and provide you with relevant and helpful responses is to ask specific questions or provide it with clear prompts that outline exactly what you're looking for.
Here are some tips for crafting effective prompts, and be sure to download my list of prompt templates here:
Be specific about the topic: State the topic or question you want ChatGPT to address. For example, if you want information about how to start a business, be specific about what kind of business you want to start.
Provide context: Give ChatGPT some background information on the topic. This could include relevant industry trends, key players, or any other information that will help ChatGPT understand the context of your question.
Be clear about your objective: Let ChatGPT know what you're trying to achieve with your question. Do you need a recommendation, advice, or just general information? Being clear about your objective will help ChatGPT provide more accurate and relevant responses.
Ask open-ended questions: Avoid yes-or-no questions or questions with a specific answer. Instead, ask open-ended questions that allow ChatGPT to provide more detailed and informative responses.
Overall, writing a good ChatGPT prompt requires being clear, specific, and open-ended.
Creating Content with ChatGPT
Once you learn how to communicate with ChatGPT, it becomes a huge timesaver that can provide inspiration when you’re stuck and a starting point when you’re drafting content.
To ensure the AI model has a precise understanding of what you’re looking for, here are some things you might want to include in your prompt:
Topic: Provide a clear and specific topic or subject that you want the content to be about. For example, "Write a blog post about the benefits of using ChatGPT for small business owners."
Audience: Identify your target audience and the tone or style of writing you're looking for. For example, "Write a social media post that's upbeat and conversational, targeting young adults interested in fitness and wellness."
Key points: Provide key points or ideas that you want the content to cover. This could be a list of talking points or a brief outline. For example, "Include information about the cost-effectiveness of ChatGPT and the types of content it can create."
Examples: Provide examples of similar content that you like or want to emulate. This can help ChatGPT understand the style and tone you're looking for.
I was able to ask ChatGPT several questions about how to use it, how to write a good prompt, and how to get the most out of it, as a way to help me draft this blog post.
It provided me with lots of helpful information that I was able to use, edit, and spruce up to create this post in half the time!
While ChatGPT does not provide a final, finished product, it definitely gave me inspiration and a starting point that was far easier to work with than a blank canvas.
If you’d like some help getting started with ChatGPT, download my list of prompt examples and templates designed to get the most from your responses.
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