You’ve probably heard that AI can help your business. But when you actually sit down to use ChatGPT or Perplexity, you stare at the blank text box and think: “What do I even type?”
That’s normal. The tools are powerful, but nobody teaches you how to actually use them. So here are five prompts you can copy and paste today — no tech skills required.
Each one takes less than 30 seconds to run and saves you 30+ minutes of work.
Prompt 1: Research Your Competition
Tool: Perplexity (free)
What it does: Gives you a quick competitive analysis without hours of Googling.
Copy this:
Who are the top [your service] companies in [your city], TX? What do customers say about them in reviews? What services do they offer that stand out?
Example: “Who are the top pest control companies in Seguin, TX? What do customers say about them in reviews? What services do they offer that stand out?”
You’ll get a summary with sources — not just links to click through. Use it to see what competitors are doing well (and where you can beat them).
Prompt 2: Write This Week’s Social Media Posts
Tool: ChatGPT (free)
What it does: Creates a week of posts in about 10 seconds.
Copy this:
I own a [type of business] in [your city], TX. Write me 5 Facebook posts for this week that highlight [specific thing]. Keep them casual and friendly. Include a mix of tips, behind-the-scenes, and a soft sell.
Example: “I own a landscaping company in Seguin, TX. Write me 5 Facebook posts for this week that highlight our spring cleanup services. Keep them casual and friendly. Include a mix of tips, behind-the-scenes, and a soft sell.”
You’ll get five ready-to-post captions. Edit them to match your voice, add a photo, and you’re done.
Prompt 3: Respond to a Google Review
Tool: ChatGPT (free)
What it does: Writes a professional response to reviews — good or bad.
Copy this:
Write a professional but warm response to this Google review for my [type of business]: “[paste the review]”
For negative reviews, add: Acknowledge the issue without being defensive. Offer to make it right.
Reviews matter for SEO and trust. But writing responses is tedious. This takes 10 seconds instead of 10 minutes — and you still sound like a human who cares.
Prompt 4: Summarize a Long Document
Tool: Claude (free)
What it does: Reads contracts, policies, or reports and tells you what matters.
Copy this:
Summarize this document in plain English. What are the key points I need to know? What questions should I ask before signing?
[paste the document text or upload the file]
Claude can read PDFs and long documents. Use it for vendor contracts, insurance policies, or any wall of text you don’t have time to read line by line.
Prompt 5: Explain Something You Don’t Understand
Tool: Any of them (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude)
What it does: Gives you a plain-English explanation of anything.
Copy this:
Explain [confusing topic] like I’m a small business owner with no technical background. Use simple examples.
Examples:
- “Explain SEO like I’m a small business owner with no technical background.”
- “Explain what a 1031 exchange is like I’m a small business owner with no technical background.”
- “Explain the difference between an LLC and an S-Corp like I’m a small business owner with no technical background.”
This is the single most underrated use of AI. Instead of pretending you understand something or spending an hour Googling, just ask. No judgment. Instant clarity.
The 80% Rule
Here’s the thing about AI that most people miss: it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be fast.
AI gives you 80% of the work in about 10 seconds. Your job is the last 20% — adding your voice, fixing details, making it yours. That’s still a massive time savings.
A draft that takes 10 seconds to generate and 2 minutes to edit beats staring at a blank page for 30 minutes.
Want to Go Deeper?
These five prompts are just the start. The real power comes when AI understands your specific business — your customers, your services, your voice.
I help local businesses figure out exactly where AI can save them time and money. Not theory — specific, practical wins you can implement this week.
If you want to see what’s possible for your business, grab 30 minutes on my calendar. I’ll show you exactly where the opportunities are — no pitch, no pressure, just clarity.
Or if you’re not ready for a call, send me a message and tell me what you’re working on. I read every one.
— Ryan Johnson
RJ Digital • Seguin, TX
