AI Talk for Biz

Guide

AI Prompts for Small-Business Marketing: A Starter Kit You Check Before You Send

Updated By and , AI Talk for Biz

The short answer

Good prompts give the AI tool a role, a clear task, your real facts and the format you want, with instructions first and your text set apart. The eight prompts below follow that pattern; fill in the brackets with your own details, keep private customer data out, and check every fact before you use the result.

A hand with a pen marks up a printed page draft with lime-green sticky tabs, in front of a laptop
Illustrative image.

You don’t need special training to get useful drafts from ChatGPT, Gemini or similar tools. You need a clear request and your own facts. This kit gives you eight prompts you can copy, fill in and save. They’re built on two official sources: OpenAI’s prompt engineering guidance and Google’s tips for writing Gemini Gem instructions.

What makes a good prompt?

Google’s Gemini help page groups good instructions into four areas: persona (“what role to play and how to respond”), task, context (“as much background as possible”) and format. OpenAI’s guidance adds practical tips:

  • Put instructions at the beginning and separate them from your text with marks like ### or """.
  • Be “specific, descriptive and as detailed as possible” about the outcome, length, format and style.
  • Show the format you want with an example.
  • Replace vague requests with exact ones: OpenAI’s example swaps “fairly short” for “a 3 to 5 sentence paragraph.”
  • Say what to do instead of only what not to do.

What rules apply to every prompt?

  • Keep private data out. No customer names with addresses, phone numbers, payment details or codes. Google’s Gemini privacy hub asks users not to enter confidential information, and OpenAI says individual ChatGPT plans may use content for training unless you opt out in Data controls.
  • Give it your facts. Generative AI can produce what NIST calls “confidently stated but erroneous or false content.” Add “Use only the facts below” to prompts.
  • Check before you publish. Google’s guidance says to fact-check and review AI-generated content, including titles, descriptions and alt text.
  • Never ask for fake reviews or testimonials. The FTC’s rule, in effect since October 21, 2024, bans fake reviews, including AI-generated ones.

1. Prompt for a customer reply

You write replies for [business name], a [type of business] in [area]. Write a reply to the message below in 2 to 3 short sentences, friendly and plain, no exclamation marks. Use only these facts: [hours, service area, how quotes work]. If the facts don’t answer the question, say a person will call to confirm. Sign off as [first name].
Message: “””[paste the message with names and contact details removed]”””

More on this in our guide to drafting customer replies with AI.

2. Prompt for lead page copy

You are helping a small [type of business] write its [service] page. Using only the facts below, write: a headline that names the service and the area; one sentence on what we do; a 5-item list of what’s included; a short paragraph on how quotes and scheduling work; and 5 FAQs with 1 to 2 sentence answers. Plain words, no superlatives, no promises we haven’t listed.
Facts: “””[your services, area, hours, quote process, licenses where required]”””

Then follow our lead page checklist.

3. Prompt for a review reply

Write a short public reply from [business name] to the review below. Thank them, address the specific point they raised, and [offer to call / invite them to contact us at (phone)]. Calm and specific, 2 to 4 sentences, no private details about the customer or the job.
Review: “””[paste review]”””
What happened (for context only, don’t repeat details): “””[your notes]”””

4. Prompt for a marketing email

Write a short email from [business name] to past customers about [seasonal service]. Include: a subject line that accurately describes the email, a 3-sentence body, one call to action ([book online / call]), and a footer line reminding me to add our postal address and unsubscribe link. Plain and friendly, no urgency tricks.

Before sending, check the result against our CAN-SPAM checklist.

5. Prompt for keyword ideas

I run a [type of business] in [area]. Here are words my customers use: “””[list from calls and texts]”””. List 20 other ways a homeowner or property manager might search for these services, grouped by service. Don’t estimate search volumes.

The tool can’t tell you how many people search for these; check them with the free tools in our keyword research guide.

6. Prompt for a social post

Write 3 versions of a short social post for [business name] about [topic, such as a tip for preventing frozen pipes]. Each under 50 words, one practical tip, plain words, ending with [call to action]. No hashtags in the text; suggest 3 relevant hashtags separately.

7. Prompt for an FAQ section

Here are questions customers ask us: “””[list]”””. Here are our answers in rough notes: “””[notes]”””. Turn each into a clear question and a 1 to 2 sentence answer, keeping only facts from my notes. Format as Q: and A: lines.

8. Prompt for a monthly lead summary

Below is my lead log for [month], with names and contact details removed. Summarize: total leads by channel, how many we reached, how many became jobs, and 3 patterns worth looking at. Use a short table and 3 bullet points. Don’t guess at numbers not in the log.
Log: “””[paste rows]”””

To fill that log from your website, see tracking leads in GA4 and answering leads fast.

How do you fix a prompt that gives poor results?

OpenAI’s guidance suggests starting with a plain request (“zero-shot”), and if that doesn’t work, adding a couple of examples of what you want (“few-shot”). In practice:

  • Too generic? Add more of your own facts and one example of a reply you liked.
  • Too long? Give an exact length, such as “2 sentences” or “under 50 words.”
  • Wrong tone? Paste a message you wrote yourself and ask it to match that style.
  • Made-up details? Repeat “use only the facts below” and say what to do when the facts don’t cover something.
  • Still off? Start a new chat. Long conversations can carry earlier instructions you no longer want.

How do you save prompts so the team can reuse them?

Keep the filled-in versions in a shared document. Some tools let you save instructions as a reusable assistant; Google’s help center explains how to create a custom Gem in the Gemini web app by going to Explore Gems, then New Gem, naming it and writing instructions, and notes that you must click Save because the preview doesn’t save it automatically. Review saved prompts whenever your prices, hours or services change.

For the bigger picture of what these tools can and can’t do, see what AI tools can do for a local service business, and for how Google views AI-written pages, is AI content bad for Google?

Frequently asked questions

Do these prompts work in ChatGPT and Gemini?

They are plain-language prompts that follow OpenAI’s and Google’s published guidance, so they can be used in either. Results vary by tool and model, so read and edit every draft.

Why do the prompts say “use only these facts”?

Generative AI can state wrong information confidently. Limiting it to your facts, and telling it what to do when the facts run out, reduces made-up details.

Can I use AI to write reviews for my business?

No. The FTC’s rule on consumer reviews and testimonials bans fake reviews, including AI-generated ones. Use AI only to help reply to real reviews.

Is it safe to paste customer messages into AI tools?

Remove names, addresses, phone numbers and other private details first, and check the tool’s data settings. Google asks Gemini users not to enter confidential information.

How long should a prompt be?

Long enough to give the role, the task, your facts and the format you want. OpenAI’s guidance favors specific instructions over vague ones.

Sources

General information only, not legal, tax or professional advice. Rules, platform policies and prices change and can vary by state: check the official source we link. We may earn a commission from paid links, at no extra cost to you. Our advice isn’t for sale.