8 ChatGPT prompts to save time on your to-do list

ChatGPT prompts can help you save time on admin tasks—so you can get back time in your day.

One of the reasons you became an independent business owner is that you value the freedom of making your own schedule. It’s one of the many perks of being your own boss. But despite that flexibility, even independents can’t escape some of the mundane tasks and to-do lists of someone working 9-to-5. 

Fortunately, there’s an ever-growing list of AI tools available to help expedite many of those tedious tasks. The most popular program available at the moment is ChatGPT. In fact, 70% of independent businesses using AI tools use ChatGPT. Using ChatGPT prompts and generative AI, your to-do list just got a little easier. With thoughtful prompts targeting your day-to-day administrative tasks, you can prime ChatGPT to generate responses easily that may have previously taken you hours. You’ll be checking things off your to-do list faster than you can say “Ask Jeeves.”

We did a little prompt research so that you don’t have to: We tested our prompts by plugging them into ChatGPT. Make your next social media planning day last hours less, and follow up with leads or clients in minutes instead of hours with these prompts designed to give you the response you’re looking for. Whether you’re a consultant checking off administrative tasks or a photographer following up with qualified leads, these ChatGPT prompts can guide you through your to-do list like the best personal assistant—and help you start using AI throughout your business. 

What do you do every day, and how can you do it faster?

Every single independent business is unique (which is what makes independents invaluable), but many of our to-do lists look roughly the same. Many consist of:

• Following up with potential leads
• Responding to client emails
• Updating clients on project progress
• Creating social and blog content
• Creating scripts for conferences and webinars

The cool thing about ChatGPT is that each of these to-do list items can be engineered and expedited with the right phrasing. 

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What is a prompt?

A prompt is a pre-generated or determined piece of copy that “prompts” generative AI programs like ChatGPT and Google Bard to output a response that follows the request. A simple example of a conversation prompt is when someone says “hello;” often you’ll respond with “hello!” or “hi” back. Prompts are a way of generating output using call and response. 

What is prompt chaining and how can it help you?

Prompt chaining is the concept of giving generative AI information to learn and use—such as one email or several emails that are from leads that you want to consolidate information for—then directing it to pull that information from the emails into a different format, like a chart. This way, you can easily copy and paste it into a spreadsheet or tracking system. It’s when generative AI uses previous pieces of information and “learns,” taking the output of prior prompts into consideration for the next prompt.

Prompt chaining is one way to aggregate information into an easy-to-use format so you’re not sifting through every email more than once to pull out information. 

Grab your to-do list; let’s give this a shot.

Follow up with leads and clients using AI prompts

 Following up with qualified leads and active clients is a part of nearly every independent business owner’s day-to-day. In fact, 86% of prospective clients go with the business that gets back to them first, so independents that prioritize following up quickly are much more likely to increase their client base than those who take their time. 

Fortunately, AI tools can help you follow up quickly, whether you’re generating quick responses to leads or using an Email drafts composer to generate detailed messages from your clientflow management tool.

Pro tip

HoneyBook’s Email drafts feature suggests personalized and professional email copy automatically, enabling you to respond to leads quickly without jumping into a separate AI tool or drafting responses yourself. Get back to clients faster with AI-drafted emails that you can edit and send, saving hours while maintaining your unique voice.

Follow up with potential leads who have expressed interest in your services

When you’re an independent business owner, you likely receive an array of inquiries about your services. Responding to every single inquiry is no small feat. While we hope you have an automated follow-up email that sends discovery questions to new qualified leads straight from your clientflow management platform, more detailed emails to set up a discovery call or meeting can sometimes take more customization. 

With generative AI tools like ChatGPT, you can enter multiple pieces of information, like emails, and reference them to aggregate information and reference each piece of prior information. 

Here’s an example email you may find in your inbox from a prospect:

Now, plug the email you’ve received into the following ChatGPT prompt:

Prompt: Your name is [Your name]. Draft a follow-up email to this lead with a spot for my scheduler link so the recipient can select a time to meet with me: [Paste email copy]

Here’s what we asked ChatGPT using the prompt above

ChatGPT response

Paste in your scheduler link and send! Do this with the custom emails you need to respond to and never draft an email again. We recommend proofreading each email for accuracy and tone of voice. Efficiency is key, but it’s important your prospective client still thinks they’re communicating with a human.

Update lead tracking system with relevant client information and needs

Want to aggregate these leads in one place? Stay in the same ChatGPT response window and simply ask the following:

Prompt: Can you format the sender name, company name, phone number, email address, and needs from the lead inquiries above from [Lead name], [Other lead name], and [Other lead name] into a format I can easily paste into a spreadsheet?

Here’s what we asked ChatGPT using the prompt above

ChatGPT response

Notice the phrasing in the prompt? When prompting ChatGPT for a chart, we need to ask for something that we can “easily paste into a spreadsheet.” This is important to include because ChatGPT cannot create a spreadsheet, but it can format things to be pasted into a spreadsheet. Nobody’s perfect.

Pro tip

Using the Email drafts on the HoneyBook mobile app, you can generate a custom reply in seconds. Respond to leads without lifting a finger.

Communicate next steps to active clients

ChatGPT can help you draft emails quickly to active clients, too. Try the following prompt. 

Prompt: Your name is [Your name]. Draft a response to this client that includes [Outline next steps] regarding [Project name]: 

[Paste the client’s initial email]

Here’s what we asked ChatGPT using the prompt above

ChatGPT response

Create marketing content for social media and other platforms

A social media presence is a big part of many independent business owners’ marketing strategy. Fortunately, creating post copy for Instagram captions, LinkedIn posts, or blog post outlines doesn’t have to be difficult. Keep in mind, though, that copy generated by ChatGPT may be repurposed; proceed with caution, and be sure to double-check your copy with a free plagiarism checker like Grammarly’s. 

It’s important to include the character count for whatever output you’re looking for. For example, Instagram’s carousel captions are limited to 2,200 characters and they’re shortened to 125 unless the viewer expands the caption. You want your most engaging information in the first 125 characters.

Create an Instagram caption for your upcoming post

Prompt: Generate a caption for an Instagram post of a [Description of the photo] and relate it to [Describe your services] and [What you do to benefit your clients] use high-value hashtags about [Topics related to your post] under 2,200 characters.

Here’s what we asked ChatGPT using the prompt above

ChatGPT response

As you can see this output isn’t perfect. The verbiage is a little clunky and “#ClientFlowOptimization” → #ClientflowOptimization. But the good news is your work from this point on is editorial; not creative. Your creative work (taking a great, compelling post photo!) is complete. Watch your ChatGPT outputs for minor tweaks.

Create a LinkedIn post about a current event related to your field

Prompt: Generate a LinkedIn post about [Current event] and relate it to [Describe your services] and [How you benefit your clients]. Use high-value hashtags about [Topics related to your post] under 200 words.

Here’s what we asked ChatGPT using the prompt above

ChatGPT response

This is a robust LinkedIn post that took me one minute to generate. There are, of course, some items I’d need to change.

For example, ChatGPT has said: “ChatGPT enables seamless and efficient client interactions, making the booking process a breeze. Say goodbye to missed appointments and hello to satisfied clients!” This is great in theory, but I need the post to be a little more specific. So I’ve edited to:

“ChatGPT enables seamless and efficient client interactions by drafting precise, comprehensive responses to client inquiries, making the booking process a breeze. Say goodbye to missed appointments and hello to satisfied clients.” 

But that edit only took me 30 seconds. A minute 30 is pretty good for a whole LinkedIn post.

Create a content outline for a new post on your blog

Prompt: Generate an outline for a blog post about [Description of the topic] with the target keyword [Target keyword] and relate it to [Describe your services] and [How you benefit your clients]. Use related keywords about [Related keywords]. Keep it under 1,500 words.

Here’s what we asked ChatGPT using the prompt above

ChatGPT response

Boom—a comprehensive outline. When using ChatGPT for work like a blog post, it’s best to use prompts to generate outlines rather than copy. ChatGPT pulls ideas from all over the internet, so it’s possible to accidentally plagiarise content online. Try checking longer pieces of content that you want to publish under your name with a plagiarism checker like Grammarly’s, and be sure you adjust copy to fit your brand voice.

Draft scripts, pitches, and service descriptions 

Draft a product description for a new services package

When you roll out a new service, it can be cumbersome to draft a service description that does it justice. Try plugging this into ChatGPT.

Prompt: Write a [Adjective for brand voice] description that explains the details of and benefits of [Your services] in under 200 words. You offer [List of services].

Here’s what we asked ChatGPT using the prompt above

ChatGPT response

There are probably (definitely) too many emojis in this service description, but this gives you a foundational outline. Now what’s left is to personalize and tweak the copy to fit your offerings and better align it with your brand voice.

Draft a 10-second pitch to use to describe your services when you introduce yourself at a conference or in a webinar

Prompt: Write a [Adjective for brand voice] short verbal pitch that you would use to explain what you do at a party. You explain the details of and benefits of [Your services] in under 100 words. You offer [List of services].

Here’s what we asked ChatGPT using the prompt above

ChatGPT response

Never fumble over describing what you do at a cocktail party again.

Use artificial intelligence like a personal assistant

AI solutions will help you level up your business. When combined with a clientflow management platform, you can decrease time spent on tricky administrative tasks. No more drafting emails from scratch or writing pitches with no guidance—you can tailor your prompts and AI tools will give you a great idea or response. 

Combine using HoneyBook’s latest AI features, priority leads and the Email drafts, to identify high-value leads and respond to them instantly. By implementing AI solutions in your business, you can spend more time designing a new service package, working on services for clients, or hanging out with your family.