AI prompts for small business owners

Prompts for owners who wear every hat. Use them to price an offer, write the WhatsApp message, document how a job gets done or reply to a difficult customer, each in a few minutes.

9 promptsWorks with ChatGPT, Gemini, ClaudeCurated by Updated 3 November 2026

How to use: click Copy prompt, replace the [highlighted parts] with your own details, then paste it into your AI tool.

One-page business plan

Planning

Write a one-page business plan for [business idea] in [city/country]. Target customers: [who]. Startup budget: [amount]. Sections: problem, solution, target customer, competitors and how we're different, pricing, how we'll get the first 50 customers, monthly costs, break-even estimate, and the 3 biggest risks. Use simple language and put assumptions in [brackets] so I can check them.

See example output

Filled in with A cloud kitchen selling healthy lunch bowls in Hyderabad, ₹8 lakh budget

Problem: office workers in HITEC City want healthy lunches, but most delivery options are oily or expensive.

Solution: high-protein lunch bowls under ₹249, delivered 12–2 pm only.

Customer: IT professionals, 24–35, who order lunch 3+ times a week.

Competitors: salad chains (₹350+), tiffin services (no variety). We’re cheaper than chains, with more variety than tiffins.

First 50 customers: free tasting at 3 office parks, a referral code, and listings on Swiggy/Zomato.

Monthly costs: rent [₹60,000], staff [₹1,20,000], ingredients [35% of sales], platform fees [25% of app orders]

Break-even: roughly [140 bowls/day] at current assumptions

Biggest risks: platform commission, staff turnover, slow weekdays during holidays

Example only. Your answer will differ depending on your details and the AI tool.

Price your product or service

Planning

Help me price [product/service]. My cost per unit/job is [cost]. Competitors charge [competitor prices]. My customers are [who] and they value [what they care about]. Suggest 3 pricing options (budget, standard, premium) with what's included in each, the margin on each, and which one most customers will probably pick. Also suggest one add-on to raise the average order.

See example output

Filled in with Website design for small businesses; cost about ₹12,000 a project; competitors at ₹15k–₹60k

Starter Business ⭐ Premium
Price ₹19,999 ₹34,999 ₹59,999
Pages 5 10 Up to 20
Design Template-based Custom Custom + illustrations
SEO setup Basic Full on-page Full + 3 blog posts
Revisions 1 round 3 rounds Unlimited for 30 days
Margin ~40% ~55% ~60%

Most customers will pick Business: it’s clearly better than Starter without the Premium price.

Add-on: annual maintenance at ₹6,999/year. It’s easy to sell at handover, and it brings in recurring income.

Example only. Your answer will differ depending on your details and the AI tool.

WhatsApp broadcast messages

Sales

Write 5 WhatsApp broadcast messages for [business name], a [type of business] in [city], promoting [offer] valid till [date]. Each under 60 words, friendly, with one emoji at most, and a clear next step (reply, call, or visit [link]). Write one in [Hindi / Gujarati / local language] too.

See example output

Filled in with A saree shop in Surat, Navratri sale until 10 October

1. Navratri collection is here! 🪔 Chaniya cholis and silk sarees, flat 20% off till 10 Oct. Reply “SHOW” to see this week’s new arrivals.

2. Garba night sorted? 💃 Bright cotton chaniya cholis from ₹1,499. Visit us at Ring Road or reply to order on WhatsApp.

3. Last 3 days of our Navratri sale! 20% off everything ends 10 Oct. See you in store?

Gujarati version
નવરાત્રી કલેક્શન આવી ગયું છે! 🪔 ચણિયા ચોળી અને સિલ્ક સાડી પર 20% છૂટ, 10 ઓક્ટોબર સુધી. નવી ડિઝાઇન જોવા “SHOW” લખીને જવાબ આપો.

Example only. Your answer will differ depending on your details and the AI tool.

Reply to an angry customer

Customer service

A customer sent this complaint: [paste message] What actually happened: [your side of the story]. What I can offer: [refund / replacement / discount / nothing]. Write a calm, professional reply that acknowledges the problem, doesn't over-apologise or blame, explains the next step clearly, and keeps them as a customer if possible. Under 120 words.

See example output

Filled in with A furniture order delivered 6 days late; offering free delivery on the next order

Hi Rakesh,

You’re right to be frustrated. We promised delivery by the 12th and it arrived on the 18th, and you shouldn’t have had to call us three times to find out where it was.

The delay came from our transport partner, but keeping you updated was our job, and we didn’t do it.

As a thank-you for your patience, your next order will have free delivery, and I’ve added a note so it goes out with priority dispatch. If anything about the table itself isn’t right, reply here and I’ll sort it personally.

Thank you,
Sneha, Customer Care

Example only. Your answer will differ depending on your details and the AI tool.

Write a standard operating procedure

Operations

Write a step-by-step SOP for [task, e.g. "packing and dispatching an online order"] so a new staff member can do it without asking me. Include: what you need before starting, numbered steps, quality checks, common mistakes, and what to do if something goes wrong. Keep the language simple.

See example output

Filled in with Packing and dispatching an online jewellery order

Before you start: printed order slip, bubble pouch, branded box, thank-you card, tape, shipping label

Steps

  1. Match the item code on the slip with the product tag. If they don’t match, stop and tell the manager.
  2. Check the piece for scratches or loose stones under the desk lamp.
  3. Wrap it in the anti-tarnish pouch, then the bubble pouch.
  4. Place it in the box with the thank-you card on top.
  5. Take one photo of the open box (for any later disputes).
  6. Seal, stick the label, and scan it in the shipping app.

Quality check: box doesn’t rattle when shaken gently.

Common mistakes: forgetting earring backs, wrong label on the box.

If something goes wrong: don’t ship. Put it in the “Hold” tray and message the manager.

Example only. Your answer will differ depending on your details and the AI tool.

Sales call script and objection handling

Sales

Write a short phone script for calling leads who enquired about [service]. Goal of the call: [book a visit / site survey / demo]. Include: an opening line, 4 questions to understand their needs, how to explain our offer in 30 seconds, and replies to these objections: "It's too expensive", "I need to think about it", "I'm talking to other companies".

See example output

Filled in with Calling solar-panel enquiries to book a free site survey

Opening: “Hi, this is Karan from SunRoof Solar. You asked about solar for your home yesterday. Is now a good time for 3 minutes?”

Questions: What’s your average monthly electricity bill? · Do you own the house? · How much roof space do you have, roughly? · When would you want it installed?

30-second pitch: “For a ₹4,000 bill, a 3 kW system usually cuts it by 80–90%, and you get a government subsidy of up to ₹78,000. The free survey tells you the exact numbers for your roof.”

“It’s too expensive” → “Most customers pay it back in 4–5 years, and we have EMI options from ₹2,900 a month. The survey is free, so you’ll see real numbers first.”

“I need to think about it” → “Of course. What part would you like to think over? I can send a sample savings report today.”

Example only. Your answer will differ depending on your details and the AI tool.

Hiring post and interview questions

Team

Write a job post for a [role] at my [type of business] in [location]. Pay: [range]. Hours: [hours]. Must-haves: [skills]. Make it honest and specific about the day-to-day work. Then give me 8 interview questions to find the right person, including 2 practical tasks they can do during the interview.

See example output

Filled in with A part-time social media assistant at a café

Social Media Assistant (part-time) · Brewhouse Café, Indiranagar
₹15,000–₹18,000/month · 20 hours a week, flexible

What you’ll actually do

  • Shoot 3–4 Reels a week of our food, coffee and regulars (on your phone is fine)
  • Post daily stories and reply to comments and DMs
  • Help plan one small event a month

You’ll need: an Instagram account that shows you understand Reels, a good eye for food photos, and reliable availability on weekends.

Interview questions

  1. Show us a Reel you made that you’re proud of. Why did it work?
  2. A customer leaves a rude comment about slow service. What do you reply?
    …
    Practical task: shoot a 15-second Reel of our signature cold brew during the interview.

Example only. Your answer will differ depending on your details and the AI tool.

Monthly numbers in plain English

Planning

Here are my business numbers for the last [number] months: [paste sales, expenses, number of customers, etc.] Explain what's happening in plain English: the trends, which costs are growing fastest, which month was best and why it might have been, and 3 practical things I could try next month. No jargon.

See example output

Filled in with 6 months of sales and expenses for a gift shop

The big picture: sales grew 18% from May to October, but profit only grew 4%, because costs rose almost as fast as sales.

Fastest-growing cost: delivery charges, up 46%. More online orders, and most of them small.

Best month: October (₹4.2 lakh sales), thanks to Diwali gifting and corporate orders.

Worth trying next month

  1. Set a minimum order of ₹499 for free delivery
  2. Contact last year’s 8 corporate clients now for New Year gifting
  3. Stop the Facebook ads that brought no orders in September and October

Example only. Your answer will differ depending on your details and the AI tool.

Google review request message

Customer service

Write 3 short messages (SMS/WhatsApp) asking happy customers of [business] to leave a Google review. Include the review link [link]. One message for right after a job, one for a reminder after 3 days, and one for loyal repeat customers. Friendly and under 40 words each.

See example output

Filled in with A car-servicing garage

Right after the job
Hi Amit, thanks for choosing Speedy Autocare today! If your car’s running smoothly, a quick Google review would really help us: [link] 🙏

Reminder after 3 days
Hi Amit, hope the car’s driving well! If you have 30 seconds, we’d love your feedback on Google: [link]

Loyal customers
Amit, you’ve trusted us with your car 5 times now. Thank you! Would you share a few words about us on Google? [link]

Example only. Your answer will differ depending on your details and the AI tool.

Getting better results

Give it your real numbers. Pricing and planning prompts only work if you paste in your actual costs and prices. Anything you’re unsure about, leave in brackets as an assumption.

Use it for writing you avoid. Complaint replies, job posts and process documents are where AI saves owners the most time.

Get financial and legal advice from a professional. AI is good for first drafts and thinking things through. Check tax, contracts and compliance with a qualified person.

Questions people ask

How can small businesses use ChatGPT?
The most common uses are writing marketing messages, replying to customers, documenting processes, drafting job posts and making sense of monthly numbers. These are jobs that take an owner’s time but don’t need the owner’s judgement for the first draft.
Can ChatGPT write a business plan?
It can write a solid first draft if you give it your idea, location, customers and budget. Treat the numbers as assumptions to check, especially if the plan is going to a bank or investor.
Can I write prompts in Hindi or other Indian languages?
Yes. ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude all understand and write Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil and other major languages. You can also ask for the answer in a different language from your prompt.