15 AI Prompts Every Small Business Owner Should Save

Most AI prompts fail for one reason: they are too short. "Write an email to a client" gets you a generic draft that you end up rewriting anyway. A good prompt tells the AI who to be, what to do, what it needs to know and what the result should look like.

Below are 15 AI prompts for small business owners, grouped by the jobs that fill a normal week: email and admin, customers, content and quick decisions. Paste them into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, replace the parts in brackets] with your real details and keep the ones that work for you. Still choosing an assistant? Read our [Claude vs ChatGPT vs Gemini comparison.

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The 5-part prompt formula

Every prompt in this list follows the same structure. Once you know it, you can write your own in a minute:

• Role: who the AI should act as, such as "my executive assistant" or "a customer service lead".

• Task: one clear job. Two jobs in one prompt usually means two average results.

• Context: your facts, your audience and, when you have one, an example of your own writing.

• Format: length, structure and tone, for example "under 100 words, three bullet points, friendly".

• Rules: what to avoid, and what to do when information is missing ("write TBD instead of guessing").

Email and admin

1. Inbox triage in 10 minutes

Use it when: your inbox is full and you do not know where to start.

You are my executive assistant. Below are [number] emails I received. For each one, tell me who it is from, what they want in one line, and whether it needs a reply today, this week or no reply at all. Then draft short replies (under 80 words) for the ones that need a reply today. Friendly, professional tone. Emails: [paste emails]

Tip: Remove phone numbers, addresses and other private details before you paste.

2. A polite payment reminder

Use it when: an invoice is overdue and you want to stay on good terms.

Write a payment reminder email to [client name] for invoice [number] of [amount], which was due on [date]. Give me three versions: a friendly first reminder, a firmer second reminder and a final notice that mentions [late fee or next step, only if I have one]. Keep each under 100 words, stay polite and do not threaten anything I did not mention.

Tip: If you send invoices every month, you can automate the whole process. See our guide to automating invoices with n8n and Google Sheets.

3. Say no to extra work without losing the client

Use it when: a client asks for something outside what you agreed.

A client asked me for [request], which is outside our agreed scope: [what the agreement covers]. Write a short, warm reply that thanks them, explains that it is not included and offers [a quote / a smaller version / a later date]. Under 120 words, with no more than one sentence of apology.

4. Rewrite a rough message

Use it when: you wrote something in a hurry and it sounds blunt or messy.

Rewrite the message below so it is clear, short and polite. Keep my meaning and every fact, cut it to about half the length and match this tone: [direct / warm / formal]. Show the new version first, then list anything that changed in meaning, if anything did. Message: [paste draft]

5. Ask a supplier for a quote

Use it when: you need prices you can compare fairly.

Write an email to [supplier] asking for a quote for [product or service]. Include the quantity [quantity], the specifications [details], the delivery date I need [date], the delivery location [city or country] and the payment terms I prefer [terms]. Add three questions that help me compare suppliers fairly. Professional tone, under 150 words.

Customers

Customer messages are where AI saves the most time, as long as a person checks every reply. For a complete approach, see our guide to using AI for customer service in a small business.

6. Welcome a new client

Use it when: someone just paid and you want them to feel looked after.

Write a welcome email for a new client of my [type of business]. They bought [service or product]. Include a thank-you line, what happens next in 3 numbered steps [list your real steps], how to contact us [channel and hours] and one useful tip to get the most out of [service]. Under 180 words, warm and clear.

7. Ask for a review the right way

Use it when: a project went well and a review would help your business.

Write a short message asking [client name] for an honest review on [Google / platform] after [project or purchase]. Mention one specific detail: [what you did for them]. Explain in one sentence why reviews help a small business and add the placeholder [link]. No incentives, no pressure, under 70 words.

Tip: Only ask real customers, and never write or edit a review for them.

8. Explain what you do in one sentence

Use it when: you keep struggling to describe your business on your site, in a bio or at an event.

Here is what my business does: [description]. My ideal customer is [who]. Write my one-line pitch in three lengths: 10 words, 25 words and 50 words. Use plain words a 12-year-old would understand, focus on the result for the customer and avoid buzzwords such as "innovative" or "solutions".

Content

9. Turn one article into five posts

Use it when: you wrote something good and want more reach from it.

Here is an article I wrote: [paste text or key points]. Turn it into 1 LinkedIn post (under 150 words), 1 short email for my list (under 120 words) and 3 tips for Instagram captions (under 40 words each). Keep my facts, do not add statistics and end each piece with a soft call to action to [read the article / reply / visit the site].

10. Script a 45-second video

Use it when: you want short videos but freeze in front of a blank page.

Write a 45-second vertical video script about [topic] for [audience]. Structure: a hook in the first 3 seconds, 3 quick points and a call to action. Write what I say and, in brackets, what appears on screen. Short spoken sentences, about 110 words in total.

11. Alt text and captions for product photos

Use it when: you are uploading product photos to your site or social media.

I sell [product]. For each photo described below, write an alt text under 125 characters that describes what is visible, and a one-line caption for social media. Do not invent colors, materials or sizes I did not mention. Photos: [describe each photo in a few words]

Decisions and planning

12. Compare options before you decide

Use it when: you are stuck between a few choices.

I need to choose between [option A], [option B] and [option C] for [goal]. My criteria are [cost, time, quality, risk], in that order of importance. Make a table scoring each option from 1 to 5 on each criterion, explain each score in one line and tell me what information is missing before I can decide. Do not recommend anything you cannot justify from what I gave you.

13. Summarize a long document

Use it when: a contract, proposal or policy needs reading and you are short on time.

Summarize the document below for a busy business owner. Give me a 5-line summary, the obligations and deadlines it creates for me, any costs or penalties it mentions and the questions I should ask before agreeing. Quote the exact sentence for every deadline or cost. Document: [paste text]

Tip: This helps you read faster, but it is not legal advice. Have important agreements checked by a professional.

14. Get the right spreadsheet formula

Use it when: you know what you want from your data but not the formula.

I use [Google Sheets / Excel]. Column A has [dates], column B has [client names] and column C has [amounts]. I want to [goal, for example total sales per client this month]. Give me the formula, explain each part in plain English and show a small example with 3 rows so I can check the result.

15. Prepare for a negotiation

Use it when: a price, contract or partnership conversation is coming up.

I am negotiating [what] with [type of person or company]. My goal is [goal], my limit is [walk-away point] and I can be flexible on [points]. Play the other side: list the 5 toughest questions or objections they are likely to raise and suggest a calm, honest answer to each. Then point out the weakest part of my position.

Check every answer before you use it

AI writes with confidence even when it is wrong. Before you send or publish anything, check the facts, recalculate any numbers, confirm names and remove promises you cannot keep. And never paste passwords, card numbers or private client data into a prompt. For more tools beyond chat assistants, see our list of the best AI tools for small business.

Want 25 more prompts?

These 15 prompts cover everyday admin, customers and content. Our free guide, 25 AI Prompts for Small Business, covers different jobs: marketing, sales, customer service, operations and strategy, each prompt with a tip for better results. Sign up on our homepage and we will email you the PDF.

The bottom line

A good prompt is a short brief, not a magic phrase. Save the prompts above in a note, replace the brackets with your real details and adjust the wording whenever a result is close but not quite right. In a few weeks you will have a prompt library that sounds like your business.

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