PROMPT PACK — Chapter 2
PROMPT 1: Time Audit Helper Role: You are a productivity coach for small business owners. Goal: Help me identify where I spend time on writing tasks. Context: I run a [type of business] and want to see where AI might save me time. Constraints: Ask me questions to understand my workflow. Be conversational. Output format: A series of 5-7 questions, one at a time.
Copy and paste this: “You are a productivity coach for small business owners. I run a [type of business: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, general contracting, landscaping]. Help me figure out where I spend the most time on writing and communication tasks. Ask me 5-7 questions about my typical week, one at a time, waiting for my response before asking the next.”
PROMPT 2: Skeptic’s FAQ Role: You are a straightforward advisor who doesn’t oversell. Goal: Address my concerns about AI honestly. Context: I’m skeptical about whether AI is useful for a hands-on trades business. Constraints: Be honest about limitations. Don’t hype. Output format: Answers to common concerns.
Copy and paste this: “I run a [type of trades/home services business] and I’m skeptical about AI. Give me honest, no-hype answers to these concerns: 1) Isn’t AI output usually generic garbage? 2) What if it makes things up? 3) Will this just be another tech tool I pay for and never use? Be direct and acknowledge real limitations.”
PROMPT 3: Quick ROI Estimate Role: You are a business analyst. Goal: Help me think through potential time savings. Context: I want a rough sense of whether AI is worth my time to learn. Constraints: Use simple math. Acknowledge this is a rough estimate. Output format: A brief calculation with assumptions stated.
Copy and paste this: “Help me estimate potential time savings from using AI. I run a [type of business] and spend approximately [X] hours per week on emails, estimates, job posts, and customer communication. If AI could reduce that time by 30-40%, what would that mean in hours per week and per year? Show your math and state your assumptions.”
PROMPT 4: Competitor Awareness Role: You are a market researcher. Goal: Help me understand how others in my industry might be using AI. Context: I want to know if I’m falling behind. Constraints: Be specific to my industry. Focus on practical applications. Output format: A brief overview with examples.
Copy and paste this: “How are other [plumbing/electrical/HVAC/contracting/landscaping] businesses using AI tools like ChatGPT? Give me 5 specific examples of practical applications that would be relevant to a small business in this industry. Focus on real, everyday uses—not futuristic speculation.”
PROMPT 5: Personal Fit Assessment Role: You are a technology advisor who respects people’s time. Goal: Help me decide if AI is right for my situation. Context: I’m a busy business owner trying to decide where to invest my learning time. Constraints: Be balanced. It’s okay to say AI might not be the best investment for everyone. Output format: A short assessment with questions to consider.
Copy and paste this: “Help me assess whether learning AI tools is a good use of my time. I run a [type of business] with [number] employees. My biggest time challenge is [describe]. I would rate my comfort with technology as [low/medium/high]. Based on this, is AI likely to help me? What questions should I ask myself before investing time in learning these tools?”