Claude Thinks → Prompt library
20+ ChatGPT & Claude prompts every small business owner should steal
Short answer: The prompts below are ready to use — copy one, swap the text in
[square brackets] for your own details, and paste it into ChatGPT or Claude. They're grouped by job
(email, quoting, admin, marketing, hiring) so you can jump to what you need. Nothing here needs a
paid plan to try.
Jump to:
Email & customer replies
1. Reply to an unhappy customer
You are helping me, the owner of [business name]. A customer emailed the message below, unhappy about [what went wrong]. Write a calm, warm reply that takes responsibility where fair, explains what we'll do next, and keeps them as a customer. Keep it under 150 words, no corporate jargon, and match a friendly Australian small-business tone.
Their email:
"""
[paste their email]
"""
Read it before you send it — you know the relationship, the AI doesn't.
2. Chase an overdue invoice (politely)
Write a short, friendly payment reminder to [client name] for invoice [number], which is [X] days overdue for the amount of [amount]. This is reminder number [first / second / final]. Stay warm and professional, give them an easy way to pay, and don't sound threatening. Offer to jump on a call if there's an issue.
3. Turn a rambling voice note into a clear email
Below is a rough brain-dump of what I want to say to [recipient]. Turn it into a clear, polite email with a subject line. Keep my meaning but tidy the wording. Don't add anything I didn't say.
Brain-dump:
"""
[paste or type your rough notes]
"""
4. Draft a "we're fully booked" holding reply
Write a friendly reply to a new enquiry from [name] who wants [service]. We're booked until [rough timeframe]. Let them down gently, offer to add them to a waitlist, and ask one or two questions so we can quote quickly when a spot opens.
Quoting & proposals
5. Write the wording around a quote
I'm quoting [client name] for [job description]. Here are my line items and prices:
[paste your rough list]
Write the friendly intro paragraph, a short plain-English description of what's included, what's NOT included, and a warm closing line. Leave my prices exactly as I wrote them — do not change any numbers.
Let the AI write the words. You keep control of the pricing.
6. Explain a quote a customer pushed back on
A customer thinks my quote for [job] is too high. Without dropping the price, help me explain the value in plain terms: what's involved, why it takes the time it does, and what they're actually paying for. Give me three or four short talking points I can use on a call.
7. Build a reusable proposal template
Create a simple proposal template I can reuse for [type of work]. Include sections for: the problem the client described, what I'll do, what's included, timeframe, price placeholder, and terms. Use plain language a busy owner would actually read. Mark every spot I need to fill in with [brackets].
Admin & paperwork
8. Summarise a long document
Summarise the document below for me, a non-lawyer / non-accountant. Give me: the three things that matter most, anything that could cost me money or time, and any dates or deadlines. Flag anything I should get professional advice on rather than guess.
Document:
"""
[paste the text]
"""
9. Turn messy notes into a checklist
Turn the notes below into a clear, ordered checklist I can hand to a team member for [task/process]. Group related steps, make each step an action, and note anything that's easy to get wrong.
Notes:
"""
[paste notes]
"""
10. Draft a simple policy or process doc
Write a short, plain-English [refund policy / onboarding process / safety checklist] for my [type of business]. Keep it practical and no longer than one page. I'll review and adjust — don't invent legal claims, and tell me where I should check local rules myself.
11. Compare two options in a table
Help me decide between [option A] and [option B] for [decision]. Give me a simple table of the trade-offs (cost, time, effort, risk), then a one-paragraph recommendation based on the fact that my priority is [your priority]. Be honest about what you can't know.
Marketing & content
12. Write a month of social posts
I run [business] in [industry]. My customers are [describe them]. Write 8 short social media posts that are genuinely useful or interesting — tips, behind-the-scenes, common questions — not salesy. Match a down-to-earth tone. Give each a one-line hook.
13. Rewrite my "About" page so it sounds human
Rewrite the text below so it sounds like a real person, not a brochure. Keep the facts, cut the fluff and the buzzwords. My business is [name], I do [what], and what makes me different is [X].
Current text:
"""
[paste it]
"""
14. Answer the questions customers keep asking
Here are questions customers ask me all the time: [list them]. Write clear, friendly FAQ answers for my website. Keep each answer short, honest, and specific to a [your industry] business. Don't overpromise.
15. Come up with content ideas from one topic
I want to be known for [topic/expertise] in [location or industry]. Give me 15 content ideas (posts, short videos, emails) that would be genuinely helpful to my customers and show I know my stuff. Order them from easiest to make to hardest.
Hiring & team
16. Write a job ad that isn't boring
Write a job ad for a [role] at my [type of business] in [location]. Be honest about the work, the pace, and what kind of person thrives here. Include what they'll do day-to-day, what we offer, and how to apply. Skip the corporate clichés.
17. Prepare interview questions
I'm interviewing for a [role]. Give me 10 practical interview questions that reveal whether someone can actually do this job in a small business — attitude, reliability, and hands-on skill — plus what a good answer sounds like for each.
18. Draft an onboarding plan for a new hire
Write a simple first-two-weeks onboarding plan for a new [role] at my [type of business]. Break it into days, keep it realistic for a small team with no HR department, and make sure they're useful and confident by the end.
19. Give feedback that lands well
Help me give feedback to a team member about [situation]. I want to be clear and fair without crushing them. Give me an opening line, the main point stated kindly, and a constructive way to end. Keep it human.
20. Write a thank-you that asks for a review
Write a short, warm message to thank [customer name] after we finished [job/service]. At the end, gently ask if they'd leave a review, and make it easy. Don't be pushy or over-the-top.
21. Plan your week from a pile of to-dos
Here's everything on my plate this week: [dump your list]. Help me sort it into: do first (urgent + important), schedule, delegate, and drop. Ask me a question if you need to know what matters most.
How to get better answers
The prompts above already do most of the work, but three habits make everything better:
- Give it your context. Tell it who you are, what your business does, and who your customers are. A generic prompt gets a generic answer.
- Ask it to redo it. "Too formal — make it warmer" or "shorter, and add a line about [X]" works. Treat it like a keen junior staffer, not a vending machine.
- Never let it invent facts. Add "don't make up prices, dates, or claims — ask me if you're unsure." Always read anything before it goes to a customer.
Want this set up and running in your business — not just a prompt?
Copying a prompt each time still means you're doing the work. SG1 Consulting builds AI into your actual tools so the quotes, replies and follow-ups happen for you.
Talk to SG1 →