ChatGPT for Small Business: Savior or Achilles Heel?

I’ve been thinking more and more about the use of ChatGPT as a competitive advantage for small businesses.

… And not using it as a competitive disadvantage.

A significant principle that I, and other ChatGPT trainers out there, are focused on is that AI is a tool you can use for productivity, freeing up time for higher-level activities.

It stands to reason that if we both have a project in front of us – say, drafting of LinkedIn posts for the week – and you have a tool that gets it done for you in 60 seconds while I take an hour to do it… You have an advantage.

Simply put, you have 59 minutes now to get more done, while I’m pining away over perfect prose and, as you are well aware in a small business owner’s life, adding time because I’m getting distracted every 30 seconds.

I want to dig into what that means, but first I think it’s important to discuss what competition actually is for all of us.

What is Competition for Small Business?

Obviously, I'm trying to get past the in-your-face definition of competition.

Meaning, other companies directly in your line of business, chasing the same potential clients as you are.

We know that one.

But, in 2024, competition takes on many, many forms.

How about workforce? You can't find enough people, and that's out of the pool of everyone. This whole, "I just need to find good workers, and I can train them," works... But you're not the only one out there saying it.

Marketing? No matter how finely you tune your keywords and target your messaging, your clients' inboxes and social media are filled with noise. A lot of it is completely irrelevant, but in your way, nonetheless. (We're actually launching a new product shortly, and I'm about 99% sure that the best way to tell people about it... Is going to be a postcard in the mail. Crazy, huh?)

On top of all that, the global economy has created a real scenario where your product or services, no matter how localized, may have competition coming from overseas that charges a fifth of what you do.

Add in societal factors like next-gen spending habits, environmental consciousness and DEI... Competition is coming from all angles

Consequently, if you’re not getting your story into the hands of your ideal prospects, who’s beating you to the punch?

Here’s Where ChatGPT Comes In

We consider ourselves more active users of ChatGPT and other AI tools than most.

We made a commitment to dive headfirst into ChatGPT and AI 18 months ago, and it’s paid significant dividends for us…

Opened up doors we didn’t know existed, created new opportunities to move forward projects and created unbelievable productivity tools for us.

As a result, we're currently estimating a savings 12-15 hours per month using ChatGPT.

Now, I’m not saying that’s going to be your experience. We’re in it to win it.

But, we do say in our training that we can easily save you 4-5 hours a month.

So, here’s the question: What would you do with those 5 hours?

Maybe, here’s a better question…

Let’s say your competition, whoever they may be, is already using AI… What are they doing with those 5 hours?

Well, let’s define “higher-level” activity.

Are they using those extra hours to talk to your prospects (or, worse, your clients)? How many prospecting appointments can you set up in five hours?

Are they using those extra hours to innovate, and make their products and services better?

Are they using those extra hours to enhance their customer service experience designed for the same companies and professionals that you serve?

That’s exactly what we’d be doing.

How Does Momentum Help Small Businesses with AI?

When we started this, our primary goal was to learn as much as we can, and stay on top of the technology as it rolls out.

Our intent all along was to share our findings with our network – knowing you wouldn’t necessarily have the time to invest to keep up.

Subsequently, for the past year, we’ve done that in a number of ways:

ChatGPT for Small Business - LinkedIn

First, we share an awful lot of our findings on LinkedIn. We see a lot of "how-to" AI content on social media... We strive to make ours relevant to daily life. After all, we're a small business, too. If we find something that helps us, we're going to share it. Connect with me here.

ChatGPT Trainings for Small Business

Second, we’ve been running ChatGPT for Small Business trainings that have been well-received. We try to deliver them regularly - especially since the pace of the technology's improvement and innovation is lightning fast. In these sessions, we give real-world prompts and solutions that small businesses can take and use immediately when we sign off.

We'll also do these trainings for individually for groups, including chambers of commerce, business associations and professional groups (as you know, working with these groups is our bread-and-butter). These programs are well-received, and position the organizations as leaders in innovation, providing essential education. If you'd like to discuss a training for your professional organization, please contact me.

AI Consulting

Momentum understands the unique challenges and opportunities facing small businesses in integrating AI solutions. With that in mind, our consulting services provide customized, strategic insights for both short-term projects and long-term growth plans. Subsequently, whether you need an AI strategist to brainstorm innovative solutions or someone dedicated to thinking about ChatGPT applications for your chamber every day, Momentum is here to partner with you.

"Sandbox"

Lastly, innovation at Momentum is not just a concept; it’s a practice. Our daily experimentation with ChatGPT involves tackling new challenges, testing ideas, and exploring the boundaries of AI’s capabilities. Have a challenge for us? Share it, and let’s explore the possibilities together.

Why do we do these things for small business??

We want to see you use AI as a tool to be smarter, better and faster.

So that you have time to invest in higher-level activities.

The Need for Small Businesses to be Smarter, Better and Faster

Businesses are becoming more and more sophisticated, and the pace of business feels like a runaway train.

As a result, now is not the time to have your team’s faces buried in internal tasks.

If you can use ChatGPT to remove hours of your in-house responsibilities like writing marketing copy, drafting e-mails, creating business documents, compiling training manuals, analyzing market data, and on and on…

That’s all time that you can put into talking with customers and prospects, and finding ways to provide them value.

We're starting to see this as not only a great thing, but essential.

Consequently, every training we do, people come back to us saying we changed their world.?

That's because, as a small business owner, there are many things throughout the day you have to do... HAVE to do... That (a) aren't why you got into business in the first place; and (b) you know don't really move the needle for you.

You could hire an extra person to tackle these things. That's an option, if you can find them.

Or, you can sign onto ChatGPT a few times a day, and knock hours off of the busywork that bogs you down.

But...

AI Isn’t Just for Saving Time

Everything I just laid out? The productivity stuff?

No, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Using ChatGPT goes far beyond drafting press releases and LinkedIn posts.

Just this past week, we’ve used it to:

• Analyze a recent Powerpoint presentation, and pull from the content 10 blog ideas and 10 concepts for LinkedIn posts
• Create a three-month, comprehensive product launch plan for one of our clients
• Upgrade one of our blogs from a decent SEO score to a perfect SEO score
• For an upcoming social media post, create an image of a small business woman lying in bed, wide awake, thinking of everything that she needs to be doing to make her business successful:

… and, I’m counting, about 35 other things.

ChatGPT WILL make your small business smarter, better and faster.

Which is what you need to be to compete.

ChatGPT Training for Small Business

So… On Tuesday, March 12, from 11 a.m. – noon (EDT), we’re holding our next ChatGPT for Small Business webinar.

Titled, "AI for Small Business? Building Momentum with ChatGPT", we've designed this one to bridge the gap between basic understanding and advanced AI utilization via ChatGPT.?

This is no overview of AI.

We're going to get in the weeds of it...

Face the realities - the most prominent being, if you're not exploring AI, you're falling behind.?

Whether you're a beginner or have been dabbling, you will leave with actionable knowledge you can use the minute you sign off the webinar.

Implementation Focus:?Interactive sessions dedicated to the real-life application of AI tools in your business.?

Business-Centric Approach:?Customized content addressing the unique needs and scenarios of small businesses.?

Live Demonstrations:?Experience firsthand the effective use of ChatGPT in various business operations.?

Enhanced Networking:?Engage with other business owners for a deeper, more focused exchange of ideas and strategies.?

Usable Takeaways:?For Momentum's webinars, we do ChatGPT prompts live, so that participants can see the AI in action in real time... All prompts are shared via .pdf with attendees for their own exploration and use following the program.

Here’s the link to the session: https://www.simpletix.com/e/ai-for-small-business-building-momentum-wi-tickets-159559

Here’s some feedback I received immediately via LinkedIn messaging following one of our recent sessions:

"Amazing presentation today!"

"Your ChatGPT presentation was amazing!"

"Your presentation was truly unique and informational for me, most impressive!"

"Great ChatGPT presentation, Craig"

"It was such a great presentation!? I sure hope we can have you back again."

I'm not real good with receiving praise like that, and especially sharing it - I'm just trying to help.

However, that kind of response makes me feel like we're delivering value.

So, we keep doing it.

Ask a Manufacturer

Not sold yet?

At your next networking event, find a manufacturer and ask them the benefits of being able to do the same exact job five times faster than your competition.

Not only does it free up time for, as we said, “higher-value activities,” but people want to work with other people who are forward-thinking.

There was a reason I mentioned above that diving into ChatGPT has opened many, many doors for us.

When I started making AI a focal point, people gravitated toward the conversation.

Real World Impact for Small Business - Here's a Great Example

When I do trainings, and more and more just in casual conversation, one of the most important benefits of ChatGPT for me is its ability to help me get ideas "off the napkin."

I don't know that I'd describe myself as a serial entrepreneur, but definitely a serial idea generator.

I have notebooks - real and virtual - with pages upon pages of ideas for new businesses, new lines of business for Momentum, random product and service ideas, and writing prompts (I'm a novelist, if you didn't know that).

Some have been on my list of "things I'll get to someday" for a decade.

ChatGPT has enabled me to "get to" them.

Especially after OpenAI created voice access.

Now, those long road trips on business are no longer reserved for calls, listening to music and daydreaming.?

No, I'm talking to ChatGPT about all the great things we can do together.?

The product we're about to launch? I have about a 150-page (printed) conversation with ChatGPT on-going that has helped me bring it almost to launch.

To be honest... In the "old days," I probably wouldn't even have gotten it going.

More to come on that... It's exciting. Going to blow you away. I promise. :)

We say it in our training, though – your use of ChatGPT/AI is limited only by your imagination.

But, if you use it (and you probably don’t even have to use it well, at this point, to be honest), you’ll create an environment of innovation that people want to be around.

Let’s Get Started

In conclusion, again, our ChatGPT for Small Business webinar is coming up in mid-March:

"AI for Small Business? Building Momentum with ChatGPT" Tuesday, March 12 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT) https://www.simpletix.com/e/ai-for-small-business-building-momentum-wi-tickets-159559

Can’t wait to see you there!

We WILL change how you approach your daily grind of being a small business owner.

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Want to talk more about how Momentum can help you make ChatGPT help you save time, tell a bigger story, and help you take better care of your members? Set up a 15-minute Zoom call with us!