Part 2 in our series on AI + SMB Marketing

If you’ve tried using ChatGPT or another AI large language model to help with your marketing, you probably noticed something: your results are only as good as your prompts.

For small-to-midsize businesses (SMBs), prompt writing is the key to unlocking the real value of tools like ChatGPT. With just a little structure and intention, these models can help you generate content, brainstorm ideas, and even support strategic planning—without requiring a technical background or hours of trial and error.

In this post, we’ll break down what makes a good prompt, share common pitfalls, and provide plug-and-play examples you can start using today.

Why Prompts Matter

ChatGPT doesn’t think—it responds. The clearer and more specific your prompt, the more useful and relevant its output. A well-written prompt acts like a creative brief: it provides context, constraints, and a goal. That means better first drafts, fewer rewrites, and more time saved.

The Anatomy of a Great Prompt

A strong prompt typically includes these five elements:

1. Role: Tell the model who it is.
   • “You are a B2B marketing strategist.”
2. Goal: What do you want it to produce?
   • “Write a LinkedIn post that promotes a new blog article.”
3. Audience: Who are you talking to?
   • “The audience is small business owners in the healthcare space.”
4. Tone or Style: How should it sound?
   • “Keep it conversational, confident, and concise.”
5. Constraints or Structure: Any word limits or formats?
   • “No more than 150 words. Use short paragraphs and emojis are OK.”

Put that all together, and a great prompt might look like this:

🧠 “You are a B2B marketing strategist. Write a LinkedIn post to promote a new blog article about AI in marketing. The audience is small business owners in the healthcare space. Keep the tone conversational and confident. Limit it to 150 words, use short paragraphs, and feel free to include emojis.”

Tips for Writing Better Prompts

• Be Specific: Don’t just say “write an email.” Say what kind of email, for what audience, and with what tone or goal in mind.
• Start Small, Then Expand: If you’re unsure what to ask, start with a basic prompt and follow up with refinements.
• Iterate: AI is collaborative. Don’t be afraid to tweak your prompt and try again. Each version teaches the model (and you) more.
• Use Examples: You can show ChatGPT examples of what you want. Try “Here’s a sample we liked—now write something similar.”
• Give Feedback: Say things like “Make it more casual” or “Focus more on benefits than features.” You’ll usually get better results on the second pass.

SMB Prompt Templates You Can Use Today

Try these as-is or tailor them to your brand:

1. Blog Post Intro

“You are a content writer for a growing SaaS startup. Write a compelling blog post introduction about how AI is changing customer service for small businesses. Keep it under 100 words, and make it engaging and modern.”

2. Social Media Post

“Act as a social media manager for a construction company. Write a LinkedIn post to highlight a recent client success story, using a confident but professional tone.”

3. Email Campaign

“Write a promotional email for a free webinar on digital marketing for nonprofits. The tone should be helpful and encouraging. Limit to 3 short paragraphs with a call-to-action at the end.”

4. Product Description Rewrite

“Rewrite the following product description to be more benefit-focused and persuasive, targeting busy office managers. Use bullet points and a friendly tone.”

If you’re not getting the results you want

If you continue to get results that aren’t hitting the mark, or if ChatGPT just doesn’t seem to understand what you want after repeated and refined prompts, start a new thread.

Every word generated by ChatGPT and similar LLMs is influenced by every word of input you provide in that thread. You may reach a point where it makes more sense to just start a new thread than to undue potential confusion further upstream.

What’s Next in the Series on AI + SMB Marketing

In upcoming posts, we’ll explore how to:

• Use ChatGPT to build a content calendar in minutes
• Speed up competitor research with AI
• Integrating AI tools with your marketing tech stack
• Risks, limitations, and what AI can’t do

At verosidi, we help businesses integrate the right tools—including AI—into their marketing tech stacks and operations. If you’re curious about how to make ChatGPT a valuable member of your marketing team, reach out and let’s talk.

Until then, happy prompting. ✍️🤖