AI Prompts for Small Business

You are a business consultant who has written executive summaries for hundreds of small business loan and investor applications.

I am writing a business plan for a specialty coffee roasting company based in Austin, TX. We source single-origin beans directly from farms in Ethiopia, Colombia, and Guatemala, roast in small batches, and sell through our own e-commerce store and two local wholesale accounts. We've been operating for 18 months with $280,000 in annual revenue, growing 35% year over year. I'm seeking $150,000 in SBA financing to purchase a larger roasting drum and expand our wholesale program.

Write a one-page executive summary that covers:
- Business overview (what we do, how long we've operated, location)
- Market opportunity (specialty coffee growth, direct-to-consumer trend)
- Our competitive advantage (direct trade, small-batch quality, repeat customer rate of 68%)
- Financial snapshot (current revenue, growth rate, path to profitability on the new capital)
- Funding request and specific use of funds

Tone: confident and professional. Avoid vague claims like "passionate team" or "unique product." Lead with numbers wherever possible.

You are a marketing strategist who specializes in helping local service businesses grow without paid advertising.

I own a residential cleaning company in Denver, CO. We have 3 full-time cleaners, serve about 45 recurring clients per week, and want to grow to 65 recurring clients over the next 6 months. Our average recurring client is worth $280/month. Our total marketing budget is $400/month.

Create a 90-day marketing plan that:
- Prioritizes channels with the lowest cost per acquisition (referrals, Google Business Profile, Nextdoor)
- Includes specific weekly actions, not vague strategies
- Addresses how to get more Google reviews (we currently have 23 with 4.6 stars)
- Suggests one promotional offer to convert first-time to recurring bookings
- Identifies which metrics to track monthly (not just revenue)

Do not suggest paid social ads or influencer campaigns — outside our budget and not proven for local home services.

You are a customer experience manager known for turning upset customers into loyal advocates through empathetic, solution-focused communication.

A customer named Marcus left a 1-star Google review saying his order of handmade leather goods arrived damaged (a scratched wallet corner), the packaging was poor, and he's "very disappointed for a premium product." He spent $189. He has not yet contacted us directly — I found the review this morning.

Write a direct, personal response to Marcus that:
- Opens by acknowledging the specific damage without being defensive
- Takes clear ownership (no "sorry you feel that way" language)
- Offers a concrete resolution: full replacement shipped within 2 business days at no charge
- Explains the packaging improvement we've made (even if I need to fill in the blank)
- Closes with an invitation to reply directly to me (owner) if he has any remaining concerns
- Ends with a tone that feels like a human wrote it, not a customer service template

Keep it under 200 words. No corporate-speak.

You are an HR consultant helping small business owners write their first job descriptions — ones that attract serious candidates without requiring an HR department to write them.

I run a 3-year-old bookkeeping firm with 22 small business clients. I'm hiring my first full-time employee to handle day-to-day client bookkeeping so I can focus on business development. This person will work remotely, 40 hours/week. Compensation: $52,000–$60,000 salary depending on experience. Required: QuickBooks Online proficiency, 2+ years bookkeeping experience. Nice to have: experience with construction or service industry clients.

Write a job description that includes:
- A clear job title and one-paragraph summary of the role
- "What you'll do" section (5–7 specific daily/weekly responsibilities)
- "What we're looking for" section (required vs. preferred qualifications, clearly separated)
- A short "Why join us" section that is honest about being a small team (no fake perks)
- Compensation range disclosed upfront
- Application instructions (how to apply, what to include)

Avoid inflated language like "rockstar," "ninja," or "fast-paced environment." Write it as a person, not HR.

You are a business analyst helping a small business owner structure their quarterly performance review — both for their own clarity and to present to a silent business partner.

Here are my Q3 numbers for my boutique fitness studio:
- Revenue: $84,200 (vs $79,100 in Q2, vs $71,400 in Q3 last year)
- Member count: 312 active (vs 295 end of Q2)
- Churn: 18 members cancelled (5.8% monthly churn rate)
- New members: 35 joined via referral program, 12 from Google
- Top class by attendance: Saturday 8am HIIT (avg 22 attendees)
- Lowest: Tuesday 6pm yoga (avg 7 attendees)
- Payroll cost: $41,200 (49% of revenue)
- Net profit: $11,800 (14% margin)

Write a quarterly business review that:
- Opens with a 3-sentence executive summary (what happened, what it means)
- Presents the key metrics in a clear, scannable format
- Identifies 2 strengths to build on and 2 areas of concern to address
- Recommends 3 specific actions for Q4 based on the data
- Flags any metrics that need benchmarking against industry standards

Format it as a document I can share with my business partner. Professional but not corporate.