Part 2 of 10 — A No-Fluff Guide for Business Owners
I Didn’t “Get” ChatGPT Until I Got Stuck
When ChatGPT first came out, I gave it a spin. Like a lot of people, I typed in a few fun prompts, asked it to write a joke, maybe even a quick email. It felt like a novelty, like a smarter Google, but not quite revolutionary.
So I shelved it.
Months went by.
Then one day, I hit a wall. I was working on content for my business website—something I knew was important but kept avoiding. Writing blog posts had always been a grind: I’d come up with an idea, dig through Google for research, wrangle a rough draft out of chaos, then cross my fingers while editing for grammar.
Each post took me five to six hours, minimum. And that was on a good day.
So I gave ChatGPT another shot—this time to solve a real problem.
That one shift changed everything.
I started using ChatGPT to speed up the research, organize my ideas, and help shape first drafts. The process that used to eat up an entire afternoon started taking me half the time. Then even less.
Now? I can go from idea to published content in 30 to 45 minutes.
And I’m not alone. Thousands of business owners are discovering the same thing: ChatGPT isn’t just smart, it’s a time machine.
The key is knowing how to start without getting overwhelmed.
Let me show you how.
You Don’t Need to Be “Techie” to Use ChatGPT
Here’s the truth most tutorials skip: you don’t need to be a coder. Or an engineer. Or even a strong writer.
If you can send a text or write an email, you can use ChatGPT.
It’s designed to understand plain English. Just talk to it like you would a smart coworker. No special commands. No complicated setup. Just clear questions, simple instructions, and curiosity.
How to Get Started in Under 5 Minutes
Here’s how I got started—and how you can too:
Step 1: Access ChatGPT
- Visit chat.openai.com on desktop, or download the ChatGPT app for iPhone or Android
- You can even try it out before creating an account
Step 2: Create Your Account
- Sign up with your email (or use Google, Apple, or Microsoft to speed it up)
- Verify your email and mobile number
- You’re in
Step 3: Type Your First Prompt
Start simple. Try:
👉 “Give me 5 blog post ideas for a local service business that wants to attract more referrals.”
You’ll be surprised how helpful it is right out of the gate.
Free vs Paid: What’s Worth It?
Free Plan ($0/month)
Great for testing the waters:
- Uses GPT-3.5 (solid for basic tasks)
- Limited access to GPT-4o
- Slower and restricted during peak hours
ChatGPT Plus ($20/month)
This is what I use—and what I recommend for small business owners:
- Full access to GPT-4 and GPT-4o (more powerful and accurate)
- Handles complex tasks with ease
- Includes web browsing, image generation, custom GPTs, and more
Not sure what GPT-4 or GPT-4o means? Don’t worry, we’ll break it down in Part 3.
Once I upgraded, I didn’t look back.
But even with the best version, how you use it matters.
Avoid These 5 Beginner Mistakes
Save yourself the trial and error. Here are the missteps I made early on:
- Being Too Vague
Instead of “Help me with marketing,” try:
👉 “Write a 3-sentence intro for a LinkedIn post about our new loyalty program.” - Overloading the Prompt
Break complex requests into smaller parts. - Sharing Private Info
Don’t enter passwords, client details, or sensitive data. - Expecting Perfection
ChatGPT gives great drafts, not final copy. You’ll still want to review and revise. - Giving Up Too Soon
Like any skill, it takes practice. The more you use it, the better your results.
15-Minute Challenge: Test What It Can Do
Try one of these right now and see for yourself:
👉 “Draft a professional email follow-up after a sales call.”
👉 “Summarize this article into 3 main points: [paste content]”
👉 “Give me 10 social media post ideas for a real estate agent.”
👉 “Explain what SEO is in simple terms for a small business owner.”
👉 “What are 5 ways to improve customer retention in a service-based business?”
This is exactly how I started. A few wins built real momentum.
Start Small. Then Scale.
Here’s a simple path to grow your confidence week by week:
Week 1 → Use it for ideas and outlines
Week 2 → Let it draft emails and social captions
Week 3 → Try longer content like blog posts or landing pages
Week 4 → Use it for FAQs, strategy docs, or sales templates
It’s not about replacing you. It’s about multiplying you.
What’s Next: How to Talk to ChatGPT So It Actually Helps
In Part 3, we’re diving into what really makes ChatGPT effective:
📅 How to write prompts that don’t get generic answers
🔊 How to get it to sound like you
🔍 What kinds of questions unlock the best responses
🔹 Prompt templates that save time
🚫 How to avoid getting stuck in an “AI rabbit hole”
If you’ve ever used ChatGPT and thought, “This isn’t quite right,” Part 3 will help you fix that.
📌 Ready to level up? Here’s what to do next:
Take the 3-Minute AI Self-Assessment
Book a 15-Minute Strategy Call to map out your top AI use case
Download The FIVE75 Five Day Confidence Builder
Let’s take the guesswork out of AI and build workflows that actually work.