Search "AI prompts for small business" and most lists read like they were written for a mid-size company with a marketing team, an HR department, and someone dedicated to fundraising decks. Useful if that's you. Not useful if you're a solo seller answering your own customer emails at 11pm and writing your own product descriptions between orders.
Here are eight prompts built for that second person. Each one includes what to swap in and why the wording matters, because the difference between a prompt that gives you generic filler and one that gives you something you can actually ship is almost always specificity you didn't think to add.
1. Turn a rough product idea into real copy
I sell [product] to [who buys it, e.g. "new parents" or "home bakers"].
Here's what I know about it: [3-4 rough facts, materials, sizes, what
makes it different from similar products]. Write a product description
under 120 words. Lead with the problem it solves, not the features.
No exclamation points, no "perfect for" or "elevate your."
The "no exclamation points, no elevate your" line matters more than it looks. Every model defaults to breathless marketing voice unless you explicitly ban it. Naming the clichés you don't want cuts editing time in half.
2. Reply to an upset customer without sounding scripted
A customer is upset because [what happened, in plain terms]. They wrote:
"[paste their message]." Draft a reply that acknowledges the specific
problem, takes responsibility if it's on us, and offers [refund /
replacement / discount — pick one]. Under 100 words, no corporate
apology language like "we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience."
Paste the actual complaint in. Vague prompts like "write an apology email" get you a template. The specific complaint gets you a reply that reads like a person read it.
3. Price a new product when you're guessing
I'm pricing [product]. My cost per unit is [$X]. Competitors sell
similar items for [$X-$Y]. My target margin is [X%]. Suggest 3 price
points, with a one-line reason for each, and flag if my margin target
looks unrealistic for this category.
Most owners skip the "flag if unrealistic" part and just ask for a price. Adding it turns the AI from a calculator into something closer to a second opinion, since it'll tell you if a 60% margin on a category that typically runs 25% is wishful thinking.
4. Write a week of social captions from one product photo shoot
I took photos of [what — new arrivals, a sale, behind the scenes].
Write 5 short captions (under 200 characters each) for [platform].
Vary the angle: one asks a question, one shares a specific detail
about the product, one is just funny, two are direct with a call to
action. No emoji unless I ask for it.
The "vary the angle" instruction is doing the real work. Ask for five captions without it and you get five versions of the same sentence.
5. Decide whether a slow-moving product is worth keeping
This product has sold [X units] in [timeframe] at [$price], costs me
[$Y] to stock, and takes up [shelf space / storage cost if relevant].
Give me the real math on whether it's worth keeping, and 2 alternatives
if I decide to drop it (discount it out, bundle it, or discontinue).
This is the prompt most owners never think to write because it feels like a spreadsheet task, not a writing task. It isn't. The AI can't see your actual numbers, but structuring the question this way forces you to gather the numbers you've been avoiding, and the reasoning back is usually sharper than eyeballing it.
6. Turn a policy into something a customer will actually read
Here's our current return policy, written for internal use: [paste it].
Rewrite it for the FAQ page. Same rules, but in plain language a
first-time customer would understand in one read. Keep it under 150
words and use a short bullet list for the actual steps.
Internal policy language ("items must be returned in original condition within 30 days of receipt") reads fine to you and cold to a stranger. This prompt keeps the rules identical and just fixes the register.
7. Get honest feedback on an email before you send it
I'm about to send this email to [who — a customer, a supplier, a
landlord]: "[paste draft]." Tell me if the tone reads as [defensive /
too soft / unclear — pick what you're worried about]. Suggest a
rewrite of just the parts that need it, not the whole thing.
"Rewrite just the parts that need it" keeps your voice in the email instead of handing you back something that reads like it came from someone else entirely.
8. Turn a messy to-do list into an actual plan for the week
Here's everything on my plate this week, unsorted: [dump the list].
Sort it into what has to happen today, what can wait until Thursday,
and what's actually not urgent even though it feels urgent. One line
of reasoning per item, not just the sorted list.
The "one line of reasoning" is what makes this useful instead of decorative. A sorted list you don't trust gets ignored by Wednesday. A sorted list with the reasoning attached is one you can argue with, which is how you actually catch it when the AI got the priority wrong.
The pattern across all eight
Every prompt above follows the same shape: give it your specific numbers or your specific pasted text, tell it what to leave out, and ask for the reasoning, not just the output. Generic prompts get you generic answers. The five extra seconds it takes to paste in your actual complaint, your actual cost, your actual draft is the whole difference between a prompt you use once and one you save.