Beyond the Usual: The Underappreciated Power of AI & ChatGPT

19 min readJun 18, 2023

It seems like the only conversations around AI or ChatGPT are either from people who are ridiculously excited about it or those who are focused on the fear of what it will do jobs, society, and creativity as a whole.

I’d like to bring in another perspective.

And yes, I’m on the “ridiculously excited about it” side of the conversation. I also believe legitimate concerns need to be addressed and that this is the biggest thing since the mass acceptance of the internet.

My first test using AI was Jasper.ai. I jumped in when it rolled out as Conversion.ai (late 2021?) and was using it for quite a while, but not to the extent I’m using ChatGPT (more on that in a minute).

I primarily used Jasper for copywriting, specifically creating copy frameworks for my own businesses. I tried generating blog outlines and posts, but the voice always felt off — or the content felt flat (like a machine had written it).

I kept my subscription to Jasper until a month ago, when I went all in with ChatGPT (I’m looking at other writing tools that have an SEO component built-in, which I still don’t understand why Jasper hasn’t built in their own SEO engine, especially with the funding they raised.

What made all the difference for me with ChatGPT is the ability to converse with it. The conversational nature of ChatGPT flipped an ‘on switch’ in my brain. It was like all of a sudden, I “got it.”

A little backstory for context: I’ve been in online marketing for over 15 years. I’ve created my fair share of content and studied and implemented a lot of marketing. Taking what I’ve learned and using AI to go deeper has blown my mind. 🤯

I’m approaching AI the same way I approached starting my online business back in 2008 — with excitement and enthusiasm.

With the incredible speed that AI is moving, it can be hard to keep up, but that’s the beauty of it. You can go as slow or fast as you want. You don’t have to pivot your business model to be an AI expert, develop AI tools, or completely rebrand what you do.

My intention with AI is simply to use it for what I’m already doing, which is primarily content, copy, marketing, and creating. That doesn’t mean I won’t venture into new territory or try something different, but I’m simply enjoying learning and creating for now.

And most importantly, once you get the hang of this, I think you’ll be incredibly surprised at how much FUN this can be.

Let’s talk about the 8 Untapped Potentials of AI & ChatGPT

When you think of how to integrate ChatGPT/AI into your business, think back to when you were first starting out online. There were tons of things you needed to learn, regardless of what market or niche you were in. There are a lot of moving pieces to run and grow an online business, and you didn’t learn them overnight.

One of the things I heard over and over again when I was starting was, “the money is in the list,” — which, of course, referred to email marketing. I had my opt-in and lead magnet and built a list, but I didn’t really know how to utilize it, so it served my list and my business.

It wasn’t until years later, when I made a commitment to really start understanding how to write emails and copy and then start actually doing it (novel idea), that things started to take off.

The same is true of AI. There’s a learning curve, and you need to have some patience in order to find what works right for you.

Table of Contents

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1. Prompting as an Art and a Game

When it comes to ChatGPT/AI, the prompts you create serve as the driving force behind the output (and pretty much the entire direction of the project you’re working on in AI). Focusing on mastering the art of crafting quality prompts is a strategy that can be challenging, but once you get the hang of it, it is incredibly rewarding.

And for what it’s worth, you can always get better. I learn something new every time I use any AI tool (my primary tool of choice right now is ChatGPT).

To illustrate this process, let me introduce you to the ‘Prompting Triangle.’ There are three critical components that make up this concept.

At the bottom of the triangle, we have the first component, the Subject.

The Subject of your prompts is the general topic or theme of what you want help creating. I talk to ChatGPT (Chatty, as I call her) like a friend. So here’s a typical start to a conversation where my initial prompt is stating what I want help with and then asking for some direction.

Here’s an example prompt I started with when I was working on new messaging for my other brand, Create It — The Content Planner.

Two things to notice with this prompt:

I always greet Chatty 😊 — it’s way more fun (I always get a “Good morning/afternoon” back, and it never gets old). It makes me feel more like I’m working with an actual assistant/partner.
The initial prompt doesn’t give a ton of context. However, ChatGPT gave me a list of 8 things it needed from me to guide the conversation (they were spot on — brand values & mission, target audience, brand voice, etc.).

The second component of the AI Prompting Triangle is the ‘Tone.’

This dictates or influences how your content sounds. One trick I use often is to give it an example of my writing so it can grasp my voice, which is informal, fun, and usually a little energetic. Another friend of mine created a formula to give ChatGPT so it could give an output of my voice, which was pretty amazing.

You can also tell AI to take on a persona, which is what a lot of tools or prompt packs will tell you (for what it’s worth, I’m not a fan of prompt packs in the multiple hundreds or thousands. You’re better off learning to use the tools or buying prompts for specific use cases: SEO, sales emails, etc.).

When I was using Jasper, I tried giving it specific personas (Tony Stark (aka Iron Man), Oprah, etc.) — but I didn’t notice a big difference. I tend to stick with descriptors such as fun, energetic, more personality, etc. You can also ask it to write as an experienced copywriter, marketer, etc.

The third and final component of the AI Prompting Triangle is ‘Specificity.’

If I feel like the outputs I’m getting aren’t what I’m looking for, I give more context.

Who is this for
What I’m trying to accomplish
How I want people to feel when reading

You will always get better outputs by being more specific (kind of true across the board with marketing, isn’t it?).

Don’t be afraid to incorporate things that feel intangible. For example, my goal with this post is that you start feeling like using a tool like ChatGPT can only help your business so that you can serve your clients and customers better. I want you to feel excited and enthusiastic about figuring out the best use for YOU.

One thing to keep in mind when you start adding in more feeling elements is that sometimes the output can go sideways (at least in my experience). There are psychological elements at work with copywriting and content in general; if I push the envelope too much, Chatty can get a little too… let’s say, whimsical. And that’s rarely (if ever) what I’m going for.

The “AI Prompting Triangle” is simply a guide to help you start crafting your own style by working with ChatGPT (or the tool of your choice).

2. Iterative Ideation: A Journey of Discovery

I wish I could tell you that I’ve nailed the iterative ideation process, but like everything else in marketing (creating), it’s a process. 😉

This post is a perfect example.

Once I had the outline, I started digging deeper into different sections of the content. One of the things I love doing with content is finding/creating an analogy from something outside of marketing that helps connect the dots.

I thought I’d have a little fun with this post, and instead of the ‘AI Prompting Triangle,’ I asked ChatGPT to use something that is near and dear to my heart, which is Harry Potter (I know, I’m a geek).

Once ChatGPT gives me output, I rewrite it, tweak it, and do whatever is needed to make it my own. I won’t copy & paste content.

My initial reaction to the Harry Potter content was, “WOOHOO! I LOVE IT!”

Then as I started rewriting it and working it into the post, it didn’t feel right. It was fun and made a ton of sense… provided you were as familiar with Harry Potter as I am.

So I nixed that idea.

I tried a couple more analogies and ended up simply creating my own marketing example and clearly explaining who this content is for.

Here’s a process you can use when you’re working on iterative ideation. 👇

Set your direction: Just like setting your direction with a GPS, you need to be clear on where you want to go with ChatGPT/AI. If you look at my example above (for reworking the messaging of my other brand), I was clear about what I wanted to accomplish. And I ASKED ChatGPT what it needed from me to accomplish my goals.
Craft your prompt: This gets easier as you practice, and often times it’s seeing outputs you don’t like that are more helpful. Give feedback on what you do/don’t like about the output.
Analyze the output: There have been a handful of times when I’ve had to leave ChatGPT alone and come back to it with a fresh mind. Take a minute to sit with the output and consider whether it will resonate with your desired target audience.
Refine and iterate: I’m not going to lie; this is where the real work begins. This is where direct feedback is incredibly helpful. The nice thing about ChatGPT is you can’t hurt its feelings (I’ve told it things sound “too cheesy.” You can also pick apart the output — even if it’s splitting a headline or pulling out one specific phrase. When working on headlines, I’ll often take part of one and combine it with part of another headline to get what I want. Then I tell ChatGPT what I’m using and WHY.
Test again: Don’t stop after the first iteration (and yes, this can be a frustrating process) — unless you’re thrilled with it (I have plenty of those moments too). A bonus to working with ChatGPT is that when you’re done with whatever you’re working on, you can ask it what prompt would have gotten you to your desired outcome faster.
Learn and adapt: This is one of the things I love MOST about ChatGPT and AI. I’m constantly learning. Even with things I’ve been doing for years… it’s amazing. Don’t be afraid to turn back into a curious child and ask “WHY” it gave you that answer. It’s incredibly powerful.
Embrace the surprises: I remember getting extremely frustrated with Jasper at times because the output always felt so generic. Again, the conversational nature of ChatGPT threw the frustration right out the window. If you’re not getting what you want, just start talking to it like a person. Unexpected surprises often lead to creative breakthroughs.

3. AI-Boosted Strategy Crafting: Your Old-School Marketing Gets a Turbocharge

Depending on where you’re at in your marketing journey, you might not be familiar with old-school marketing strategies (that still work today). They’re probably more ‘timeless’ than they are old-school because they’re based on solid principles.

The beauty of using AI is that you don’t necessarily have to have a deep understanding or grasp of these principles because AI can help you grasp them and put them into practice (don’t overlook how much you can learn while working with AI).

Get the ChatGPT Marketing Makeover

To illustrate this point, let’s go deeper with one specific marketing principle: The 4 P’s (then I’ll give you specific prompts you can use to write your own 4 Ps:

Product: Not to state the obvious, but this is what you’re selling. It could be a physical product, a digital product, or a service. It’s crucial that you have a deep understanding of your product. Not just what it is but the problem it solves for your customers. This understanding is the foundation for all your marketing.
Price: Obviously, this is what you charge for your product. However, you also want to consider your price in terms of value — this isn’t simply what it costs your customer. Price plays a huge role in how your customers perceive your product and determine your profit margins.
Place: Where can your customers find your products? And offline brick & mortar store? Online? A marketplace? In addition to the actual place your customers can find your product, The choice of ‘place’ should consider the habits and preferences of your target customers.
Promotion: This is everything you do to get your product in front of your ideal customers—social media, content marketing, advertising, partnerships, etc.

The 4 Ps seem pretty obvious, but often times we just assume we know and don’t take the time to define them.

There are a couple of ways to approach this with ChatGPT/AI. One thing I love to do with ChatGPT is to tell it what I want to accomplish, then ask it what it needs from me to help me get the exact result I want.

For example: In this case, I’d let ChatGPT know that I wanted to get clearer on the 4 Ps in my business and would like to craft a strategy for improving what I already have. Then I’d say, “What do you need from me to help me accomplish this?”

Here are some more specific prompt examples for each of the 4 Ps:

Product prompt: I have an e-commerce business where I sell a physical content planner. Can you help me describe my product’s unique features and benefits that meet my target customer’s needs?

Price prompt: Given that the physical planner is priced at $49 and is selling. My profit margin is “X,” and based on the market research I’ve done, can you give me a suggested pricing strategy for a complete funnel of products for customers who purchase the planner?

Place prompt: My target customers are small businesses, coaches, and course creators between the ages of 30–55 who understand they need to do content marketing in their business, aren’t sure where to start, and don’t want to outsource their content. They are active on social media and are used to shopping online. What could be effective channels for distributing my product?

Promotion prompt: I want to reach out to my target customers who still value the power of writing and planning, putting pen to paper, and are active on social media platforms. They’re also big readers and appreciate newsletters and email marketing. Can you suggest a promotional strategy, including key messages I should emphasize for my content planner?

4. Your Silent Sidekick: AI Amping Up Your Creativity and Productivity

As a small business owner, it’s easy to find yourself wearing a lot of hats. Sometimes that’s because your business is new, or maybe it’s because you’ve pivoted directions and are in a restructuring phase. Regardless of why you’re filling multiple roles in your business, AI can 100% become the partner, i.e., the Silent Sidekick. You need to take some of that off your plate.

This is why I came up with the name “Chatty” for myself when working with ChatGPT (and part of the reason I like to greet it and talk to it like it’s a person).

AI, particularly language models like ChatGPT, can serve as a quiet, reliable ally in your business. It can be a partner that can grasp your ideas and voice and give you something tangible and actionable back.

Here are two ways I’m using ChatGPT that you can easily implement in your business.

Brainstorming sessions: Enhanced Creativity
This is probably my favorite use for ChatGPT/AI (and my guess is this is true for most creatives). I’ve brainstormed blog post ideas, email sequences, product names, course outlines, and coaching programs… you name it. The only limits are your imagination.

Side note: this is when I started grasping AI’s power. The fact that I could input what my heart truly wanted as opposed to what felt like a ‘marketing prompt’ or something more business-like is when things took off for me.

Here’s a fun exercise you can try:
It’s probably somewhat obvious that we can brainstorm ideas for new content, but what about repurposing or refreshing existing content?
Using the web browsing option in ChatGPT or Bard, give a URL to a piece of content you wrote a while ago (that’s had enough time to be indexed by the search engines), and ask it to give you ideas on updating and improving the post. Because it’s something you’ve already written, you can also tell it to keep your tone and voice.
Crushing Your To-Do Lists: Boosting Productivity
I’m one of those people that likes having things organized and structured, but I really don’t want to be the one to set that up. It’s not my sweet spot, and I often get lost in the weeds or sucked down a rabbit hole.

I recently did an experiment with a friend where we committed to promoting ourselves every day for 30 days (I kind of fell off the bandwagon midway through with a trip out of town, but I’m getting back on).

I started by giving ChatGPT plenty of contexts: Who I was, what my focus was, the URL to my website, and what I was doing (the 30 days of promotion).
I gave a list of where I wanted to send people- which was to a lead magnet or a product. I then asked for a 30-day promotional schedule that included the day, where to promote, the call-to-action, and the product or lead magnet. I then asked it to present the plan in a table.
BOOM! Done.

Don’t be afraid to have some fun with brainstorming AND productivity. When I ask for a plan such as the 30-day promotion, ChatGPT will often include a day of rest or reflection. 😉

5. Classic Copywriting Meets Modern AI: A Perfect Blend for Business Success

Not putting the time and energy into understanding copywriting sooner is one of my few regrets in my business (the other is not putting more time and energy into email marketing sooner). I think we’re a ways away from AI being able to take the place of a good copywriter, but if you understand enough about copy and who you’re writing for, you can become a much better copywriter with the help of AI.

It also saves you countless hours trying to “come up” with things if you’re not a practiced copywriter or have spent time practicing for your own business. I use ChatGPT for a LOT of copy.

Again, I’ve found that the more context I give ChatGPT before asking it to write anything for me, the better the outcome is.

There are so many great copy frameworks you can use. Just ask ChatGPT/AI to help you write it for your business. Just remember that the more you understand what it is you need the copy for, the better the output will be.

Here’s an example I use when I write copy for a sales page.

I start by telling ChatGPT what it is I want the sales copy for (again, give it as much information as possible), then I use this sales page framework by David Frey, “12-Step Foolproof Sales Letter Template.“

Get attention
Identify the problem
Provide the solution
Present your credentials
Show the benefits
Give social proof
Make your offer
Inject scarcity
Give a guarantee
Call to action
Give a warning
Close with a reminder

By leveraging AI in this way, you can speed up your writing process while still maintaining the quality and effectiveness of your copy. It’s like having a silent partner who does a lot of heavy lifting, leaving you with more time to focus on refining and perfecting the message.

6. AI-Powered Automations: The Hidden Efficiency Boost Your Business Needs

Automations aren’t anything new, but AI is going to open a whole new world for people who weren’t sure where to start with automations beyond the basics (think email marketing, follow-up sequences, purchases, etc.).

Here’s an example I hadn’t thought of, but with the help of ChatGPT, I now want to try this the next time I run a webinar or live training.
*Note* I haven’t actually set this up or tried it with any of the 3rd party automation tools, but this is where things are heading.

Imagine you’ve just had a fantastic webinar. Your participants are pumped, and you’re feeling good about the engagement, but now comes the follow-up. That’s where our trusty AI steps in.

Instead of manually sifting through participant data, composing individual emails, and spending hours in your email marketing tool, you set up AI-powered automation. The AI goes through your webinar participant list, pulls out key data like names and email addresses, and then crafts a personalized follow-up email for each participant — all without you lifting a finger.

Think about how powerful that will be!

Have AI go through the chat or comments of a webinar, do a personalized follow-up with each attendee, and specifically address the question they asked. Mind-blowing. 🤯

The cool thing about starting to use automations in your business with the help of AI is that tools that do this really well are starting to integrate AI into their software.

Zapier just released its own AI tool where you can tell it what you want to automate, and it will create the Zap for you!

Here’s a quick list of categories where you can start exploring using AI & Automations:

Email marketing (beyond the basics)
Social Media
Content Creation
Customer Support
Sales Funnel Automation
Personalized Recommendations
Google & FB ads (they’re already building AI into their ad platforms!)
Meeting Scheduling
A/B Testing
Invoicing and Accounting

These AI-powered automations can be a game-changer for a small business, helping you save time, reduce manual tasks, and focus on what matters: serving your customers and growing your business.

7. Keeping Up With AI: Focus on What You Need

I can only imagine what AI feels like for people who are just finding it or are only interested in certain aspects. I subscribe to a bunch of AI newsletters, write my own, and use AI almost daily… and I get overwhelmed.

I’ve seen a handful of people completely pivot their entire business model because they’re so excited about AI and have decided to go all in.

The great thing is you don’t have to do that.

I test and try a lot of AI tools, but for the most part, I’m primarily still only using ChatGPT, starting to use Bard, and am beginning to play with automations. I may use other AI writing tools, but that’s about it. I’ve tested some image tools (amazing), but haven’t had the time to go deeper or even jump into Midjourney (yet).

Right now, my focus is on how I can use it for the things I’m already doing, streamline processes, and become more efficient.

So, how to keep up with AI when it’s moving at lightning speed?

Firstly, you don’t need a degree in computer science to grasp AI’s implications for your business. Start by following blogs, newsletters, or podcasts that make AI digestible for non-tech professionals. You can subscribe to my newsletter, “The AI Marketing Chronicles,” where I’m doing sort of a “build in public” experiment of how I’m integrating AI into my business as well as these other newsletters I read and recommend:

Secondly, engage in communities of AI enthusiasts. Platforms like Reddit, LinkedIn groups, or Twitter have discussions that can enhance your understanding and expose you to new ideas.

Finally, experiment and have fun!

Don’t hesitate to try out new AI tools or features. Through this practical experience, you’ll truly understand how AI can amplify your business.

Remember, this chase is not about being the first to cross the finish line but about enjoying the journey and extracting value at each step. As you engage with AI, you’re sure to discover possibilities that fuel your business growth and kindle your passion for innovation.

8. AI: A Playground of Possibilities

AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a playground of possibilities full of opportunities to unlock your creativity, streamline your processes, and take your business to new heights.

Every interaction with AI has been an exploration, a journey of discovery that has continuously fuelled my creativity and completely reshaped my work methods. My good friend, Jason Resnick, had a great explanation for what AI has done for him: he’s got more creative “reserves” for longer periods of time throughout his day.

I’ve started playing around with things that have personal & business aspects to them.

For example, I recently listened to the book “Be Your Future Self” by Dr. Benjamin Hardy on a long drive back from Oregon to Northern California (I literally got to listen to the entire book, which is fantastic.

One of the things he recommends is writing a letter from your future self — to the ‘self’ you are today. I wrote a letter dated Dec. 31st, 2023, that literally started off with the following:

“Girl! You are not going to believe what we’ve accomplished this year!”

Then I went on to write from a place of already having achieved certain things.

I decided to hop into ChatGPT one evening, explained what I had done, shared the letter, and then asked it to help me craft an actual plan to achieve those things.

Again. Mind-blowing. 🤯

This truly feels the way the internet felt for me when I started my business in 2008 — and this is just the beginning.

This isn’t to say there aren’t things to be concerned about because there are.

Fortunately, that also seems to be at the top of everyone’s mind (governments, founders, etc.).

I’m hopeful that as a collective (i.e., humanity), we can navigate this in a way that serves everyone.

And in this process, we’re not just consumers of AI; we’re collaborators, actively shaping the AI landscape with our unique needs and creative applications.

Remember, the objective is not just about using AI; it’s about playing with it, experimenting, and having fun in the process. And who knows? This playful exploration could lead you to discover new applications for AI that can revolutionize your work and open up exciting avenues for your business. Welcome to the AI playground — the possibilities are endless!

Want to follow my behind-the-scenes journey with AI?

Subscribe to “The AI Marketing Chronicles” here.