How to Use ChatGPT/Meta AI to Help Your Business

We demystify what these tools actually are and show you which one fits your business. Spoiler: you probably already have access to one of them.

Ways to Use AI in Your Business Today

We give you five ready-to-use prompts you can copy and paste right now to start saving time on customer communication, invoicing, social media, and more.

How to Get Better Results with AI

We share the insider tricks that separate “meh” results from game-changing ones, so you can get answers worth using.

By the time you finish this article, you'll have practical, copy-paste prompts ready to go and a clear understanding of how to make AI the perfect assistant

You've probably seen the headlines: AI is changing everything, robots are taking over, the future is here. Cool. But what does that actually mean for you, the guy running a contracting business out of Laval or the electrician juggling three jobs in Longueuil? Turns out, it means you can stop spending your evenings writing emails and your lunch breaks trying to figure out what to post on Facebook. 

You don't need a computer science degree to use these tools. All you need to know is what they are, where to find them, and most importantly, how to make them work for you instead of the other way around. So let's go over it in a way that actually makes sense.

Understanding the Basics

Think of ChatGPT and Meta AI like having a really sharp intern who never sleeps and never complains. What is ChatGPT? It's a chat tool built by a company called OpenAI that answers questions, writes stuff, and solves problems. It all happens by typing back and forth like you're texting a colleague. Meta AI is Facebook's version, and it works the same way: you type in a question or request, it thinks for a second, and then gives you an answer. 

If you can send a text message to your supplier or email a customer, you can use these tools. They're trained on massive amounts of information from across the internet, so they “know” how to write professional emails, create social media content, explain complicated concepts in simple terms, draft invoices, respond to customer questions; basically anything that involves putting words together in a useful way. 

The key difference between this and Googling something? Instead of getting ten blue links you have to click through and read, you get one clear answer written specifically for your situation.

The choice is up to you, but here’s a simple breakdown of each to make the decision easier:

ChatGPT

ChatGPT has a free version that works great for most small business owners, but you'll hit daily limits if you're using it heavily throughout the day. The interface is clean and distraction-free, which is nice when you're trying to focus on getting something done. If you want unlimited access and faster responses, you’ll need ChatGPT Plus, which comes at $20/month. 

Is it worth it? Depends on how much you're using it. If you're drafting multiple emails a day, creating content regularly, or using it for customer support, the subscription pays for itself in time saved. If you're just dipping your toes in, the free version is plenty to start with.

Meta AI

Meta AI, on the other hand, is completely free with no daily limits, and it's already built into Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. You know, the apps you're probably checking between jobs anyway. 

You don’t have to download a new app or create a separate account since you're already there. For most contractors, electricians, plumbers, or small business owners who are active on social media, this is the path of least resistance.

Alright, enough theory. Let's talk about what actually matters: putting this thing to work so you can reclaim some of your day. We're not talking about fancy use cases or future possibilities. We're talking about stuff you can do right now, this afternoon, that'll save you time before the week's over. Here are five ways to put AI to work in your business, complete with the exact prompts you can copy, paste, and tweak for your situation.

Customer Communication That Actually Sounds Like You

Writing emails is nobody's favourite part of running a business. It takes time you don't always have. Here's where AI shines. Try this: “Write a friendly email to a homeowner explaining that we found additional water damage behind their bathroom wall that needs to be addressed before we can finish the tile work. Keep it professional but reassuring.” Ten seconds later, you've got a draft that explains the problem without sounding like an upsell. Tweak it to match your style, hit send, move on.

Job Documentation without the Headache

Invoices, proposals, project summaries, this stuff has to get done, but let's not pretend it's why you started your business. AI can take care of that by turning your rough notes into polished docs. Snap a photo, jot down what you did, and try this: “Turn these notes into a professional invoice description: replaced 40-gallon hot water tank, installed new shut-off valve, flushed system, tested all connections for leaks.” You get back something clean, detailed, and ready to bill.

Social Media Posts (without Overthinking It)

You finished a great project yesterday. Client's thrilled, work looks killer, photos on your phone. Now you need to post about it. Instead of making the post yourself, try this: “Write an Instagram post for a landscaping company that just finished a backyard makeover. Keep it casual and highlight the transformation.” Use it as-is or tweak it. Either way, you're posting consistently without burning your evening trying to be clever.

Handling the Stuff You Keep Putting Off

Updating your FAQ. Writing a price list. Creating template responses for questions you get twenty times a week. AI's perfect for this grunt work. Try this: “Write five frequently asked questions and answers for a residential HVAC company about furnace maintenance.” Done. “Create a simple price comparison between asphalt shingle roofing and metal roofing for homeowners.” You can knock all your back-burner tasks in one go.

Learning on the Fly (without the Jargon)

Running a business means constantly hitting stuff you don't know. New building codes. Tax deductions. How to price that weird custom job. Instead of filtering through results on Google, use AI, and try this: “Explain what a GST/QST registration number is and whether I need one for my Quebec-based renovation business.” 

Or: “How should I estimate labour costs for installing a custom staircase?” It won't give you the exact number, but it'll walk you through how to think about it so you can bid with confidence instead of guessing.

Okay, so you've tried a few prompts. Maybe you got something useful, maybe you got something that felt... off. Generic. Like it could've been written for anyone. Here's the reality: AI is only as good as what you tell it. 

The difference between “meh” results and “wow, this actually works” comes down to how you ask. Let's talk about how to turn AI from a disappointing experiment into your most reliable team member.

Stop Being Vague, Tell It What You Actually Want

Here's where most people mess up: they treat AI like it can read their mind. You type “write an email to a customer” and wonder why the result is boring and useless. Well, which customer? What's the situation? What tone are you going for? The more specific you are, the better your answer. 

Instead of “write a social media post,” try “write a Facebook post for a roofing company in Brossard announcing we have availability next week for emergency repairs after the windstorm. Keep it helpful, not sales-y.” See the difference? You've given it context, location, purpose, and tone. With AI, specificity is your friend.

Train It to Sound Like You (Not a Corporate Robot)

If you've ever gotten a response that sounded like it was written by someone in a suit reading from a script, you know the problem. AI defaults to “professional” which often means stiff and boring. 

The fix? Tell it how you actually talk. Start your prompt with something like “Write this in a casual, friendly tone like you're texting a neighbour”. You can also paste in an email you've sent before and say “match this tone and style.” The goal is to make AI write like you would if you had the time and energy to craft the perfect message.

Ask Follow-Up Questions

You're not stuck with the first answer. If the response isn't quite right, don't trash it and start over, just tell the AI what to fix. You can keep refining over and over until it's exactly what you need. 

The more you treat it like a back-and-forth collaboration instead of a magic answer box, the better your results get. And honestly? That's when it stops feeling like a gimmick and starts feeling like the assistant you wish you'd hired years ago.