Why Your ChatGPT Prompts Aren’t Working (And What to Do Instead)

Ever opened ChatGPT, asked it to “write a post for my small business,” and thought…

“Nope. That’s not my voice.”

You’re not alone.

ChatGPT can be brilliant, but only if you feed it the right input. And most small business owners are either too vague, too broad, or too robotic with their prompts—and then wonder why the output falls flat.

👎 Why Prompts Fail

Let’s break it down:

1. You’re not telling ChatGPT enough

Vague prompt: “Write an email for my business.”

→ GPT asks: What kind of business? Who’s the audience? What’s the goal?

2. You’re treating it like a human writer

It’s not a copywriter—it’s a tool. You still need to lead it with structure, tone, and intent.

3. You’re missing context

ChatGPT doesn’t know your brand, tone, offer, or customer unless you feed it in.

4. You’re skipping the tweak stage

AI gets you 80% of the way. The last 20%? That’s you—editing for flow, tone, and clarity.

💡 What to Try Instead

Here’s how to get better results immediately:

✅ Use prompts that are specific

“Write a welcome email for a Melbourne-based skincare brand with a friendly, low-pressure tone. Include a 10% discount and an invitation to follow on Instagram.”

✅ Set the tone and voice

Ask for “conversational,” “bold,” “emotional,” “funny,” or “like I’m texting a friend.”

✅ Give the goal

Is this a post to educate, convert, entertain, or drive traffic?

✅ Ask for multiple versions

“Give me 3 variations. One shorter, one with emojis, one with a headline hook.”

🚀 Still stuck?

If you’re wasting time rewriting ChatGPT output over and over, you’re not alone. That’s why I created the Small Biz Prompt Packs—real prompts for real businesses that work with your voice, your goals, and your brand.

👉 Test a few in the Prompt Playground

👉 Or start with the Free Starter Pack

✍️ Final Word

AI is only as good as your direction.

Smart prompts = better content = less overwhelm.

Don’t ditch ChatGPT—just learn how to use it like a pro.