The Marketing Assistant You Already Have: AI Prompts for Small Business Owners

Everyone told you AI would solve your marketing.

"Just use ChatGPT!" they said. "It will write all your content for you!"

So you tried. And the results were so generic you would rather skip posting altogether.

Here is the truth: AI is not going to do your marketing for you. But it can be the thinking partner you desperately need.

After seventeen years as a hairstylist, I know what it is like to run your business and try to market it at the same time. I built my own client base through word of mouth, social media, and showing up consistently, long before I transitioned into marketing professionally. Now, with formal education and years of hands-on experience managing marketing for multi-location service businesses, I help others do what I once figured out on my own.

You are managing appointments, serving clients, ordering supplies, doing the books. And somehow you are also supposed to be posting on Instagram three times a week, writing emails, and building your brand.

It is exhausting.

The difference between AI that helps and AI that wastes your time? Knowing how to ask the right questions. That is what this post is about. Real, practical prompts that help you brainstorm ideas, draft content, and get unstuck without losing your voice or spending hours staring at a blank screen.

How to actually use these prompts

These prompts are starting points, not copy-paste solutions.

Copy the prompt, add your specific business details, and treat the AI response like a first draft. Edit it. Make it sound like you. Add your personality. Do not expect perfection. Expect direction.

Think of AI like a brainstorming partner who never gets tired, not a magic content machine. If something feels off or too generic, push back. Refine it. AI works best when you work with it.

One important note: AI cannot define your voice. But it can help you find it. If you do not know your voice or your brand well yet, that is where we need to start. More on that at the end.

Part One: Start Here

Five universal prompts every small business owner can use

1. Turn your most-asked questions into content ideas

I run a [type of business] in [location]. My clients always ask me these questions: [list 3 to 5 common questions]. Give me 10 Instagram post ideas that answer these questions in a helpful, educational way. For each idea, include a hook, the main point I should make, and a suggested visual concept I could create in Canva.

Why this works: Your clients are already telling you what they need to know. This prompt turns those conversations into content that builds trust before someone ever books with you.

2. Repurpose one idea into multiple formats

I just wrote this [blog post, email, or social media caption]: [paste your content here]. Help me repurpose this into 3 Instagram captions in short, medium, and long versions, 5 Instagram Story slides with text for each, 1 Facebook post, and 3 email subject lines. Keep my voice and tone. Do not make it sound corporate or salesy.

Why this works: You already did the hard work of creating something once. This stretches that effort across multiple platforms without starting from scratch.

3. Brainstorm content themes for the month

I run a [type of business]. My ideal clients are [describe them briefly]. It is [month] and I want to plan my content around themes that feel relevant and helpful, not just promotional. Give me 4 content themes for the month, and for each theme suggest 3 post ideas, why this theme matters to my audience right now, and a Canva visual idea.

Why this works: Instead of scrambling for ideas every time you sit down to post, you have a loose structure that guides your content without boxing you in.

4. Write email subject lines that actually get opened

I am sending an email to my clients about [topic]. My audience is [describe them]. I want the subject line to feel [warm, curious, helpful, or urgent]. Give me 10 subject line options. Make them short, under 50 characters if possible, and avoid anything that sounds like a hard sell.

Why this works: Subject lines make or break whether your email gets read. This gives you options so you are not agonizing over one line for twenty minutes.

5. Draft social media captions faster

I want to post about [topic] on Instagram. My audience is [describe them]. I want this post to feel [educational, behind the scenes, personal, or helpful]. Write me 3 caption options: one short at 2 to 3 sentences, one medium at one paragraph, and one longer in storytelling style. End each caption with a low-pressure call to action like asking a question or inviting comments, not "book now."

Why this works: You get multiple options and lengths so you can pick what feels right in the moment. No more staring at a blinking cursor.

Part Two: Go Deeper

Service business-specific prompts

These prompts are designed for businesses where the relationship matters as much as the result. If your clients need to trust you before they book, these are for you.

6. Handle pricing questions without turning people away

I run a [type of service business]. People often ask me about pricing before they understand what I offer or why my services are worth it. Help me write an Instagram caption that educates people on what goes into my pricing, builds value without being defensive, and ends with an invitation to learn more or book a consultation. Keep it warm and approachable, not salesy.

7. Turn client results into content without being salesy

I just had a client experience [describe the result]. Help me turn this into an Instagram post that celebrates the client without sharing private details, highlights why this kind of result matters, and invites others who want the same experience to reach out. Keep it humble and real, not braggy.

8. Educate before they book

I offer [service]. A lot of people book with me without really understanding [what to expect, how to prepare, or why this service works]. Give me 5 Instagram post ideas that educate potential clients before they book so they come in informed and ready. For each idea include the hook, the key point, and a Canva visual suggestion.

9. Seasonal or event-based content

It is [season, month, or holiday]. I run a [type of business]. Give me 3 creative ways to tie my services into this time of year that feel helpful and relevant, not just another sale announcement. For each idea suggest a post concept, why it matters to my audience right now, and a simple Canva visual idea.

10. Analyze what is already working

Here are my 3 best-performing Instagram posts from the last month: [paste the captions or describe the posts]. What do these posts have in common? Why do you think they resonated? Give me 10 new post ideas that follow similar themes or formats but bring in fresh angles.

Note: If you track your analytics, pull your top 3 posts. If you do not, think about which posts got comments, saves, or DMs. That is your best-performing content even without the numbers.

11. Plan your visual content in Canva

I need to create [number] Instagram posts in Canva. My brand colors are [list colors]. My vibe is [modern, minimal, warm, or bold]. For each post suggest a layout style, what the background should look like, font pairing ideas, and a simple visual concept I can create without being a designer. Keep it simple. I am not a graphic designer and I do not have hours to spend on this.

What if you still do not have time?

These prompts help. They make marketing faster, less overwhelming, and more doable.

But I also know this: even with shortcuts, marketing still takes time. Time to think. Time to create. Time to post. Time to engage. And if you are already stretched thin running your business, even the easiest version of marketing can feel like too much.

That is okay.

If you have read this whole post and you are thinking this is helpful but I still do not have the capacity to do this consistently, that is exactly why I do what I do.

I work with small businesses who need marketing support without agency prices. If you want someone to help you build a strategy that actually fits your life and your goals, let us start with a conversation.

Book a free Marketing Clarity Call at radiantrise.co and we will figure out what you actually need, what you can realistically handle, and how I can help. No pressure. No pitch. Just a real conversation about what is possible.

Start with one prompt

You do not have to use all of these today. Pick one. Try it. See what happens.

Give yourself permission to experiment. Give yourself permission to edit the results. Give yourself permission to not be perfect.

Marketing does not have to be another thing on your list that makes you feel behind. And if you need help making that feel possible, I am here.

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