Alleviating Poverty through
Biblically Based Business

Selp Help Prompts for use with the free version of ChatGPT

Open up a free account in ChatGPT. Then work through the prompts below, one at a time. Copy and paste each prompt into ChatGPT to get responses and feedback that will guide you through your business training. Try to answer the questions ChatGPT poses to the best of your ability. Feel free to intersperse this with your own questions in between these prompts, and to use your own language.

To support you, download Workbook 1 for free here!

Table of Prompts for ChatGPT (Aligned with the Workbook)

Section 1: Introduction

Prompt 1: Please explain to me why setting up a small business is important in poorer areas where employment is difficult to come by, and what the main challenges are. How can resilience help in overcoming failure in business?

Prompt 2: I know someone with a successful business selling [insert their product/service here]. What can I learn from their approach to make my own business successful? How can I avoid some of the common reasons businesses fail?

Additional Prompt: Can you explain how the principle of resilience applies not just to business but also to personal life, especially when dealing with failures or setbacks?

Additional Prompt: What are some other qualities, besides resilience, that successful business owners have? How can I develop these qualities in myself?

Section 2: What Will My Business Be?

Prompt 3: Please help me understand the difference between a product and a service. Can you give me examples of each, and explain how I can choose between providing a product or a service for my business?

Prompt 4: Here are some products and services I am thinking of offering in my business: [List products/services]. Can you help me evaluate which ones might be in demand in my local area?

Prompt 5: What are some common needs in my community that I could meet with a business? Can you help me brainstorm a list of possible business ideas based on these needs?

Additional Prompt: Can you help me brainstorm ways to test my business idea before investing too much money? What simple steps could I take to see if there is demand for my product or service?

Additional Prompt: How important is passion or interest in the product or service I choose? Should I choose something I am good at, something people need, or something I love doing?

Additional Prompt: What should I do if my first business idea does not work out? How can I move forward if I need to come up with another idea?

Role Play Prompt: Let us role-play a situation where you play my friend or family member, and you ask me to explain my business idea to you. And then you ask me some questions to help me refine my idea.

Section 3: How Will I Sell My Products or Services?

Prompt 6: How can I identify who my customers will be? Why is it important for me to understanding customer needs and how I compete with others who are selling similar products or services? How do I find out?

Prompt 7: What do you think would be the most important factor for my customers when deciding to buy from me? Could it be price, quality, convenience, or something else?

Prompt 8: Can you help me think of ways to advertise my business in my local area without spending too much money?

Additional Prompt: How can I make my product or service stand out from the competition, even if other people are selling similar things? How do I identify my unique selling proposition?

Additional Prompt: What are some common mistakes people make when trying to sell their product or service? How can I avoid those mistakes?

Additional Prompt: Can you explain what market research is and give me a simple way to start researching my market to see if my business idea will work?

Role Play Prompt: Let us practice a market research conversation where I approach potential customers in the market to see what they usually buy, and how they choose where. You play the role of a stranger who could be one of my future customers.

Section 4: Planning My Product or Service

Prompt 9: Please explain what a "process flow" is and how I can plan each step of providing my product or service from start to finish.

Prompt 10: Can you help me list all the steps I would need to take in my business to make sure my customers are satisfied, and think about how I can improve each step?

Additional Prompt: How do I create a process flow for a service-based business (like transportation or cleaning)? What steps would be involved, and how can I make each step better?

Additional Prompt: What kind of tools or equipment might I need if my business is small and simple? How do I make sure I do not spend too much on things I do not really need?

Role Play Prompt: Let us role-play a situation where you are someone who might support me with advice or funding. Probe me on what my business is, why it is needed in the community, and how it will succeed.

Section 5: Making the Figures Add Up

Prompt 11: What is the most important thing I need to understand about the finances of my business? How can I make sure my income is higher than my expenses, as described in the workbook?

Prompt 12: Can you help me figure out how much money I need to start my business, and how long it might take before I start earning enough to cover my costs?

Additional Prompt: What are some common financial pitfalls small business owners face? How can I avoid running out of money before my business becomes profitable?

Additional Prompt: Can you help me figure out how much I should charge for my product or service so that I make a profit but also keep my prices affordable for customers?

Additional Prompt: How do I keep track of my business finances in a simple way? Do I need to hire someone to help, or can I manage this myself?

Role Play Prompt: Let us role-play a conversation where you a tough minded supplier and I am trying to negotiate with you for the best deal on products or materials.

Section 6: Running My Business

Prompt 13: What are some important principles I need to follow when I am actually running my business, after I have set it up? How can I make sure that I continue to grow and avoid failure?

Prompt 14: If my business becomes successful, how can I use that success to help others in my community?

Additional Prompt: What are some ways I can keep improving my business once it is running? How do I know when to change something or try a new approach?

Additional Prompt: How do I handle competition once my business is up and running? What strategies can I use to make sure my business stays ahead?

Additional Prompt: What should I do if my business starts struggling? How can I spot the signs early and turn things around before it is too late?

Role Play Prompt: Let us role-play a situation where you are a customer who comes to me with a complaint about my product or service. Push me to figure out how to handle your complaint while making sure you feel valued and willing to buy from me again.

Final Reflection Prompts

Prompt 15: Can you help me review all the steps I have taken so far in planning my business? What do I still need to work on before I am ready to get started?

Additional Prompt: Can you help me reflect on the reasons I want to start this business? How can I stay motivated when things get tough, and how can I remind myself of my bigger purpose in doing this?

Additional Prompt: What small daily or weekly habits can I develop that will help me stay focused and disciplined in my business?

Additional Prompt: If I want to grow my business in the future, what are some things I should start thinking about now, even at the early stages?

Role Play Prompt: Let us role play you being my business coach, and you are helping me to think through whether I have done enough to make my business work, and what to do about areas I am worried about.

Faith and Business Integration Prompts

Additional Prompt: How can I integrate my faith or values into the way I run my business? How can this give me strength and guidance, especially when facing challenges?

Additional Prompt: What are some ways I can give back to my community or help others with the success of my business, as suggested in the workbook?

Practical Steps for Moving Forward

Additional Prompt: What are the most important actions I need to take before starting my business? Can you help me create a checklist to make sure I am ready?

Additional Prompt: How do I get my first few customers? What steps should I take to start spreading the word about my business?

Final Reflection: Next Steps

Additional Prompt: Now that I have worked through all these exercises, can you help me summarise the key points I have learned about my business idea, and what my next steps should be?