How to Use AI to Enhance Your Business

By James Breiner, Certified Small Business Mentor for Cleveland Business Mentors and Marketing Committee Co-Chair

Lately, it seems AI is either here to save us, replace us, or ruin everything. I’ve been thinking about how to help business owners sort the signal from the noise.

First of all, AI is not evil, and it is not going to destroy your business. You can make better judgments about AI once you start using it yourself. AI is already helping me with coaching, marketing, research, and troubleshooting.

How to Start Using AI

I volunteer as a mentor to small business owners with Cleveland Business Mentors. During a typical coaching session — my specialty is digital marketing and social media — I often suggest that clients use AI tools to conduct market research and generate ideas.

I will sometimes share my screen and encourage clients to ask ChatGPT questions — known in the AI world as prompts — such as:

• People are not responding to my Facebook posts. What should I do?

• What price should I charge for my product or service based on competitors in my area?

• Can you help me craft a business plan so I can apply for a loan?

• How many competitors for my service are there within the following ZIP codes?

Competition is often fierce for businesses such as landscapers, home repair and remodeling companies, beauty salons, food trucks, restaurants, bookkeeping services, and child care providers, among many others.

These questions are only a starting point. The beauty of ChatGPT and other AI platforms is that you can continue asking follow-up prompts to get deeper insights and better research. The more specific your prompts are, the better the responses will be.

Do not be afraid to use prompts that are several hundred words long. Include relevant details, graphics, or images when appropriate. The key is specificity.

A Word of Caution

AI-generated answers should always be verified. These tools can sometimes produce outdated information or even invent facts in an effort to satisfy a query.

For deeper recommendations, I suggest technology and management expert Ethan Mollick’s guide, “Using AI Right Now: A Quick Guide.”

https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/using-ai-right-now-a-quick-guide

Bonus: Troubleshooting Technical Problems

Whenever I have trouble getting a device or app to do what I want, I no longer rely solely on the HELP or SUPPORT buttons that come with the service. I often get better solutions from ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or Perplexity.

For example, I could not get my Apple messaging app to send messages to contacts using Android phones. ChatGPT walked me through about a dozen troubleshooting scenarios. At times, the chatbot’s tone even seemed to sound as frustrated as I was.

Eventually, the problem came down to a single setting buried deep within the iPhone’s menus. I never would have found it on my own, and the official help sections for the hardware and software were not helpful.

AI tools are not perfect, but when used thoughtfully, they can become valuable assistants for entrepreneurs and small business owners.