Stop Paying for ChatGPT and Not Really Using It
Most business owners who pay for ChatGPT use it the same way. Open a new chat, ask a question, get an answer, close the tab. A week later, start again from scratch.
It works. But it is a long way from what it can do.
The problem is simple. Every new chat starts with zero knowledge of your business. You spend the first few messages re-explaining who you are before you get to the actual work. After a while it starts to feel like more effort than it is worth.
There is a straightforward fix.
Use Projects
ChatGPT has a feature called Projects. Inside a project, you upload documents and write instructions that apply to every conversation you have there.
Your business summary. Your service list. The way you like emails written. Common questions you answer for clients.
Once that is in place, every session starts with your context already loaded. The tool knows who you are and what you do. It stops being a novelty and starts being useful.
The same feature exists in Claude, another AI tool. The principle is identical. Give it your context once and it applies every time.
What to Put In There
You do not need much. A one-page summary of your business is enough to start. From there you can add:
- Your preferred communication style and email sign-off
- A list of your services or products
- Any recurring tasks you already use AI for
- FAQs you regularly answer for clients
Twenty minutes of setup. You will notice the difference immediately.
A Business That Got This Right
Tonic Interior Systems, a Southland construction business, started using AI to handle paperwork. Health and safety documents now take under an hour instead of several. Onboarding packs, HR processes, and client communications are produced consistently without being outsourced.
Co-owner Leanne’s advice: start small. Pick one repetitive task. Build from there.
That is exactly what Projects make possible. You define the task once, give the tool your context, and it gets better each time you use it.
The Bottom Line
If you are paying for an AI tool and still tinkering, Projects is likely the reason it has not clicked yet.
Set one up this week. Pick the task you use AI for most. Write a short brief. Upload one document. See what happens.
If you want help thinking through how AI could save time in your business, we are happy to talk.