If you use ChatGPT, you might have heard about OpenAi's recently released custom GPTs. "GPTs" are like personalized mini-chatbots trained for specific purposes. If you've ever created a "mega-prompt" for ChatGPT before, that's essentially what a GPT is. But the advantage here is that you don't need to copy and paste that prompt every time; you instruct it only once during set up.
Here's why GPTs are revolutionary: If you run a business, you can train your own chatbot—or even multiple chatbots—on everything there is to know about your business, industry, target market, and ideal client. You can then instruct it to perform very specific roles for you.
It's like having a specialized team comprising a marketing strategist, researcher, social media manager, content creator, and virtual assistant at your command. Each is an expert in their individual role and follows your instructions exactly, without the the need to repeat yourself over and over again.
If you're still wondering about the practicality of GPTs and how they can benefit you, keep reading. I'll share how I trained a GPT to generate social media captions following a very specific framework, effectively saving me more than twice the amount of time it would take me to write those captions myself.
Understanding Custom GPTs
Before going much further, it's important to note that currently, GPTs are exclusively available to ChatGPT Plus users. However, in my opinion, this feature alone might justify upgrading to Plus. Besides, you'd also gain access to ChatGPT-4, which significantly outperforms 3.5.
But for those of you without ChatGPT Plus, maybe you're still on the fence about it, especially with the introduction of these new "GPTs". So I'm about to give you a little inside look into how they work.
If you have ChatGPT Plus, at the very top left of the main ChatGPT screen, you'll find all your pinned GPTs:
To use a GPT, simply click on the one you want to chat with. A new chat window will open up, which remains in your history for future reference, much like a regular ChatGPT chat. The key difference is that it's hyper-specialized, so there's no need to hunt for your mega-prompt each time.
You also have the option to explore GPTs released to the public or create your own.
When creating a GPT, here’s what the configuration screen looks like:
On this screen, you can tailor the GPT to your needs. This is where you add your instructions (or your mega-prompt). You can upload files for your GPT to search through and reference, enable web searches, generate images, and even integrate actions to connect with tools like Airtable.
The possibilities are truly endless. Imagine creating your own AI assistant that not only converses with you, but can also search your knowledge centers and perform tasks, just like a real assistant!
By training it on your specific business needs, you eliminate the need to repeatedly give instructions. For repetitive tasks, GPTs are a huge time-saver.
How I Trained a GPT to Generate Social Media Captions
In my business, I've already leveraged several GPTs for content creation, including:
A GPT to help me plan social media content.
A GPT to generate hooks based on the purpose or goal of a post.
A GPT to create Instagram captions.
And a GPT for LinkedIn captions.
I'll walk you through how I created my Instagram Caption GPT, because that one has saved me the most time!
To set up this GPT, the first step was defining its task. In the instructions, I told it to act as an Instagram strategist and I described both my service and my ideal client. I then instructed it to ask me a series of questions before generating captions, to make sure I don't forget to provide any necessary inputs.
I compiled a list of caption templates into a text file and uploaded this to the GPT's Knowledge files. Next, I enabled the "Code Interpreter" feature, allowing the GPT to reference this file when generating captions for me.
I also added "conversation starters" that I can simply click to initiate the chat, saving me the time of typing out the initial prompt.
After configuring all of this, I tested my GPT using the chat on the right side of the configuration screen. I refined the instructions as needed until I was satisfied with the output. Then, I published the GPT, choosing to keep it private. (A tip for those publishing public GPTs: consider adding anti-theft instructions to prevent others from asking the GPT to reveal your instructions and sensitive IP.)
To demonstrate how my GPT performs, here's an example of a caption generated by the GPT (with absolutely NO editing):
You're ready to scale, but your sales and conversions aren't keeping up. Here's the hard truth: manual processes could be the bottleneck.
❌ Lost time on repetitive tasks means less time engaging with potential clients.
❌ Manual errors and inconsistencies in client handling can lead to dissatisfied leads.
❌ Slower response times in a digital-first world where clients expect quick, seamless interactions.
This is not the path to scalability you envisioned.
If you're facing these issues, it's time for a change.
My DFY automation services are tailored to help service providers like you enhance efficiency, ensuring a smooth client journey from first contact to final sale.
Imagine no longer worrying about manual follow-ups or data entry errors.
You have bigger goals to achieve (like expanding your client base and boosting your revenue).
With the right automations in place, you can enhance client experience, streamline your sales funnel, and watch your conversions soar.
➡️ Ready to stop losing clients and start scaling effectively? DM me the word “Automate” and let's make it happen.The time-savings of this GPT alone has been astounding. It not only saves me the time to draft the initial caption, it also reduces my editing time by half! And the more refined the instructions are, the better the output and the greater the time savings.
Other Examples and Applications of GPTs
There are so many ways to utilize GPTs for your business. Below are some examples of public GPTs that I've found particularly useful:
Longform Blog Post GPT: This GPT is a must for writing SEO-optimized blog posts. While it's not intended to replace your entire writing process, it significantly reduces the time spent planning and writing high-quality posts.
LinkedIn Ghostwriter GPT: This GPT is ideal for generating LinkedIn posts that follow a proven framework. It produces professional, engaging posts that resonate with your network, while avoiding the typical AI-generated voice.
In addition to these, consider other GPT applications that could be beneficial, such as:
Market Research Assistant: This could analyze trends, compile reports, and even suggest strategies based on your business data.
Email Marketing Strategist: Assists in drafting personalized emails that resonate with your audience, making your email campaigns more effective.
Product/Service Offer Brainstormer: Generates creative ideas for your services or products and helps with naming.
Social Media Content Planner: Aids in planning your content strategy and generating content calendars for your social media.
And if you're interested in trying out the Instagram caption generator I showcased above, here's a sample prompt you can paste into your own GPT:
Act as an Instagram strategist. Your task is to generate Instagram captions for posts. I provide [what you do] services for [describe your ideal client].
Start the conversation by asking me for these inputs:
1. The topic to write about
2. Which template to use for writing the post
3. The content pillar
Then, fill out the Instagram Caption template in the attached file.
The content strategy should focus on [what you want the GPT to focus on] based on the content pillar:
1. [Pillar 1]
2. [Pillar 2]
3. [Pillar 3]Remember to customize the prompt for your business and target audience. Also, keep in mind that the effectiveness of the GPT varies significantly based on the wording of your instructions, so you'll need to experiment a bit with it!
Conclusion
I hope this mini-guide has been helpful as you explore GPTs or consider upgrading to ChatGPT Plus. From my experience, the value I've gotten from the Plus plan has been more than worth the $20/month, especially with the introduction of GPTs.
The advancements in AI over the past couple of years have been truly astonishing. My advice? Stay curious and keep exploring. You might just stumble upon something life-changing for you and your business.
I'd love to hear if you found this guide useful. If the idea of integrating AI into your business simultaneously excites and overwhelms you, remember that I'm here to help. Feel free to schedule a free consultation with me anytime. I'd love to help you develop a custom automation strategy to optimize your time more effectively.
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