ChatGPT. It’s out there. If you haven’t heard about it, I can only assume you’ve had your head buried in the sand. If you haven’t taken the moment to play with it, please, do yourself a favor and play for a minute. It’s free. Sign in with google and just play. I’ll wait.
There’s already been a lot written about what it means, how to hack it, how it’s not as good as it’s made out to be. But the most common take seems to be about how confident it is in presenting very wrong answers. A couple of friends have shared their brief reviews after spending some time with the system.
It feels like it is just Dunning-Kruger embodied
I have definitely thought “oh my god a way too confident dude is chatting to me right now”
I’ve played with the tool for a bit, and, well, I think I’ve found something that it’s surprisingly good at.
Mediocre business writing
My wife runs a small business, teaching group fitness classes to moms with small children. In the course of doing business, she writes a lot. She writes a lot of newsletters, sales and customer support responses, sales partnership pitches, sales and marketing blurbs. But she really dislikes writing. She’s good at putting the facts into an outline, but word choice and flowery writing comes with difficulty.
So, I spent a bit of time with her and ChatGPT to show her how it works and to work through a few of her tasks for a day and, well, ChatGPT really seems to shine at this.
It seems to be good in situations where the facts don’t matter, but convincing someone you care about their problem does.
My really ungenerous take here is that ChatGPT, as “Dunning-Kruger embodied”, is a lot like the folks I’ve known to be really good in sales, marketing, and networking: sociopathic and disengenous but dangerously good at their jobs.
Anyway, here are a few examples.
Sales
Prompt: I run a fitness club for moms. I recently had a customer try their first class for free and am trying to get them to join as a member. They’re worried about the price of membership. Please write an email response to try to convince them to join.
Response:
Dear [Customer],
Thank you for trying out our class at [Fitness Club for Moms]. We're glad you enjoyed it and hope to see you back soon.
We understand that cost is a concern for many of our members, which is why we offer a variety of membership options to suit different budgets. Our monthly membership is a great value, with access to all of our classes and amenities, as well as discounts on special events and workshops.
We also offer a "buddy pass" option where members can bring a friend to class for free. This can be a great way to save money and also share the experience with a friend.
But most importantly, investing in your health and wellness is an investment in yourself. We believe that taking care of your body and mind is essential for living a happy and fulfilling life. Our classes are designed to help you do just that, and we're here to support you every step of the way.
If you have any more questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're always happy to help.
Best,
[Your Name]
[Fitness Club for Moms]
Note, I didn’t say anything about a “buddy pass” and we don’t offer a buddy pass. You can see this as a flaw, but we actually chose to see this as idea generation. ChatGPT came up with a potentially compelling way to get the sale. If we don’t want to offer a buddy pass, it’s easy enough to tell ChatGPT to remove that from the response or just delete it ourselves.
Marketing: Subject Lines
Prompt: Can you help me to generate a subject line for my February fitness club newsletter. I’d like it to include a pun about valentines day and fitness.
Response:
“Sweat Your Heart Out this Valentine’s Day with Our Fitness Club”
It can be hard to write witty email subject lines every month. I didn’t know it, but it turns out ChatGPT is a dad and is happy to help with a punny line.
Marketing: Newsletter Content
Prompt: Write an inspirational paragraph for the march newsletter for my fitness company targeted at moms.
Response:
Moms, as we welcome the arrival of March, let’s make a commitment to our health and well-being. This month is the perfect time to prioritize our physical and mental fitness, and set a positive example for our children. With the arrival of spring, there are endless opportunities to get outside, enjoy the sunshine, and move our bodies. So let’s take advantage of this new season and use it as motivation to start fresh and make a difference in our health. You got this!
Customer Service
Prompt: I run a fitness class. I have a new client joining the class for the first time tomorrow. I need to write a short email telling her to bring dumbbells if she has them, otherwise she can borrow my weight bars. The class is at 8 am. Can you help me write a draft?
Response:
Hi [Client],
Welcome to [Fitness Class]! I'm looking forward to having you in class tomorrow at 8 am at [Location].
Please bring dumbbells if you have them, but don't worry if you don't - you can borrow a set of weight bars from me.
See you tomorrow!
Best, [Your Name]
I forgot that the client also needs a yoga mat and should bring a water bottle. ChatGPT is great at modifying it’s drafts with new information.
Prompt: Oh, she also needs a yoga mat and water bottle.
Response:
Hi [Client],
Welcome to [Fitness Class]! I'm looking forward to having you in class tomorrow at 8 am at [Location].
Please bring a yoga mat, a water bottle, and dumbbells if you have them. If you don't have dumbbells, don't worry - you can borrow a set of weight bars from me.
See you tomorrow!
Best, [Your Name]
This example is interesting to me. The written email is actually shorter than the prompt. But, what’s useful here is that ChatGPT was able to take a set of facts and generate realistic sounding propse.
Customer Retention
Prompt: I have a client who has decided to cancel their membership because they’re don’t have time to attend classes. Can you help draft an email to convince them to stay?
Response:
Dear [Client],
I was sorry to hear that you've decided to cancel your membership with us at [Fitness Club for Moms]. We value your time and understand that life can be busy, but I wanted to reach out and see if there's anything we can do to help you reconsider your decision.
One of the benefits of our club is that it's a flexible and convenient way to stay active and healthy. Our classes are designed to accommodate a variety of schedules, and we offer early morning, afternoon, and evening options to help you find the right fit.
Additionally, our online class platform makes it easy to join a class from anywhere, so you can stay on track even if you're unable to come to the club in person.
I'd also like to point out that physical activity has been shown to improve energy levels and reduce stress, which can help you make the most of your busy schedule. By taking care of your body and mind, you'll be better equipped to handle the demands of daily life.
Finally, I want to let you know that we're here to support you and help you reach your goals, no matter what. Whether you need help finding a class that works for your schedule or need some extra motivation, we're here to help.
I hope this information has been helpful, and I look forward to hearing back from you. If there's anything else I can do to help, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Fitness Club for Moms]