The business owners who get the most out of AI aren't using it for everything — they've identified the specific, repetitive tasks that drain their time and handed those off. It's not complicated. It's just intentional.
Here are 10 tasks worth delegating. Each one includes a ready-to-use prompt so you can try it today, not someday.
1
Writing client or customer emails
Saves 20–40 min/day
Every business owner writes the same types of emails over and over — follow-ups, proposals, check-ins, status updates. Stop starting from a blank screen.
Prompt
Write a professional but warm follow-up email to a potential client I met at [EVENT/CONTEXT] last week. We talked about [WHAT YOU DISCUSSED]. I want to: remind them of the conversation, offer a 20-minute call, and keep it under 150 words. My tone is [DESCRIBE — e.g. friendly but direct].
2
Responding to reviews
Saves 30 min/week
Responding to every Google or Yelp review matters for SEO and for how potential customers see you — but it's tedious. AI handles the draft, you personalize in seconds.
Prompt
Write a response to this [positive/negative] review: "[PASTE THE REVIEW]"
Keep it: under 60 words, genuine (not corporate), and appropriate for a public audience. If it's negative, don't get defensive — acknowledge and invite them to contact us directly. Tone: [YOUR TONE].
3
Writing social media captions
Saves 2–4 hours/week
Social consistency is one of the highest-leverage marketing activities for small businesses — and the one that gets skipped most because content creation is time-consuming. Batch it with AI.
Prompt
Write 5 Instagram captions for [BUSINESS TYPE] targeting [AUDIENCE]. Mix of: 2 educational tips, 2 behind-the-scenes moments, 1 soft sell for [PRODUCT/SERVICE]. Each caption 3–5 sentences. Include a question or CTA at the end of each. Tone: [YOUR TONE — e.g. warm, conversational, not salesy].
4
Creating SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)
Saves hours of documentation time
Every repeatable process in your business should be written down — but most small business owners never get around to it because documenting is boring. AI makes it fast.
Prompt
Write a clear, step-by-step SOP for [PROCESS — e.g. onboarding a new client]. The person following it has [no experience / some experience] with this process. Include: overview, materials needed, numbered steps, and a checklist at the end. Format it so it could be dropped into a Google Doc or Notion page.
5
Summarizing long documents, emails, or reports
Saves 30–90 min/week
Contracts, long email threads, PDFs, research reports — AI can read them and give you the 5 things you actually need to know in 30 seconds.
Prompt
Summarize this document in bullet points. Pull out: the key points, any action items for me, any deadlines or important dates, and any red flags or things I should pay attention to. Keep it concise — assume I have 2 minutes to read this.
[PASTE THE DOCUMENT / EMAIL THREAD]
6
Drafting proposals and quotes
Saves 1–3 hours per proposal
Proposals take forever to write from scratch. AI creates a solid structure and draft — you add the specifics, adjust the numbers, and send it in a fraction of the time.
Prompt
Write a professional project proposal for [CLIENT TYPE] for a [PROJECT DESCRIPTION]. Include: executive summary, project scope, deliverables (list them), timeline, investment (use [PRICE RANGE]), and next steps. Tone: confident and professional but not stuffy. Keep it to one page equivalent.
7
Brainstorming names, taglines, and ideas
Turns 2 hours of blank-page thinking into 5 minutes
Naming things — products, services, campaigns, events — is one of those tasks that can eat an entire afternoon when you do it alone. AI throws out 50 options in 10 seconds.
Prompt
Generate 20 name ideas for [WHAT YOU'RE NAMING — product, service, event]. It should feel: [DESCRIBE THE VIBE — e.g. modern and minimal, warm and approachable, bold and edgy]. Target audience: [DESCRIBE]. Must avoid: [ANY WORDS/NAMES TO AVOID]. Include 5 tagline options for your top 3 names.
8
Handling repetitive customer FAQs
Saves 1–2 hours/week in customer service
Build a response library once and you'll never have to write the same answer from scratch again. Works for email, DMs, and eventually a chatbot if you want to go that route.
Prompt
I run a [BUSINESS TYPE]. Customers frequently ask:
1. "[FAQ 1]"
2. "[FAQ 2]"
3. "[FAQ 3]"
Write a polished, on-brand response to each one. Keep responses under 100 words each. Tone: [YOUR TONE]. End each with an offer to help further if needed.
9
Planning your week
15 minutes → 5 minutes every Sunday
AI is surprisingly good at helping you prioritize, batch your calendar, and think through your week strategically — especially when you're too close to your own to-do list to think clearly.
Prompt
Help me plan my work week. Here are my goals for the week: [LIST 3–5 GOALS]. Here are my fixed commitments: [MEETINGS, APPOINTMENTS]. Here are the projects currently on my plate: [LIST THEM].
Suggest: how to batch similar tasks, which to prioritize vs defer, and a rough daily structure that protects focused work time. I work best [MORNING/AFTERNOON/DESCRIBE YOUR RHYTHM].
10
Creating training or onboarding materials
Saves days of documentation work
Whether you're bringing on a new team member, VA, or contractor — you need documentation. AI creates a solid first draft of onboarding guides, training materials, and checklists in minutes.
Prompt
Create an onboarding guide for a new [ROLE — e.g. virtual assistant / social media manager] at my [BUSINESS TYPE]. They'll be responsible for: [LIST MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES]. Include: welcome overview, day 1 checklist, key tools they'll use, communication expectations, and where to find resources. Write it in a friendly, welcoming tone.
The compounding effect
Each of these tasks takes 30 minutes to an hour on a good day. If you hand off even 3–4 of them per week, you're looking at 2–4 hours back — every week. Over a year, that's an extra 100–200 hours. What would you do with that time?
Go deeper
10 workflows. 50+ prompts. Built for your business.
The Profit Accelerator Playbook goes deep on 10 core business workflows — content, sales copy, email, market research, SOPs, financial tracking, and more. Each section has structured prompts, step-by-step guidance, and real examples built for entrepreneurs running lean.
Get the Profit Accelerator →
Also available: Everyday AI Guide · AI Agent Guide