How to Use AI as Your Junior Writing Assistant
I want to let you in on one of my favourite productivity hacks for small business owners: using AI as your junior writing assistant. Whether you're drafting emails, creating content, or just brainstorming ideas, AI can save you an immense amount of time and energy. Let me show you how.
Getting Started: Choosing Your AI Assistant
There are several AI tools out there, but for writing, ChatGPT has been my go-to. It's like having a versatile assistant who’s always on call, ready to help with anything from drafting emails to brainstorming blog topics.
Step 1: Define Your Needs
Before you start, clearly define what you need from your AI writing assistant. Are you looking for help with:
Email responses?
Blog posts or articles?
Social media content?
Product descriptions?
Knowing exactly what you need will help you tailor your interactions with AI to get the best results.
Step 2: Set Up Your AI
Once you've chosen your tool, spend some time setting it up. This might mean:
Training it on examples of your previous writings to match your style.
Feeding it information about your business and products so its outputs are accurate and relevant.
Step 3: Start Small
Begin with a small, manageable task. For instance, if you want to generate a blog post, start by asking AI to come up with topic ideas or an outline. This helps you get a feel for its capabilities and limitations without being overwhelmed.
Step 4: Iterative Collaboration
Think of working with AI as a collaborative process. Here’s how you might approach it:
Generate: Ask AI to draft a piece of content based on the outline.
Review: Look over the content, noting what fits and what doesn’t.
Refine: Provide specific feedback to AI, like “expand on this point” or “adjust the tone here.”
Step 5: Enhance and Personalise
Once AI provides a draft, it’s your turn to add personal touches. Infuse your personality, tweak the voice if needed, and make sure the final product reflects your brand’s unique ethos.
Step 6: Use Feedback Constructively
Every piece of content you create with AI is an opportunity to improve. Feed lessons learned back into the system to make your assistant even better next time.
Final Thoughts: AI as a Partner in Writing
Using AI doesn’t mean sacrificing the personal touch that your brand is known for. It means enhancing your ability to produce quality content consistently and efficiently. As you become more comfortable with these tools, you'll find that AI can do much more than just write; it can brainstorm, suggest improvements, and even help refine your brand voice.
Remember, the goal is not to replace your creativity but to augment it. Let AI handle the grunt work so you can focus on the creative and strategic aspects that truly need your human touch.
