If you’ve tried Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT and thought, “Hmm… this doesn’t quite get me,” you’re not alone.
Most people jump straight into asking questions — but the real power of AI starts before you ask.
At Lightlever, we’ve tested dozens of ways to make Copilot and ChatGPT work like a real teammate for small businesses.
And the single biggest game-changer?
Teaching AI who you are before it starts working for you.
What Most People Get Wrong About AI
When you open ChatGPT or Copilot, it doesn’t know your business, your tone, or your goals.
That’s why your first answer often sounds generic — like something copied from a help article.
But if you take 15 seconds to give AI a bit of context (your business type, goals, and voice), it suddenly sounds human.
It starts writing emails like you.
It structures SharePoint pages the way you would.
It even understands what “success” means for your team.
The “Meta-Prompt” Habit That Changes Everything
Before you ask AI to do anything — whether it’s writing an email, planning a meeting, or creating content — start with a setup message.
Think of it as your “AI briefing.”
You don’t have to reveal all the details (that’s in our free guide), but it goes something like this:
“My business is a [type of business] that helps [audience]. Our goal is to [main outcome]. Please keep this in mind when answering my questions.”
That’s it.
Now Copilot and ChatGPT will tailor every answer to fit your tone, purpose, and priorities.
Why It Works So Well
AI tools rely heavily on context.
Without it, they guess.
With it, they understand.
This habit turns random answers into relevant, actionable ideas — and it only takes one extra line before you start.
It’s like teaching your digital assistant your company culture.
Real Example (From a Small Business We Helped)
A local consulting firm used to waste hours editing AI-generated drafts because they sounded “too corporate.”
Once they added a one-line context prompt describing their friendly, human tone, Copilot started producing usable emails on the first try.
Editing time dropped by 60%.
Ready to Try It?
This simple method — plus other tested prompts for Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Power Automate — is all inside our Free AI Prompt Pack for Microsoft 365.
You’ll get:
Real prompts you can copy and adapt
Step-by-step examples
Small business–friendly language
