📈 Automate These 7 Business Functions With A ChatGPT Agent

Introduction: The Evolution From Virtual Assistant To Autonomous Partner

If you're still using ChatGPT in the conventional way asking questions, drafting emails, or creating content you're only tapping into a fraction of artificial intelligence's true potential. Most business owners don't realize that AI has taken a monumental leap forward. ChatGPT recently introduced Agent Mode, a feature that doesn't just think and write for you, but can actually act on your behalf.

Think of it this way: standard ChatGPT is like a wise advisor who gives you excellent advice. But Agent Mode is like a real assistant, capable of completing tasks on autopilot. It's the difference between someone telling you what to do and someone actually doing it for you.

In this article, we'll walk through seven practical methods to turn ChatGPT's Agent Mode into a 24/7 business partner that handles tasks worth $10-$100/hour. This frees you up to focus on the $1,000/hour strategic decisions that truly drive your business growth.

What Makes Agent Mode Different?

Before diving into specific applications, we need to clarify what makes Agent Mode so special.

Traditional AI excels at thinking, researching, writing, and answering questions - essentially anything involving text-based information. But Agent Mode can actually take action. It operates its own virtual browser where it can:

• Click buttons on websites.

• Fill out forms.

• Navigate between web pages.

• Handle unexpected pop-ups.

• Adapt when things don't go as planned.

This is the core difference compared to simple automation tools like Zapier. Those tools operate like a pre-written script - they work perfectly until an unexpected element appears, at which point they break completely. In contrast, Agent Mode can reason through problems and adapt, much like a human would.

The Mindset Shift: From Giving Instructions To Delegating Outcomes

Using Agent Mode requires a shift in thinking. Instead of giving detailed, step-by-step instructions, you need to learn to delegate a final objective. You don't say, "go to page A, click button B, copy text C." Instead, you say, "Find me 10 potential suppliers for product X in the Southeast Asian market and compile their contact information into a spreadsheet." The AI will then figure out the necessary steps to achieve that result on its own.

Important Limitations To Know:

• Plus Plan: Currently, Plus plan users are limited to 40 agent tasks per month. This is suitable for experimentation and automating small workflows.

• Pro/Team Plan: Higher-tier users get 400 tasks per month (at a cost of around $200/month). This is sufficient for deep integration into daily business operations.

• Website Barriers: Some websites have mechanisms to block AI bots. However, as this technology becomes more common, these barriers are gradually being removed, and agents are becoming more sophisticated at mimicking human behavior.

1. Deep Market Research: Understand Your Competition And Customers

In a competitive market, every advantage is precious. Your business is likely not your customers' only choice. There are two primary ways to get ahead:

1. Know exactly what your competitors are doing right (to learn from them) and wrong (to avoid their mistakes).

2. Deeply understand your customers from their perspective - their problems, their dream outcomes, and the exact language they use.

Agent Mode can perform this work with a depth that is difficult to achieve with manual research.

How To Set Up The Process:

Step 1: Provide Context About Your Business

Start by giving the agent detailed information about your business. If you've been using ChatGPT for a while, it may already know a lot about you thanks to its context memory. However, always provide a clear summary.

Step 2: Request Research On Two Key Areas

Instruct the agent that you want to conduct research on two fronts: your competitors and your target customers.

Step 3: Competitor Research

Have the agent find the following information about your top 3-5 competitors:

• The products/services they offer (features and benefits).

• Their Unique Selling Points (USPs).

• Pricing information and service packages.

• Their recent marketing campaigns on social media and Google.

• Their website's tone of voice and core messaging.

Step 4: Customer Research (This is a Goldmine)

This is the most critical part. Instruct the agent to visit forums like Quora, relevant Facebook groups, and product review sites in your niche. You want word-for-word quotes from real people about:

• How they describe their problems.

• What their ideal outcomes look like.

• What they complain about most when dealing with businesses like yours.

• What makes them happy and delighted.

Step 5: Turn Data into Actionable Insights

Ask the agent to synthesize the results visually:

• Create a pie chart of the top customer complaints so you can instantly see the biggest problems in your industry.

• Organize all the customer language into a downloadable spreadsheet, categorized by columns: Problems, Desires, Complaints, Praise.

Detailed Prompt Example:

"Act as a market research analyst. My business is a web design company specializing in websites for dental clinics in Vietnam.

Task 1: Competitor Analysis.

Find the top 3 other web design companies that also specialize in the dental niche in Vietnam. Visit their websites and fill out a Markdown table with the following columns: Company Name, Website Link, Key Services, Pricing (if available), Unique Selling Point (USP), and Primary Marketing Message.

Task 2: Customer Insight.

Visit forums and Facebook groups for dental clinic owners. Search for discussions about building a website. Extract at least 20 verbatim customer comments and categorize them into the following sections in a spreadsheet:
Pain Points: Problems they have with their current website or with other design agencies (e.g., "My website loads too slowly," "My old designer provided terrible support").

Desires: The end results they want to achieve (e.g., "I want more patients to book appointments through the website," "The website needs to look professional to build trust").

Barriers: What prevents them from making a decision (e.g., "The cost is too high," "I'm not tech-savvy, so I'm afraid it will be hard to manage").

Task 3: Synthesis.

Based on the data from Task 2, create a pie chart summarizing the 5 most common complaints.

Please begin."

The Result:

Why This Method Works:

Customer complaints show you exactly what you should be doing differently. If everyone complains that web design agencies often abandon them after the project handover, and you commit to 1 year of free technical support, that becomes a core selling point. When a potential customer reads your website and sees their own words reflected back at them, their brain tells them, "Finally, someone who gets it!" This instant connection turns visitors into clients.

2. Build Your Dream Team Of Virtual Business Mentors

When you run a business alone, it's easy to get trapped in your own echo chamber. There's no one around to challenge your assumptions or warn you when you're about to waste six months on a terrible idea.

Agent Mode can help you build a virtual advisory board, composed of the greatest business minds, ready to give you advice at a moment's notice.

How To Build Your Virtual Advisory Board:

Step 1: Choose Your Mentors

Select 5-10 of your favorite business books or legendary entrepreneurs you admire. For example: Ray Dalio, Simon Sinek, Brené Brown, Adam Grant, and Warren Buffett.

Step 2: Give the Agent a Massive Research Task

Instruct the agent to dig deep into everything these entrepreneurs have ever said, written, or taught. The agent needs to capture:

• Their decision-making frameworks.

• Their go-to business strategies.

• How they approach and solve problems.

• Their signature advice patterns.

Step 3: Create Detailed Profiles

Have the agent compile everything into comprehensive 20-50 page text documents for each person, formatted specifically so an AI can "channel" their unique perspectives.

Step 4: Load the Data into a Custom GPT

Create a new GPT using OpenAI's Custom GPT builder. Upload all the profiles you've created into the "Knowledge" section and name it "My Advisory Board."

How To Use It:

Whenever you hit a roadblock or face a tough decision, pitch the problem to your virtual advisory board. You'll receive genuine criticism that pokes holes in your logic and challenges your assumptions exactly the kind of tough love every solo founder needs but rarely gets.

Detailed Prompt Example (For Steps 2 & 3):

"Act as a biographical researcher. Your task is to create a detailed profile of Ray Dalio's business philosophy and decision-making methods.
Data Collection: Access and analyze the following sources:

Detailed summaries of the book "Principles: Life and Work."

Prominent interviews with him on YouTube (search "Ray Dalio interview").

His articles on LinkedIn and the Bridgewater Associates website.

Information Synthesis: Extract and systematize information according to the following themes:

Core Principles: List his most important principles (e.g., Radical Truth, Radical Transparency).

Decision-Making Framework: Describe his 5-step process for achieving goals.

Problem-Solving Approach: How he views mistakes and failures.

Communication Style: His tone, commonly used phrases, and how he delivers criticism.

Profile Creation: Write a text document approximately 20 pages long, clearly formatted with the sections above. The goal is to create a personality blueprint so that another AI can convincingly role-play as Ray Dalio. This document must contain numerous direct quotes and specific examples."

Repeat this process for each mentor you've chosen.

3. Find And Secure Podcast Guesting Opportunities

Appearing as a guest on podcasts is an effective marketing strategy, especially if you're an expert in your field. Instead of paying PR agencies, you can use Agent Mode to do this research efficiently.

Step-By-Step Setup:

Step 1: Define Your Expertise

Describe your business and, more importantly, your specific area of expertise to the agent.

Step 2: Set Your Goal

State clearly that your goal is to appear on as many relevant podcasts as possible this year as a guest.

Step 3: Set Specific Criteria

Have the agent only return results that meet the following requirements:

• The podcast actually discusses your topic.

• The podcast is still active (no dead shows).

• It regularly features guests (not just solo shows).

• It has a large enough listenership to be worth your time (suggest at least 1,000 regular listeners, but adjust based on your goals).

Step 4: Create a Comprehensive Spreadsheet

Tell the agent to fill a spreadsheet with the following columns:

• Podcast Name

• Estimated Listeners Per Episode

• Host Name(s)

• Contact Email (or link to contact form)

• Suggested Topic Gaps You Could Cover (analyzing what content is missing that your expertise could fill)

Bonus Feature - Automated Scheduling:

Agent Mode can re-run this action on a schedule daily, weekly, or monthly. After it finishes the first time, just click the clock icon and choose your timing. This ensures you always have a fresh list of opportunities.

Detailed Prompt Example:

"Act as a PR specialist. My expertise is in 'Productivity optimization for content creators.' My goal is to find podcast guesting opportunities.

Task:
Search Google, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts for 15 podcasts that fit the following criteria:

Topics: Productivity, content creation, online business, marketing for freelancers.

Status: Has published at least one episode in the last 30 days.

Format: Features guest interviews.

Audience: Targets content creators, freelancers, or small business owners.

For each podcast found, visit its website to find the necessary information.

Compile the results into a Markdown table with the columns: Podcast Name, Host, Podcast Link, Contact Email, Notes (A brief description of the podcast), and Potential Topics (Suggest 2-3 specific topics I could share based on their recent episodes)."

4. YouTube Content Research Made Easy

If you want to start a YouTube channel, the biggest challenge is identifying topics and titles that will actually get views. This used to require paid tools, hours of manual research, and a lot of intuition.

How Agent Mode Solves This:

Step 1: Request Comprehensive Research

Tell the agent to go directly to YouTube and conduct detailed research for videos in your industry that are:

• Performing well in YouTube search.

• Have a reasonable balance of competition (not overly saturated).

• Cover different video formats a small business channel needs (e.g., how-to's, reviews, concept explanations).

Step 2: Get Customized Results

The agent will create a simple table with:

• Column 1: Overall topic based on keyword phrases people actually type into YouTube.

• Column 2: Proposed titles that contain those phrases but are rephrased to be more appealing and clickable.

Step 3: Advanced Options

For more advanced users, you can ask it to:

• Look for videos that have gone viral in your niche recently.

• Analyze title structures that are working well.

• Give you ideas based on successful patterns from similar channels.

Detailed Prompt Example:

"Act as a YouTube content strategist. I am building a YouTube channel about 'Indoor houseplants for beginners.'

Task:
Go to YouTube and search for keywords like 'ZZ plant care,' 'easy indoor plants,' 'how to water plants correctly.'


Identify 10 video topics that have high search volume but moderate competition (prioritize videos from smaller channels that are performing well).

For each topic, propose 3 compelling title variations using the following formulas:

Listicle Title: '5 Deadly Mistakes When Caring for a ZZ Plant'

Question Title: 'Are Your Plant's Leaves Turning Yellow? This Is Why'

How-To Title: 'The Ultimate Guide: How to Propagate a Pothos Plant with Ease'

Present the results in a table with the columns: Main Topic, Proposed Title 1, Proposed Title 2, Proposed Title 3."

The Result:

Why This Method Works:

Instead of guessing what might work or copying what big channels do (which usually doesn't work for small channels), you're getting data-driven topics that match your expertise with what people actually want to watch. All delivered in about 20 minutes while you do other things.

5. Website Conversion Audit: Spy On Your Competition And Fix Your Funnel

Every question or moment of confusion a potential customer has while on your website reduces your conversion rate. Most business owners have no idea where people get stuck because they are too close to their own business.

The Smart Way To Do This:

Step 1: Identify Top Performers

Have the agent find the top 3-5 businesses like yours nationwide. We're talking about companies that have spent hundreds of thousands on conversion optimization.

Step 2: Analyze Their Funnels

Tell the agent to study:

• How they structure their sales process.

• What information they present and in what order.

• How many steps are in their checkout process.

• What kind of forms they use.

• Where their pricing is located.

• Whether they have live chat, payment plans, or video demos.

Step 3: Audit Your Own Funnel

Have the agent go through your entire sales funnel, simulating the complete user journey:

• Start from the homepage.

• Try to understand what you offer.

• Find pricing.

• Go through the checkout or contact process.

Step 4: Get a Comparison Report

The agent will compare your site directly to the top performers and identify gaps, such as:

• "Top competitors show pricing with one click, while yours is buried three pages deep."

• "They all have live chat; you do not."

• "They offer payment plans; you do not."

Step 5: Prioritize Changes

Have the agent rank its findings from quick wins to larger strategic changes.

Detailed Prompt Example:

"Act as a conversion rate optimization (CRO) specialist. My website is [your website address], which sells online yoga courses.

Task 1: Competitor Analysis.

Find the 3 most successful websites selling online yoga courses in the international market. Act as a potential customer and go through their entire user journey, from homepage to the checkout page. Document the following key elements:
What is the main call-to-action (CTA) on the homepage?

Is pricing information easy to find?

What social proof do they use (reviews, testimonials)?

How many steps are in their checkout process?

Do they offer a free trial or a money-back guarantee?

Task 2: Audit my website.

Perform the same process on my website, [your website address].

Task 3: Create a comparison report.

Create a detailed table comparing my website against the 3 competitors. Then, write a summary identifying the 5 biggest differences and recommend 5 actions I should take immediately to improve user experience and increase conversion rates, ordered by priority from highest to lowest."

The Power Of This Method:

The agent actually clicks through these funnels like a real person, experiencing them in real time and seeing exactly where friction points exist. Every difference is a potential opportunity based on proven elements that top players have tested and kept because they work.

6. Discover New Revenue Streams For Your Business

Maybe your business is doing okay, or even great, but you're stuck on what to do next to make more money. Agent Mode can help you figure out your next move.

How to Unlock New Income Sources:

Step 1: Describe Your Current Situation

Tell the agent about your current business:

• What you do.

• Who you help.

• How you make money right now.

• Any limitations (like being maxed out locally).

Step 2: Request Creative Money-Making Ideas

Ask for suggestions beyond what you're already doing, broken down into categories:

Category 1: Affiliate Sales

Products you could recommend and get paid for:

• A fitness trainer recommending equipment or supplements.

• A web designer recommending hosting services.

• This is easy money because you'd talk about these anyway.

Category 2: Remote Services

Things you could do for people anywhere:

• One-hour consulting calls.

• Creating plans for them to execute themselves.

• Reviewing work and giving feedback.

• Uses your expertise without a physical presence.

Category 3: One-Time Creation, Ongoing Sales

Things you create once and sell repeatedly:

• Templates people can buy and use.

• Video courses teaching what you know.

• Guides and worksheets.

Step 3: Get Ideas at Different Price Levels

Ask for options ranging from $27 downloads to $5,000 personal coaching packages, so customers can buy whether they have a little money or a lot.

Detailed Prompt Example:

"Act as a business development consultant. My current business is a portrait photography studio for entrepreneurs in Hanoi. I am at full capacity and am geographically limited.

Task:

Please suggest 10 new revenue streams for me, based on my current skills and client base. Categorize these ideas into 3 groups:
Affiliate Marketing: Products/services I could recommend to my entrepreneur clients (e.g., software, equipment).

Remote Services: Services I could offer online (e.g., personal branding consultations via video, photo editing for others).

Digital Products: Products I can create once and sell many times (e.g., a course on how to take product photos with a smartphone, a set of Lightroom presets for corporate headshots).

For each idea, provide a short description, a suggested price point, and an estimate of monthly revenue potential.

Finally, compile all this information into a downloadable PowerPoint presentation."

7. Find The Perfect Job Candidates Fast

Hiring is time-consuming and not fun. Your agent can do the heavy lifting by finding the best candidates so you're choosing from the cream of the crop instead of wading through hundreds of applications.

Real-World Example - Hiring A YouTube Thumbnail Designer:

Step 1: Define Your Needs Specifically

Tell the agent exactly what you're looking for:

• "Find 10 thumbnail designers on Upwork whose portfolios show they could nail Ali Abdaal's style."

• "I want to pay no more than $50 per thumbnail."

Step 2: Be Detailed About Requirements

Specify:

• Exact skills needed.

• Required experience.

• Budget constraints.

• Important personality traits for the role.

Step 3: Request a Comprehensive Spreadsheet

Ask for a spreadsheet with:

• Each person's name.

• What they charge.

• A direct link to their Upwork profile.

• An actual work sample that looks closest to what you want.

Detailed Prompt Example:

"Act as a recruiter. I need to find a YouTube thumbnail designer on the Upwork platform.

Requirements:
Style: Similar to the thumbnails on the 'MrBeast' channel—bright colors, large text, clear facial expressions.

Experience: At least 2 years of experience designing thumbnails for YouTube channels.

Budget: A rate of no more than $30 per thumbnail.

Rating: Only select freelancers with a Job Success Score of 95% or higher.

Task:

Go to Upwork and search for freelancers who meet the above criteria.

Review their portfolios.

Create a spreadsheet listing the top 5 most promising candidates with the columns: Name, Upwork Profile Link, Rate per hour/per thumbnail, and Link to a thumbnail sample from their portfolio that you believe best matches my requirements."

How It Works:

The agent runs on its own virtual browser (not your computer), so it won't be logged into your accounts. When it reaches a point requiring a login, it will let you know. You can quickly take over, log in, then let it continue working.

What might take you days of searching, the agent completes in 20-30 minutes, giving you qualified candidates with matching work samples.

Advanced Uses:

The agent could also:

• Write the perfect job post.

• Post the job listing.

• Shortlist candidates as they apply based on your criteria.

• Respond to candidates and schedule interviews.

Ethical Considerations And Best Practices

When using a tool as powerful as Agent Mode, it's important to be responsible.

• Data Privacy: Do not instruct the agent to collect sensitive personal information. Respect privacy.

• Avoid Spammy Behavior: When using the agent to find contact information (e.g., for podcasts), ensure your outreach is personalized and genuine, rather than sending mass emails.

• Human Oversight: Always review the agent's output. It is a tool to assist, not to completely replace human judgment. Double-check critical information before taking action.

Conclusion

These seven applications of ChatGPT's Agent Mode can change how you run your business by handling time-consuming tasks. The key is to think beyond these exact examples - consider what processes in your own business could benefit from this kind of automated intelligence.

Remember the limitations: Plus users get 40 tasks per month, while Pro users get 400 for $200/month. Choose your automation priorities wisely.

The real power isn't just in what Agent Mode can do today, but in how it's changing the game for solo business owners and small teams. Instead of being stuck doing everything yourself, you can delegate research, analysis, and even complex decision-making tasks to your AI assistant.

Start with one of these seven methods that matches your biggest business need right now. Once you see the results, you'll quickly find ways to adapt these processes for other areas of your business. The future of business automation isn't coming - it's already here, and it's available to anyone willing to learn how to use it effectively.

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