Talk business with Copilot
I frequently engage in discussions with people who utilize tools such as Microsoft Copilot or similar AI chat systems (e.g. ChatGPT). Our conversations typically are about the benefits these copilots offer and how they’re being utilized. What I’ve observed is that many users could significantly enhance the value they derive from their AI by shifting their questions from simple requests like ‘Can you summarize this text?’ or ‘Can you tell me more about XYZ?’ to more strategic ‘business’ questions. Business is where the real power of an AI lies.
"Hi Copilot, can you help me write a business plan?"
Absolutely, I’d be glad to help you with your business plan. To get started, could you provide me with some details about your business? For example, the industry it’s in, your target market, and any specific goals or visions you have for it. This will help me tailor the plan to your needs.
Our first business question
Copilot or ChatGPT is not just a AI that can help you writing texts. It is a virtual “brain” that can help you do cognitive tasks. This means that is also able to respond on prompts related of problems/issues that you would like to solve. Let’s take the example of setting up a new business. In order to setup a new business, you need to have a plan. With that plan you can go to a bank to get a loan and start your business.
Let’s assume we have an idea to start a business that provides a video streaming service with cat movies. First we need a business plan:
“Hey Copilot, act as a business strategist. I’m launching a streaming service dedicated to cat movies. Can you help me draft a business plan that covers market analysis, marketing strategies, and financial projections?“
As you can see in the screenshot, Copilot is able of giving us perfect detailed answer. As you might already have seen or heard, Copilot is capable of searching the internet (using Bing). A lot of data that is displayed and conclusions that Copilot made, are based on websites that it had found on the internet.
Let Copilot analyze the market
Let’s zoom a bit deeper in into one of the parts of a business plan. It is time to do some market research. As Copilot is able to search the internet, it has all features present to do some marketing research. Here is my prompt:
“Hey Copilot, act as a market analyst. What are the current trends in the pet entertainment industry, and how can I position my cat movie streaming service to capitalize on these trends?“
Again, you see that copilot is perfectly capable of handling this task.
Competitor Analysis
When owning a business, it is almost mandatory that you know your competitors and how they are performing. You can learn from their strategies and mistakes.
“Hey Copilot, act as a competitive analyst. Who are the main competitors in the niche market of pet-related streaming services, and what can I learn from their successes and failures?“
Copilot was able to handle this prompt well. Even though there are no competitors named (if you know one, please let me know :-)), it did give me some tips on how to run my business.
Let Copilot create a marketing strategy
In order to sell subscriptions on our service, we should do some marketing. Let’s now create a marketing strategy
“Hey Copilot, act as a marketing expert. For my cat movie streaming service, what innovative marketing strategies can I employ to target cat enthusiasts effectively?“
This was another highly cognitive task where Copilot was able to help us.
Let Copilot create a financial forecast
Let’s go a step further and see if Copilot can come up with a financial forecast.
“Hey Copilot, act as a financial advisor. Can you create a five-year financial forecast for my streaming service, considering subscriber growth, content acquisition costs, and potential revenue streams?“
This a really cool scenario. This scenario shows that Copilot is not just capable of writing good texts, but also shows that Copilot can calculate things.
Conclusion
As we’ve explored, the capabilities of Copilot extend far beyond mere text generation. This powerful is the next wave in AI assistance, designed to tackle complex, multifaceted business challenges with ease. By engaging with Copilot, you’re not just asking for information; you’re enlisting a sophisticated partner capable of deep analysis, strategic planning, and creative problem-solving. I hope this post inspired you to see Copilot as your extra set of brains, instead of a text writer.
As you may have noticed, I am heavily using roleplaying in my prompts. This will make sure Copilot responds way better and prevents a lot of hallucination.