In this article we are talking about A.I. and chatGPT– something you’ve probably heard a TON about already in the news cycle. But if you haven’t, that’s OK– because we are going to start from the beginning.
The new tools available to us business owners are completely changing the game– and after testing them for MONTHS behind the scenes, I am ready to share my very best tips with you.
And the best part?
While there are a THOUSANDS of videos and blogs and trainings about A.I. and ChatGPT out there already, this article is the only one made especially for family entertainment centers and play-based business owners.
But first, as you read this article, you might feel yourself thinking, “Ok, this all sounds great– but I still don’t really GET it. I don’t know how to use this new tool, I have no idea where to go, and I am feeling a little overwhelmed”.
First of all– SAME– because those were my exact thoughts the first time I went to a training on this topic.
But second of all, I have your perfect solution.
Since this topic is one of those things I really need to show you step-by-step, I recently hosted a 1-hour hands-on zoom training walking through everything I discuss here.
You can get the replay of the live training right here!
I hear so often from indoor playground owners that one of the biggest struggles they face is implementing work-life balance and unplugging to rest when they need it– so if that sounds familiar– you absolutely NEED to watch the replay.
Alright, first of all, what IS A.I. and ChatGPT?
GPT stands for generative pre-trained transformer which is a type of large language model (LLM) neural network that can perform various natural language processing tasks such as answering questions, summarizing text, and producing content.
In terms of where it fits within the general categories of AI applications, GPT-3 is a language prediction model. This means that it is an algorithmic structure designed to take one piece of language (an input) and transform it into what it predicts is the most useful following piece of language for the user.
It is able to do this as it has processed billions and billions of pieces of data from all corners of the internet created as recently as 2021.
So… what does this mean for you?
Let’s dive into how A.I. and specifically chatGPT can revolutionize your indoor playground business.
From streamlining customer service to enhancing your marketing efforts, we'll discuss the various ways ChatGPT can help you grow and thrive in this competitive industry.
Customer Service
Customer service is crucial in any business, and it's no different in an indoor playground.
With ChatGPT, you can create a chatbot that can answer common customer questions and provide assistance to visitors. This can free up your staff's time and allow them to focus on more pressing matters. Plus, ChatGPT can operate 24/7, providing customers with assistance even when your business is closed.
This is similar to the call forwarding system I recommended back in episode 105, but can offer that same high level of service to your website visitors in addition to those calling your facility.
You can also use ChatGPT to generate email responses to customers or vendors. For example, if you would like to ask a business to sponsor one of your attractions, you can ask ChatGPT to write an email proposal to help get you started and make this task seem less onerous.
Or, if you have a customer disputing a payment or making a complaint, you can use ChatGPT to craft a professional response, which we all know can often be difficult in emotionally charged situations.
Personalized Planning Recommendations
ChatGPT can personalized recommendations for activities and games and themes based on a customer's preferences or a staffs inputs. This can help you (or your team!) break through creative blocks in the event, class, or party planning process.
For example, if your event planner tells ChatGPT that they would like a list of activity ideas for a kids easter party, ChatGPT can suggest the best options available given the age range you enter.
Similarly, you can ask ChatGPT for a list of theme ideas for a one year old– the possibilities are really endless here!
Content Marketing
As an indoor playground business, you know the importance of reaching your target audience and building a strong online presence. Content marketing is one of the most effective ways to achieve these goals.
However, creating quality content consistently can be challenging and time-consuming. This is where ChatGPT can help. Here are some ways ChatGPT can make content marketing simpler for your indoor playground business.
Topic Generation
One of the biggest challenges of content marketing is coming up with fresh and engaging topics. ChatGPT can help you generate topic ideas based on keywords, customer feedback, and industry trends. By analyzing existing content and generating new ideas, ChatGPT can save you time and effort in brainstorming.
For example, you can literally type in, “give me 10 blog ideas for an indoor playground”, or – you can say, “what are some popular themes for first birthdays?” to help give you some inspiration for content or events.
Content Creation
ChatGPT can also be used to create content, such as blog posts and social media updates. With its natural language generation capabilities, ChatGPT can write engaging and informative content in minutes. This can free up your time to focus on other aspects of your business, such as managing your facility and interacting with customers.
Just keep in mind you NEVER want to copy and paste content directly from any A.I. tool. You’ll want to interject stories and anecdotes and add your own customizations and personality.
This will keep your content creation ethical and avoid sounding too bland or robotic.
Content Optimization
ChatGPT can also help you optimize your existing content for search engines. By analyzing your website and social media profiles, ChatGPT can provide recommendations on how to improve your content's readability, structure, and keyword usage. This can help your content rank higher in search results and attract more traffic to your website.
For example, when I release this article, I’m going to ask ChatGPT to write me a search engine optimized title. Because, while the quality of the content you create is paramount, we also want to ensure it can actually be found by the customers searching for your services in your area.
This can help you become more strategic in that you can feel confident that every piece of content you put out will truly provide you with the best return on your time and investment.
Social Media Marketing
Social media is a crucial component of content marketing, and ChatGPT can help you make the most of it. ChatGPT can help you create social media posts, analyze the performance of your posts, and provide recommendations on how to improve engagement. With ChatGPT, you can save time and effort in managing your social media accounts while still maintaining a strong online presence.
For example, you can type in “give me 100 instagram prompts for an indoor playground business”-- and boom, there you go. Next, you can say, “write captions for those 100 prompts”-- and it will literally write caption templates for you to then tweak and use.
While I never recommend using content straight from AI tools– it can get you about 80% of the way there and allow you to spend that time elsewhere in your life and business.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is another effective way to reach your target audience, and ChatGPT can help you with that too. ChatGPT can help you write engaging email subject lines and content, as well as provide recommendations on how to improve your email campaigns' open and click-through rates.
Content Personalization
Personalizing content is essential in today's digital age, and ChatGPT can help you with that. By analyzing customer data, ChatGPT can provide recommendations on how to personalize your content, such as recommending activities and promotions based on a customer's past purchases.
From generating topics and creating content to optimizing your existing content, managing your social media accounts, and personalizing your content, ChatGPT can save you time and effort while still providing value to your customers. By leveraging the power of artificial intelligence, you can take your content marketing to the next level and grow your business online.
Training Tool for Staff
In addition to assisting your staff with day-to-day tasks, ChatGPT can also be used as a training tool. You can train ChatGPT to answer common questions that your staff receives from customers. This can help your staff become more efficient and effective, which can improve customer satisfaction and increase revenue.
You can also have ChatGPT help you in creating standard operating procedures, training manuals, checklists, and more. In the last few weeks alone I have created over 200 standard operating procedures for indoor playgrounds that I have made into customizable templates for my Play Maker Society members, all beginning with a little help from Chat GPT.
So if you’ve listened to all of my episodes about the importance of documenting your procedures so you can delegate more and live the life you dreamed of when you launched your business– all while still delivering that same, incredible and consistent customer service to your clients, there is NO excuse anymore. These tips are now easier than ever to implement with ChatGPT and AI.
You can also checkout my Recession Preparation Playlist here – because there are a LOT of really crucial to-dos on that list– many of which can be streamlined and more easily completed using AI.
Data Analysis
ChatGPT can be used to analyze data collected from customer interactions. For example, you can train ChatGPT to identify common issues or complaints that customers have. This information can be used to make improvements to your indoor playground and provide better customer service.
You can also use ChatGPT to track customer behavior, such as which days of the week are the busiest, which combination of snacks or cafe items sell most frequently, and other important metrics.
This is more of an advanced ask– but just know, it CAN be done– and these tools are getting better, faster, and smarter every single day.
Virtual Assistant for Staff
ChatGPT can also be used as a virtual assistant for your staff. For example, if a staff member needs to know the answer to a specific question, they can simply ask ChatGPT. If they need some ideas for new drink recipes, or to be walked through a process, they can ask ChatGPT. And you might be thinking, isn’t this the same as just “googling” something?
Well, not really. ChatGPT streamlines the process of searching the internet for answers and combines all of the information out there and provides only what they deem as the most helpful and credible answers. So finding answers is extremely quick and efficient.
As we've seen throughout this article, ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize your indoor playground business by streamlining operations, enhancing customer service, and supporting your marketing efforts.
By embracing this cutting-edge technology, you can not only save time and resources but also stay ahead of industry trends and continuously innovate to create a thriving, successful business.
