The Beginner’s Guide to Getting Real Leads with AI - Give First, Sell Second
Okay, so someone recently asked about using AI to generate leads for their used car business, and it got me thinking. This applies to literally anyone trying to grow their business or build an audience. Here's what clicked for me: we've been thinking about AI lead generation all wrong. Most people jump straight to "how can AI help me sell more?" But the real question is "how can AI help me actually help people?" Because here's the thing, when you solve someone's problem before they even become a customer, they remember you. They trust you. And when they're ready to buy? You're the obvious choice. Let me show you exactly what I mean. Think about your customers or audience for a second. What are they stressed about? What keeps them up at night? What questions do they Google at 2am? Those struggles are your opportunity. Instead of just promoting your thing, create something that genuinely helps them with that struggle. A checklist. A simple guide. A calculator. A template. A quiz. Something they can use right now, for free, that makes their life even a tiny bit easier. And this is where AI becomes your superpower. What used to take you days to create, AI can help you draft in 20 minutes. Here's a prompt you can adapt for literally any business or project: --- Copy this and customize it for your situation, paste into chatGPT ifi you dont know how to fill this in exactly just ask chatGPT :): --- I work with [describe your customers/audience]. Their biggest struggle right now is [describe the problem they face]. Create a helpful free resource that solves this problem. Make it: - Immediately useful and practical - Easy to understand (no jargon) - Something they'd actually want to save or share - Positions me as someone who genuinely cares and knows their stuff Format it as a [checklist / guide / template / step-by-step plan] with 8-12 items. Also suggest 3 simple ways I could share this to reach the people who need it most. --- Real example: If you're a fitness coach, maybe it's "5-Minute Desk Stretches for Remote Workers" or "Meal Prep Sunday Checklist." If you're a real estate agent, maybe it's "First-Time Home Buyer's Question Checklist" or "Moving Day Timeline." If you teach online, maybe it's a "Study Schedule Template" or "Note-Taking System."